by Lavinia Plonka, GCFP This article originally appeared on the Creative Body Blog. “Of all the things in life I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.” Mark Twain “I don’t mind the voices in my head. I just wish they’d reach consensus.” Asheville Bumper Sticker I stand alone in the kitchen carrying on a lively conversation with myself. “Hmmm, …
Emotional Stress and Body Organization
by Ralph Strauch, Ph.D. GCFP This article is republished by permission from the Achieving Excellence blog. Feeling states and body organization are closely intertwined. Your body amplifies your emotions in the same way your stereo amplifier amplifies music. When an emotion arises you subconsciously organize your body to amplify that emotion, and what you actually “feel” is the changed organization. …
2020 Conference Keynote Speaker Announced
The FGNA 2020 Conference Committee is pleased to announce the Keynote Speaker: Rollin McCraty, PhD, lead researcher from the Heart Math Institute. Read his full biography and credentials here. Heart Math has coined the phrase, “heart coherence and global coherence,” which is our ability to bond safely and lovingly with each other, according to Elinor Silverstein, 2020 Conference Committee Chair. …
Passionate About Singing: A First Lesson in the Feldenkrais Method With Master Teacher Maxine Davis
by Jill Anna Ponasik[This article originally appeared on the Classical Singer blog at CSMusic.net, and is republished here by special permission.] When I accepted the assignment [from Classical Singer Magazine] to interview Maxine Davis and write a series of articles on the Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education, I knew next to nothing about Feldenkrais. It occurred to me that one …
Beginner’s Guide to Feldenkrais Method® Lessons
by Michael Krugman, GCFP The Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education is an innovative method of movement education that teaches you to move with greater ease and efficiency so you can enjoy life more. It’s also one of the most effective approaches to stress reduction around. Regular students of the method enjoy better posture, breathing, and coordination as well as greater …
To Begin Again
by MaryBeth Smith, GCFP The year is new, still shiny, no dents in it, fresh off the showroom floor, with that New Year smell. I was chatting with a friend the other day around the idea of resolutions and planning the year, figuring out how each of us would move forward on projects and intentions. My friend briefly shared the …
Feldenkrais Method® of Somatic Education Guides Successful Political Campaign
An interview with Linda Flanders, GCFP Moshe Feldenkrais imagined that his students would take his method into every walk of life, and every corner of the public sphere. He expected that the Feldenkrais Method® would evolve and adapt, even saying “You will write my work in your own handwriting.” A Midwestern Feldenkrais® teacher has done just that, on the campaign …
Loosening the Grip of Stress: How Heeding My Body’s Signals Provided Sweet Relief
by Jennifer Nash Ostermann One of Moshe’s most beloved and frequently quoted sayings is: “Know what you are doing so that you can do what you want.” What is it that we are we doing when we are under stress? We can easily recognize some indicators of stress: increased irritability and raised voices, compulsive eating or drinking, escape into “screen …
Subtle Connections
by Buffy Owens, GCFPThis article originally appeared on the Conscious Movements blog. The Feldenkrais Method can enhance your awareness and provide you with an anchor for self-study, both on and off of the yoga mat. In fact, the movements of the Feldenkrais Method can serve as a conduit to a deeper connection to yourself, and is one of the …
Lodestones of Sensation: Feldenkrais Method® of Somatic Education in the Yoga Classroom
by Sheri Cohen, GCFP One of the governing principles shared by the Feldenkrais Method® and hatha yoga is the notion that our experiences in the movement classroom bring us closer to ourselves; and therefore give us new perspectives on our lives in general, which may lead to greater well-being. But how does this happen? Spontaneous eruptions of pleasantness? Urgent and …