"It may be that when we no longer know what to do we have come to our real work and that when we no longer know which way to go we have begun our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.” -Wendell Berry
I found support in these words in the beginning of the pandemic and again today---My baffled mind is revisiting a question that I began my Feldenkrais training with 19 years ago:
"How can the Feldenkrais Method support larger societal transformation?"
I asked each visiting trainer in my program this same question to see how they would answer it differently. I don't remember their answers, but I remember my strong desire to ask this question and an eventual shift in my orientation: from an external focus of wanting to change the world to developing my ability to actually feel myself, my bodily experience, my reactions, fears, compulsive ways of being in the world---and what ease, pleasure, compassion, support and connection really feel like.
And now full circle: from wanting to abstractly "change the world" while not feeling myself---to feeling myself and creating a life where I support others to feel themselves---back to this question I began with... Right now, even though I don't have an answer I see that I can live this question, as Rilke said,
"Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live your way into the answer."
In the act of writing these words I realized that one concrete thing I can do is give some partial or full scholarships for Movement & Creativity Library membership to frontline & essential workers, first responders and those with little or no income. If you know anyone who may benefit from this please send them my way.
Below are some of the May 2020 Movement & Creativity Highlights:
Opening and Closing Like a Flower (64 min) / David Zemach-Bersin
"Just want to thank you for this beautiful lesson, which I've done about 4 times now, with new experiences each time. Today I sought it out because my whole body was tensed up with processing the George Floyd death in Minneapolis and had progressed to depression. In the beautiful slow movements, I learned some new things about letting go in places that are trying to control things. As we did the rollings at the end, I realized I was feeling love for myself as a human being once more--a profound gift. I remembered what you said after Lesson 2 and restrained the urge to put words to it until now. As I stood up, a shower of gentle sobbing. This was exactly what I needed." -Louise Dunlap
“What a profound opening from this lesson. Upon standing my body instinctively transitioned into movement, a type of dance I've never experienced before. My hands led my entire body, I deeply felt the connection between my fingers, my breath and the space between my ribs.. My sense of how this will transition into my embodied movement practices and qi gong practice fills me with satisfaction.” -Maraya
Movements of the Jaw and Tongue to Reduce Anxiety (67 min) David Zemach-Bersin
"This was amazing! I'm a professional dancer and former circus artist from Sweden, but three years ago i had an accident where i fell on my head and ever since, i've been struggling with P.C.S (post commotio syndrom) which basically is remaining symptoms from a concussion. I've been trying EVERYTHING: acupuncture, TCM, osteopathy, chiropractor, all sorts of medicine, cranio sacral therapy: YOU NAME IT! but nothing has helped the chronic migraine that i suffer from... David's class helped me be painless for one hour. my first painless hour in three years!” -Sepideh Khodarahmi
Introduction to Strength, Stability & Vitality (60 min) / Tiffany Sankary
“I love this approach. Seeing you do the movements was very helpful. . . After the first time I was more aware of shifting my body in everyday activities. And I felt more creative and spontaneous. . . The lesson helps loosen my lower back and my left ankle, which has some stiffness due to an old injury. The whole lesson is clear and the pauses feel just right.” -Karen
Dynamic Relationships of Pelvis, Spine and Ribs (48 min) / Tiffany Sankary
“Lovely lesson, felt like I was getting an internal massage and waking up all the different cells within myself.” -Josephine
“There is a purity of internal and external becoming united into one stream....amazing.” -Janet
Rotating Hands to Restore Your Nervous System (25 min) / David Zemach-Bersin
“It is my first time that I am doing such a short lesson and I am really amazed how quick it is influencing me, my nervous system. . .” -Sylvia
Open Mindedness in Action: The Candelabra (45 min + a talk) / Deborah Bowes
“I loved the movement puzzles and discovering abilities to changes as well. Great lesson!” -Brunilda
Oscillating Movements on Your Back (42 min) / David Zemach-Bersin
“This was a very interesting exploration of the connection of the spine with the whole body. The tension of the muscles in the pelvis disappeared after that session and also the neck got lighter.” -Shakti
Lengthening Arms with Crossed Legs (39 min) / Tiffany Sankary
“I had the feeling of dancing in the sun at the beach!” -Margit
Connecting the Arm to the Back (41 min) / Aliza Stewart
“This session helped me to find out a better movement possibility for my upper back, the chest, neck and most important the left hurting shoulder. . . I felt like it was the right class with the right tools to explore my whole body. . .” -Shakti
“Such a beautiful journey. I love Aliza's words, pace and way of speaking. Delightful.” -Juliette
Neurological Balance, Ease and Creativity through Your Spine (57 min) / David Zemach-Bersin
“This lesson was kind of the key moment to finally feel my spine and also to let the pain between the shoulder blades go. I can now move my neck to both sides and the chest and shoulders can move better. . . After few days practicing regularly I can already feel a huge difference and a general changing in the perception of the whole body.” -Shakti
“This lesson gladdened my heart. I have been trying to invent something like it, a way to use my intentions to move each vertebra in my 81 yr old back, to move beyond all the stenosis and loss of musculature . . .that often makes it hard to walk or even stand upright. I KNEW this mobility was there, was possible.” -Louise
“My back was tense and all out of whack before starting this lesson, and now I feel more balanced and easy.” -Megan
Book on the Foot #3 - Sidelying, Turning Arm and Leg (51 min) / Tiffany Sankary
“My hip really got the hang of the rotation in this lesson-- very clever to teach it to my shoulder first! . . . You always create the right environment to explore without pressure to get it 'right'” -M’Lissa
Folding Yourself (42 min) / Aliza Stewart
“Standing I felt the very presence of my "tail" pointing to the floor. . . I am feeling my pelvis kind of heavy and self sustained at the same Time. Like a balancing hammock . . . Thank you for this beautiful exploration.” -Juliette
Eyes Organize the Spine, Enhanced (94 min) / Jeff Haller
“What a fascinating lesson! So much involved with turning, and so many different areas to pay attention to, and so interesting to pay attention to the front of the spine. That's not a place where I usually put my attention. . . I'm looking forward to coming back to this lesson” -Megan
Variation in Action: Sliding Legs and Pelvic Diagonals (40 min) / Tiffany Sankary
“This lesson was a learning to stay with sensations and thoughts which were distracting while repetitively returning to fine my attention on the present moment. As the lesson progressed I became aware of a fresh synchronization, like drinking water after a long thirst.” -Janet
Soft Hands on Your Side to Restore Your Nervous System (18 min) / David Zemach-Bersin
“I have a fused spine & find these ATMs very beneficial.” -David
“That was lovely! My hands feel so relaxed! They get very tense from using the computer, from playing guitar and just general tension.” -Sue
Differentiating Movement of the Leg to Roll Forward and Back (60 min) / Tiffany Sankary
“wonderful! learned so much, and felt like a telegraph pole when I stood up! so tall and planted in the ground.” -Emma
Holographic Blue: How We Are Healed Before We Know It (61 min) / Steve Hoskinson
“A sensitive and beautiful differentiation (with ease) of what it could mean to be enlivened by one’s emotions instead of being or feeling shattered or fragmented... growing ones capacity to feel... like a good gardener…” -Alessandra