What is an Awareness Through Movement class like?
People are often intrigued by the Feldenkrais Method and ask me 'what is an Awareness through Movement class like?' Feldenkrais teachers have gone through a rigorous four-year training program which ensures they have deep embodied knowledge of the method and the difference it can make. Here's what to expect in one of my classes:
This is your time, which you have chosen to dedicate to this lesson. Bring your full presence and listen to your body.
The lesson centers around movement. I guide you throughout.
I give verbal instructions. There is no demonstration, you interpret the instructions for yourself.
We usually start in lying on the floor, sometimes seated or standing. In all lessons I first make sure everyone is comfortable. If someone is not comfortable lying down, I adapt the lesson so they can achieve the same effect in a seated position (while others will work lying down), or I help the person find a comfortable position on the floor with cushions, rollers, and so on.
In the lesson I instruct you to make specific, often unfamiliar, movements. Keep the movements small - well within your range of comfort. Repeat each movement a number of times - with your full attention. Move easily, with the least effort possible. Enjoy the feeling of what you can do.
I ask questions. A lot of questions. These are not for you to answer out loud. They serve to guide your attention. You will notice aspects of what you're doing that you might otherwise not attend to.
If at any point anything feels like a strain, stop and take a rest. Then try again in a different way. Take rest whenever you feel you want to (I also give frequent rests as I teach, but when you rest is your choice).
At various points throughout the lesson I will invite you to scan yourself - to observe yourself with your mind's eye. This may be just a few seconds or I may guide a detailed scan taking several minutes.
Often I use a reference movement, that we do at the start of the lesson and come back to at the end.
Lessons can get meditative (like a guided meditation). It's OK to fall asleep - it's common for people to drift off for a minute and then drift back.
(Re-)discovering movement is rewarding and fun. Sometimes, the process can call up emotions (positive or negative) during or after a lesson. This is normal. As a teacher I provide the support I can, giving space when a person needs it.
In individual lessons, I apply the above principles and supplement them, using a combination of verbal instructions, touch, and manipulation. The session takes place fully clothed. Another person's touch can guide you to find patterns of movement you would not discover on your own.
Have you attended a Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement class? What did you like most about it? Please leave a comment.