To the editor:
Would you please share with your readers about upcoming Feldenkrais workshops being held at the dance room of the Saunders Sports Complex of Paul Smith's College?
The two-and-a-half-hour-long workshops are scheduled for March 8. The first session is "Moving from the Core" and begins at 10 a.m. while the second workshop is "Free Up Your Shoulders" beginning at 2 p.m. Both workshops will be led by Uwe Mester of Vermont Feldenkrais. A limited number of scholarships are available for those who are new to the Feldenkrais Method.
The Feldenkrais method is named after its originator, Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, D.Sc. (1904-1984), a Russian-born physicist, judo expert, mechanical engineer and educator. While the average individual would choose surgery and the potential for life in a wheelchair to solve a chronic knee injury, Moshe chose to use his education and brilliant nature to heal himself. His tenacity paid off as he successfully created a movement therapy that requires the patient to use only gentle movements and reduce movements that are painful or uncomfortable. Through the Feldenkrais method participants can increase their ease and range of motion, improve flexibility and coordination, and rediscover an innate capacity for graceful, efficient movement.
The method has demonstrated success in the rehabilitation of stroke victims and others suffering from neurological injuries such as brain tumors, head trauma, multiple sclerosis and ataxia that may result in a lack of coordination or disordered movements. Many people seek out Feldenkrais to ease stress and tension, while others use it to assist with reducing distorted body images. Those with orthopedic problems in bones and joints can use the Feldenkrais method to assist in correcting poor posture or habits of movement that may cause pain.
The movements can re-educate the brain and nervous system to develop new ways of moving and perceiving the body, as well as elevating mood and increasing overall feelings of well-being. Feldenkrais can be an effective part of an integrative-medicine approach to any painful condition from degenerative arthritis to fibromyalgia.
Anyone interested in learning more about the workshops and be placed on the mailing list for future programs are encouraged to contact Paul Smith's College at 518-327-6097.