Feldenkrais method hard to explain, but practitioners swear by results

Author: Jeremy Arias

Those who took part in the Frederick Feldenkrais Festival on Saturday could agree that describing the practice is far inferior to actually experiencing it. "It's like chocolate," one practitioner said. "You can describe it all day, but until you taste it, you don't really know what it is."

Experiencing the Method

The Feldenkrais Method often defies simple categorization. It's not exercise, it's not stretching, and it's not massage. It is a process of somatic education-learning about how you move from the inside out.

During a session, participants are asked to make small, slow movements and pay deep attention to the sensations. This process of mindful movement helps to un-learn habitual patterns of tension that cause pain and limit mobility. While it can be difficult to explain the neurological mechanisms at work, the results-reduced pain, increased flexibility, and a profound sense of relaxation-speak for themselves.