AWARENESS THROUGH MOVEMENT
1. What to expect from a lesson ?
An ATM lesson is around 45 to 60min long.
During a lesson we explore various movements that are performed gently and attentively. A lesson can be sitting, standing or lying down (on the back, on the side or on the belly).
The movements are not shown but guided verbally by the teacher. This allows the student to be fully immersed in its own sensory world, with a real focus on its own organisation. We invite to students to approach a lesson without an ambitious and goal directed mindset, but rather with openness and curiosity to get to know him/herself better.
2. What benefits come from practicing ATM lessons ?
There are hundreds of Awareness through movement lessons designed by Moshe Feldenkrais and other practitioners after him. The lessons can focus on the breathing system, the spine, the pelvis, the head, the eyes, the limbs...basically your whole self.
Practicing ATM lessons allows one to improve its functions as human (walking, sitting, running, standing, crawling, reaching, turning, bending down, jumping...).
However, beside the global function that the lesson aim to improve, one always benefit from the simple fact of sensing oneself better.
As an example: If you keep injuring your knee, wouldn't it help you to be able to recognize first that the way you stand on one foot is very different to the other ? Then secondly, to recognize how this difference impacts the way the rest of yourself organize around this asymetry ?
Getting to know yourself is the first step to change. A Feldenkrais lesson is like a new suggestions for your nervous system to initiate this change. It is an offer to learn to move differently, more evenly, more equally distributed, more functional.
3. Do you need any props ?
In Feldenkrais, we want the students to feel comfortable. We often suggest to have a soft surface under yourself (yoga mat, a towel, a blanket...). It's important as well to be wearing clothes in which you feel free to move, warm enough and comfy.