Hi Everyone!
One of my Feldenkrais students, Hafsa, was interviewed recently by the Fitness Director at Club One and she eloquently spoke about her experience with the Feldenkrais Method. I am happy to say that she gave me permission to share her thoughts with all of you. Hafsa is a very willing and open student. I had fun teaching her through Functional Integration sessions and during classes. Below are Hafsa’s words. I highlighted my favorite parts. Enjoy!
~Donna
Why Feldenkrais – what are sessions like? What have been the benefits to you?
“I’d been trying all sorts of ideas for years to fix my unstable low back and neck sprain, but I wasn’t getting 
to the heart of the matter. I think I always knew that what I needed was someone to force me to be patient and listen to my body to help me find different options for movement and stability. One day I eavesdropped on one of Donna’s Feldenkrais classes and found exactly the kind of disciplined self-kindness and self-awareness discovery I was looking for. After I took my first class, Donna could tell immediately that I had a major movement problem and advised me to schedule a private session with her. When something is not clicking for you in your movements, when you know you’re not using the right muscles or the right bones, Feldenkrais helps you find it. It helps you find the way you used to move freely as a baby and helps translate what your body is trying to tell you. What surprised me the most is that Feldenkrais makes you face yourself with a lot of courage so you can learn how much
your emotions and self-image play a role in how you move. My favorite part is how much I’m learning about how our bones are designed to counter-rotate and balance the body, helping me find different options for movement. There is no hiding in Feldenkrais. The tiniest movement of a rib or your jaw or the slightest shift of breath can make all the difference between making progress and having a major insight into your whole self.
How does the freedom of movement that you have achieved through Feldenkrais make you feel?
“Feldenkrais makes me feel in awe of the human body, of my body and how it has sustained me through all the years of unhelpful holding patterns. I feel like I can literally feel more of my body and how the different 
parts work in conjunction with each other. Mostly, though, because I discovered all this knowledge about my body and myself with such subtle and patient technique it makes me want to apply subtlety and patience to the rest of my life, too. It’s become so obvious to me that when you stop and take the time to really pay attention you can find the most efficient, healthy, and rewarding solution to probably everything.”
If you had to summarize your movement story, what would it be?
“I had it inside me all along.” ~Hafsa M.