Awareness Through Movement

Have you ever considered your self-image and the impact it has on your actions?

Why do we do the things we do or communicate in the way we do?

So many questions….

In his classic book “Awareness Through Movement,” Moshe Feldenkrais really helps to make sense of how conditioning can shape our self-image and how we can improve, if we want to. As a side note, if someone wishes to improve his self-image, he must first learn to value himself as an individual, even if his faults as a member of society appear to him to outweigh his qualities. Things like education, physical structures, and even self-education, all have an influence. 

A little background on Moshe…he traveled the world teaching the Feldenkrais method of sensory awareness. This method of movement has helped thousands of people with their self-image and overall health. His technique is still taught today. 

You can think of the Feldenkrais method as exercises or “poses.” But even more so than that, it consists of movement, sensation, feeling, and thought. Moshe says that the delay between thought and action is the basis for awareness. This awareness is how we can discover who we are and make further discoveries, invent, create, and innovate. 

Magical…

I really love his style and wish I could have studied with him. 

He goes on to say that it would be better to direct our willpower to improving our ability so that in the end, our actions will be carried out easily and with understanding. There is no limit to improvement. But we have to remember that improvement comes in steps, which may include moving backwards then forward again. This is something that I struggle with because I want to constantly move forward. 

Anyone else feel that way?!

I’m grateful for that lesson (and many others) from Moshe. 

I got the illustrated version of “Awareness Through Movement,” so there are a lot of examples of how to implement the technique. The poses are pretty straightforward and easy to do, even with my limited mobility. 

In the end, it seems that our self-image is much more limited than our true potential. And maybe we can reach that level of awareness, through movement?
Anyway, thanks for visiting my blog today!

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