Author: Donna

Dear Students:
This month, I wish to share more words of wisdom spoken by Moshe Feldenkrais from the public workshop he taught in Dallas, Texas in 1981.  Inspired by his students’ questions Moshe talked about how they could better their own development & enhance their children’s growth.

 

He explained,“By the age of three……..the majority of [children] have the feeling so inhibited that they alienate themselves to themselves. At the age of three they don’t rely on their feeling – they never do what they feel to do. They will first find what their mother likes [it] and father likes [it] and they will change their way of doing, just not to loose the affection of the mother. Because by the age of three if the mother and father did really hate you and didn’t want you, you are dead.”

Due to these survival reasons, babies become very in tune with the emotions of their care givers which ultimately forms their positive & negative behaviors.  Loving parenting is essential for beneficial development whereas the opposite creates physical, mental & emotional injuries that can be carried into adulthood.  When a person grows blind to his character flaws, he looses the power to change them.  This is why Moshe emphasized teaching his students how to become self-aware through sensing, feeling, thinking & moving. Through this process, deeply rooted wounds can be revealed to those that wish to see, so healing & growth can begin.

Moshe continued, “We find that, all the troubles we have are due to the parents insisting and then eliminating and killing in us our feelings.  You would think you would be better off without parents all together.”

Then he addressed the parents in the room to suggest how to parent in a way that creates healthy adults. He said, “And by the way, as many of you are parents now, your children will think the same way if you don’t understand their make up and you don’t help them to grow into individuals where they have very strong faith in themselves and appreciation of their own value and they don’t listen to anybody but when it is of very intense public social importance.  Other wise you should have a society of intelligent, strong, healthy people with healthy feelings and good thinking and good senses and ability to act properly.  That would make a humanity in which would be quite different from the one we have now around us.”

Dr. Feldenkrais delved into why he chose to use movement as the vehicle to awaken people to their true nature through teaching of  Awareness Through Movement (ATM) and Functional Integration lessons.  He expressed, “We are better than we think.  Take away the junk, the trouble that you have and see what you are. We are doing [ATM lessons] in order to understand how we function and how we work, how our brain works,……how we feel. Therefore we do movement, action and through that we learn really about ourself more than anything else.”

If you enjoyed reading the quotes from Moshe Feldenkrais in this post, you can learn more about him & his work in the video included.

May you take action each day to learn something new about yourself so you can embark on self transformation. Peace.
~Donna

Dear Students:
Awhile ago, a fellow practitioner who was retiring chose to pass onto me some audio tapes of Moshe Feldenkrais teaching workshops.  I was grateful to him for such a priceless gift even though I did not have a device to listen to them on.  Recently, friends of mine found an old cassette player and knew I could use it.  When they gave it to me, I felt like I had received a key to a treasure chest of information!

Since then, I have been having fun rolling on the floor and hearing the skillful ways Moshe conducted his classes. I decided to share with you today, some of his wisdom & quotes from when he taught the general public in Dallas, Texas in 1981.

During the workshop, he created an atmosphere which gave each person an opportunity to become inquisitive.  He emphasized that when “as a baby, learning is the major occupation of the nervous system” curiosity comes easily.  As an adult, many have to learn all over again how to think, learn and help themselves.  Moshe went out of his way to spark his students’ interest because he knew this was a key ingredient for their development. 

When students took themselves too seriously, Dr. Feldenkrais lightened the mood with a good joke.  To halt over thinking minds, he told intriguing stories.  And when someone needed to become aware of what they were doing, he would surprise them by the manner in which he spoke to them.

Moshe explained how we in society have become like obedient robots to authority figures, which stunts our ability to freely evolve the way Picasso, Mozart & Shakespeare did during their lives.  He clarified: “The great majority of children are alienated to their feelings – they don’t dare to do what they want to do, all their life – and they don’t dare not to do what they ought to do.  In other words we have been trained almost like machines to do what you should do and not do what you shouldn’t.  But it is not a question of whether you like it or you don’t, whether it is good for you or bad, you just have to do it.”

He then continued and ultimately complimented his audience, saying, “Now therefore you see, that at a certain age many people realize that they feel that they are much better – they could do much better for themselves than what they actually do. And therefore I consider the people who do come to such sort of work like we do – I believe they are the cream of our society. In spite of being neurotic and having trouble but they are the only ones who actually have the feeling that they deserve and can be better than they do and actually do something about getting it.”

Upon closing the day, Moshe pointed out what he observed happening with his students stating, “when you feel yourself growing, you feel your dignity growing”.  I believe this statement to be the foundation of the Feldenkrais Method and am elated when I witness this occurring in my students.

May you utilize the plethora of golden tools the Feldenkrais Method  has to offer so you can grow into your own human dignity.  I hope to see you soon to encourage you along your way! Peace!
~Donna

Dear Students:
In 2022, I wrote a 9 part series of blog posts entitled, Energy in Motion, that allowed me to teach in detail how to develop emotional sensitivity.  I am happy to say many people experimented with my suggestions & openly shared their struggles as well as how it enhanced their relationships & lives.  This gave me great joy.

I received the most comments about the posts, How Do You Avoid Emotions & From Guilt to Remorse. To my surprise, the remark that I heard more than once was, “I don’t know where to begin”. This inspired me to write about ‘how to get started when you don’t know where to begin’ with the post, Will, Desire & Faith.

Also this past year, I made fitting tributes to two men, Bruce Lee & Robert Kennedy Jr. I was attracted to each of them because of their moral & courageous characters.  I featured them on account of their exemplary lives & their physical, mental & emotional awareness.

Understand that the wonderful reward of feeling all of your emotions is true humility. The penalty of avoiding your emotions is an inaction that prevents you from changing. We as human beings are made to continuously change & grow. May this fact inspire you to review my 2022 posts to learn how to deeply explore your feelings in order to evolve & transform. Peace!
~Donna

Dear Students:
I was very fortunate in the summer of 2021, when I got to hear Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. speak at an event that was hosted by the Amish community.  I immediately sensed a loving, light energy around him that literally took my breath away & understood that I was in the presence of a special individual.  I felt truly honored when I got the chance to talk with him after he was done speaking that day.

Robert is a skillful trial lawyer who has been an environmental & public advocate for the past 40 years and I am extremely grateful for his heroic work. He has been fighting for the rights of “we the people” regarding issues such as harm caused to them by vaccines, 5G cell towers & smart meter radiation. He is not afraid to speak out about the truth no matter the consequences he may face. Corporate leaders & corrupt government officials have been trying to silence him for decades so it is no coincidence that he has a voice disorder.

When I spoke with Robert, I took the opportunity to tell him about Feldenkrais & how he could learn to project his voice more clearly & improve it’s quality. I pointed out that his vocals gained power & clarity as he flowed into his speeches.  He agreed with my observation & smiled when I told him that I could teach him to organize himself in that way more consistently.  As he listened to what I had to say with his full attention, I offered him a private lesson. In parting he graciously said, “that all makes sense, and if I was staying in Lancaster I would take you up on that offer”. 

I describe Kennedy’s character because I think it is valuable to understand the essence behind the source of what I wish to share. His latest book is called, T∙︎h∙e  R∙e∙a∙l  A∙n∙t∙h∙o∙n∙y  F∙a∙u∙c∙i, and it follows the disturbing career of a person in power.  The documentary with the same title, is being censored off the internet (click here to watch it by chance), so take note that I will host a gathering where you can view it for free. If you want to attend, email me and I can provide you with details.

The book & film reveal amoral & unethical acts committed by some of our public servants.  Everything that is disclosed, you can research more on your own, as it is backed up with end notes as well as insider & witness accounts. I believe, it is imperative for all of us, to be able to study subject matters that are deliberately being withheld by the mainstream media, and that is why I inform you about Kennedy’s investigative research.

If you are still reading, realize that the laws of attraction brought you to this post for some reason. Good hearted people may not believe the sinister exploits of those in the film. Others might be negatively triggered by it – perhaps due to relating their self-worth to how much they do or do not know or from suppressed emotional injuries. Recognize that you are a worthy human-being no matter the amount of worldly wisdom you have & that any past hurts you hold onto can nefariously persuade your feelings in a present situation. 

In order to make the world a better place, I think we need to see more of the puzzle pieces which create turmoil in our societies. May you consider exploring the information I have provided to help you understand better what has been happening over the last several decades. Peace!
~Donna 

Dear Students:
I am excited for you to view the featured video of Bruce Lee, in this post! I believe it is one of the greatest demonstrations of the human potential that I have ever witnessed. Sit back and be inspired & dazzled for 3 1/2 minutes.

 

The video begins with Bruce Lee saying his famous quote: “…empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water…….now, you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup – you put water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle – put it in a tea pot, it becomes the tea pot. Now, water can flow or it can crash, – be water my friend.”

For me, the most definitive thing about Bruce Lee’s words is the way in which he says them. I suggest as you watch the footage, ask yourself what does his rhythm, cadence of speech, facial expressions & body language bring to his message.

I was fascinated by every nuance of his mannerisms, which included elusive & obvious details. I loved everything about his confident, passionate & emotional presentation. At the end when he raised his eye brows and knowingly grinned, I wanted to know all that he knew.

If I thought Bruce Lee couldn’t marvel me enough by the way he fearlessly bared his soul, the video goes on to show his phenomenal physical & mental skills. Observe him playing ping pong with a nunchuck (stick), against two professional opponents to see the fine line between his mind & body.

My awe of Bruce, left me wishing that I could ask him about his Jeet Kune Do explorations & discoveries. I was delightfully impressed by his extraordinary abilities to listen & move harmoniously within the environment. I will recall this impression often to motivate me towards finding untapped territories within & without myself from herein.

We are each born with extra ordinary capabilities. The key is to figure out what yours are. The good news is you don’t need to train in martial arts in order to cultivate your individual talents. Fortunately, the Feldenkrais Method can teach you how to uncover & enhance your unique characteristics & gifts in gently challenging ways without sparing with another.

I hope all my posts so far this year, have given you tangible tools to help you discover your genuine personality. May, Bruce Lee’s excellence spark an interest in you to reach towards developing new possibilities for yourself, everyday! Peace to all on Earth.
~Donna

Part 9 of 9:  Energy in Motion

Dear Students:
A reader emailed me with a question relating to the Energy In Motion blog post.  He said that his friends suggested he may want to address his suppressed emotions.  He expressed his willingness to proceed in this direction & asked me exactly how to go about it.  I suggested he read all of the 8 part series and that I would delve a little deeper into answering his specific question afterwards.  This post is dedicated to this thoughtful man with ways for him to get started.

First in order to feel the emotions held inside yourself, you must become aware of what habits & addictions stop you from sensing them.  You can read more about this in Part 2 of this series of blog posts.

Next make a list of any beliefs you have about emotions that encourage you to ignore your state of being.  After becoming aware of your false beliefs it is important to explore the root causal reasons & events that created them.

Common False Beliefs that Block the Flow of Emotions:
▪Brave Men Don’t Cry▪Men Need to Hold it Together▪Anger is not Lady-like ▪Emotional Women are Hysterical▪Emotions are a Liability ▪ Emotional Individuals are not Spiritually Evolved▪I am Spiritually Above Emotions▪ I am Not Made to Feel Painful Emotions▪I Don’t Have Time for Emotions▪I Don’t Have Repressed Emotions▪

For example, if you have stopped your tears from falling since childhood, focus your awareness on how you physically & mentally restrain yourself from crying. Maybe you were  taught the mantra, “big boys don’t cry”. Ask yourself, “who, what, when, where & how” was this reinforced? Read part 1 &  part 3 of this series of posts for more details.

Free-Will:  After recognizing your roadblocks, it is time to use your free-will to develop the desire to want to experience your emotions.  Think of how you went about achieving a personal goal in the past and use the same game plan for succeeding with this ambition.

Desire:  Develop your positive desires to become greater than your negative ones.  An incentive is to realize that growing into a more loving individual is a result of emotional processing.  Another benefit is, by attending to the spectrum of your emotions (from painful to pleasurable ones), it allows all of them to become richer. For example, by feeling anger & sadness completely, the intensity of sensing joy & happiness expands naturally. Feeling dull, depressed or irritated most of the time, is an undesirable consequence of this phenomenon. Reminding yourself of this information can inspire you to take the actions needed, such as simply setting time aside to quietly self-reflect, each day.

Faith:  All the tools that Feldenkrais has to offer are valuable in helping you release & integrate blockages & can heighten your faith in your healing abilities.  Also, I believe if you experiment you may find that another way to progress more easily is to wish for the Divine Creator to reveal her truth & love to you about your situation. The more sincerely you ask & patiently wait, the more clearly you may see your barriers without judging yourself or others. May your positive outcomes help you develop faith & continue on this self-exploratory journey with a steady pace. Peace!
~Donna

Part 8 of 9: Energy in Motion

Dear Students:
Last month, I helped a few students comprehend that what lies beyond their guilty feelings are healing emotions.  I decided since I did not make this clear in other blog-posts, to highlight some thoughts on this subject, today.

From reading the Energy In Motion, series of posts, one pupil deeply understood why she did not want to get stuck in shame, fear, self-loathing & anger.  Yet she could not shake the idea that if everyone felt guilty about their unkind actions, we of society would stop relating to one another & the environment in such unloving ways. 

I explained in a conversation, that “guilt” could be a catalyst that leads one to find “empathy” along the way to “remorse”.  And that compassionate & remorseful people can create a better world. The problem is, most persons become paralyzed and don’t explore the reasons & root causes behind why they are feeling guilty.

Then I described how each one of us has the power to alter humanity’s plight, and that is when something clicked for the thoughtful woman before me.  I elaborated saying, if she fully embodied what it felt like to be hurt by a friend, neighbor or foe, she inherently would not want to mistreat others that way.  Also, if she engaged in the process of remorse for any harm she caused another, she would naturally starve her desire to repeat such trespasses.  As a result, she could organically become more empathetic & her demeanor could influence the folks that surrounded her.

Another individual, received clarity when I stated that a good way to know when an emotion does not serve human-kind is when it can be used to manipulate & control people.  A light went off for him, when he realized guilt-trips fit into this category.  I suggested for him to discover what his guilty feelings cover up, so he could experience sadness, grief, remorse, compassion, & humility to enhance his healing.

A third inquisitor had a visceral reaction when I described that the internal sensations created by “guilt”, could easily overwhelm him to the extent of him only wanting to relieve his pain.  He might base his actions on this self-centered emotion, which would not encourage him to rectify or even consider what the person he wounded endured.

Example 1 - Joe stuck in Guilt:  Joe verbally berates his wife, Suzie whenever she annoys him.  After his tantrums, “guilt” builds up inside of Joe, until he finally apologizes.  Joe’s insincere apologies sound something like, “I feel awful, please forgive me.” When Suzie grants him forgiveness, Joe’s misery is immediately relieved.  Eventually, Suzie irritates Joe again, & he reactively humiliates her, once more.  Afterwards, Joe’s “guilt” returns & he apologizes and the cycle continues - maybe for a lifetime.

Because Joe does not look further than the surface of his distracting emotions, he never entertains what it is like for Suzie when he torments her.  Over time, she learns to take his apologies lightly.

Example 2 - Kate moves through Guilt to Remorse:  Kate ridicules her husband, Bob whenever he triggers a childhood trauma within her.  After spewing a tirade of insults at him, Kate justifies her abuse & goes to work.

Later when she has time alone, Kate reflects back on her day and regrets how she treated Bob.  She decides to sit with her emotions.  She does an experiment & asks the Creator’s divine truth & love to come to her regarding her horrible actions. Soon she remembers that her mother used to scream at her similarly when she was growing up.  As she recalls the memories, she becomes furious and senses that it will take awhile to digest everything.  She stays with her anger as long as she can and then goes on with her evening.

Each night, Kate takes time to work through her feelings & discovers what she has suppressed inside herself.  Painful & belittling feelings that resulted from the parental scorn surface during the weeknights & she ultimately is able to cry about it.   
 
One evening, Kate shamefully realizes her relationship with her spouse is very much like her relationship with her mother.  As she lets herself sense what cuts her heart, she begins to feel empathy for Bob.  Then she humbly becomes aware that her mom learned her bad behavior from her parents.  As Kate watches the generational cycle revealing itself she desires to be the one in her family to stop it.

Next, Kate feels that she needs to forgive her mom & work through her self-loathing as she swore she would never do to anyone what was done to her. Kate then is able to focus on how damaging her rants towards Bob must be for him. As a result, she finds out that when Bob pushes her buttons, it has little to do with him. On the day that Kate internally feels love for herself, husband & mother she notices she is spontaneously able to be kinder to them.

If Kate continues her forgiveness & repentance process throughout her life, her sensitivity will increase.  She could develop the intuition to sense when she is capable of giving genuine apologies to her loved ones & gracefully carry it out. Depending upon her dedication to growing & healing, this could take her months, years or decades to achieve.

I believe with one person at a time coming into balance with the laws of love through wholistic healing, we can create a “collective empathetic thought“ that can transform our society.  May you support all souls in the universe by striving to become a contagiously compassionate human-being. Peace!
~Donna

Part 7 of 9: Energy in Motion

Dear Students:
[In order to understand what I write about today, it is essential to read the blog entries on Energy in Motion, Parts 1-6, posted Jan.- June 2022, before going further.]

For students delving into the explorations from the Energy in Motion series of posts, I address questions & concerns that you may have at this time.

Firstly, experiencing & releasing suppressed emotions can be a continuous & overwhelming endeavor. I recommend that you find a slow & steady pace on this emotionally courageous journey so you & your loved ones can benefit from the rewards of your efforts.

Secondly, there are some concrete ways to detect if you are progressing or not. I include a list of things to focus on to help you recognize your growth and develop your genuine personality along the way.

Ways to Monitor your Progress:

Physical Movement, Pain & Disease: Moving more easily and feeling physically better are sure signs of letting go of internal trauma. When pain disappears and the curing of diseases begins, know that you are healing on many deep levels.

Addictions: Becoming aware of & addressing obsessive activities that distract you from your feelings indicates that you are realizing yourself.

Some of the examples of addictions listed here may not be considered problematic by society, such as: ▪ codependency, ▪ pursuit of social acceptance, ▪ people pleasing, ▪ public image upkeep, ▪ facade deception ▪ compulsive exercising, ▪ excessive cell phone, computer & television use, ▪ overworking, ▪ busyness, ▪ under activity, ▪ complacency, ▪ self-righteousness, ▪ cluttering, ▪ radical cleaning, ▪ over indulgence of sugar, coffee & tea, ▪ eating disorders, ▪ mindless socializing, ▪ gambling, ▪ materialism, ▪ careless sex, ▪ alcohol & drug abuse, ▪ etc.

If you lose interest & don’t need your distractions, you are on the road to living in the present moment. When friends fall away as you stop engaging in your addictions, it is probably due to no longer having compatible pastimes. As an incentive to prevent you from regressing, understand that when you support the negative obsessions of others you can severely degrade their character as well as your own.

The Laws of Attraction & Compensation: These laws bring the same scenarios to you over and over again, until you learn from them & change. By ignoring your lessons, a door opens for harder versions & consequences to come your way. When you attract new people that are the same type of person from your past, it is to deliver you another test until you wake up!

For example: if you have not forgiven those that abused you, abusers with similar attributes to your original oppressors, shall challenge you until you do so.

And if you have not repented for the harm you caused people, expect folks that allow you to mistreat them to enter your life, until you stop the cycle. When you become self aware and understand this, you can choose to engage in healthier ways with these individuals or not at all.

Stuck in Shame, Guilt, Fear, Self-Loathing:  When you notice being in a repetitive pattern of feeling like a terrible person & are paralyzed with emotions such as fear, guilt & shame, this means you did not explore long enough to get to the root cause of why you are having these feelings. Go back to sensing what these deflecting emotions are about. When you can begin to fill in the details of “who, what, when, where, why, how”, you are at or very near the origin of the problem. Keep going until you get to truth and tears start falling because of sitting with your sadness, grief, forgiveness, remorse, humility, etc.

Listen to the Babes: Toddlers & undeveloped children tell you through unfiltered words & treatment exactly how you are behaving. Embrace all feedback reflected towards you and digest the information. It is easy to deny what the mirror blatantly shows, so be careful to look at it with compassion for yourself & the child.

Emotional Sensitivity: As a result of completely being with your emotions you become able to be more emotionally sensitive. What this means is recognizing sooner & more easily if peoples’ intentions are pure or not. This may help you set boundaries with them and choose more wisely who you want to spend time with.

Intention: Becoming aware of the intentions behind your actions can let you see how much you are improving. When you honestly think about what motivates you to carry out an activity, truth can be revealed to you.

Spontaneous Kindness & Humility:
If you are becoming humble & acting lovingly towards others without thinking or trying, it is highly likely you have sincerely asked for & received Divine Love & Truth from the Creator.

If you are aware of repeating bad behaviors but with less negative intensity you are moving beyond your injuries. When you notice that you are acting poorly, use this awareness to motivate yourself to do something differently. Keep internally digging deeper until you get to a candid explanation of why you behave & feel the ways you do.

To those that are skeptical and want to progress, I suggest to experiment & wish often for the Creator’s truth & love to come into your heart & soul and see what happens as a result. May you reach for support and find a rhythm that keeps you moving on your travels towards emotional releasing, healing & transformation. Peace to all on Earth.
~Donna

Part 6 of 9: Energy in Motion

Dear Students:
I strongly encourage you to develop a desire to address your fears as it is one of the most toxic emotions to hold onto for your mind, body & soul. Living life governed by fears inevitably ends in harming yourself & others. Since fear is the opposite of love, all your decisions when in a such a state can only result in unkind behaviors. Worry, terror & dread are related emotions and can dictate & limit your lifestyle choices & slowly imprison you. When habitually running scared you probably know you cannot be trusted on how you may react in any situation. You may even surprise yourself by some of the horrible things you become capable of doing.

By fully experiencing your fearful emotions, you can uncover the original events & reasons that caused them & realize how your life has been negatively affected by suppressing them. This knowledge may help you to stand up to those resembling the authority figures you learned to give your power away to.

It is important to know that you cannot love someone that you are afraid of, nor can they love you. As you change & begin living in harmony with love, kind and truthful people can replace those folks that used to manipulate you through intimidation. Now you can discover your true personality by letting your ambitions & passions guide you.

Sitting with Emotions associated with Fear:
1. Become aware of when you are in a state of fear. When feeling nervous, anxious or worried about something, stop & do not act. A pause can give you a chance to change reactive behaviors. Give yourself as much time as you can before making any decisions. When you have time and are alone, fully feel all the emotions that are associated with your fear without hurting or blaming yourself or others. Let your thoughts & emotions flow freely as they surface until you get to the original events from your past, that caused you to become fearful. Don’t rationalize or make excuses for anyone as you recall these memories. Practice this as often as possible so you can become capable of going through this process during all areas in your life.
2. Next read & go through the steps outlined in Part 1 of this series of blog posts at: Energy In Motion. I highly recommend to reach for support from the Divine Creator and ask for her love & truth to come into your Soul during this process and/or seek guidance from a counselor, therapist, pastor, 12-step sponsor or friend.
3. Eventually you may be able to act in harmony with truth during difficult situations. For example: Let’s say, a Business partner you are afraid of, orders you to fire an employee. You believe the employee does not deserve to be terminated and fear arises in you as this thought comes to mind. During this moment of awareness, stop yourself from doing or saying anything. If you can, tell your partner that you will get back to him later. Then if possible, go to another room where you can quietly experience your emotions. This pause, may enable you to say exactly what is in your heart, that day or at another time. Your partner may be shocked when he hears you state later on: “I do not support this decision so I will not fire the worker”. The outcome from speaking your mind might look like: your partner not terminating the employee, or he might get someone else to do it, or he may lash out at you until you cower, or he may even split up your partnership, etc. As you grow stronger with each fear you face, you may realize that you can handle the consequences of your actions, no matter what they are. Have faith that what you sow can reap positive results & the Laws of Attraction can draw them to you in your near future.

I believe, since it is now commonly accepted to excuse bad behavior, if it was committed in fear, it has become the worse problem on the earth. I am confident most can see that when someone hurts another out of anger, there is no justification for such an act. I believe this epidemic can be changed one person at a time and I hope it begins with you.

May you completely sense your fearful emotions so you can find truth & love on the other side. Peace to all on earth!
~Donna

F.Y.I.: To learn how to fight for your innate rights against forced vaccines, testing, and other trespasses read Our Innate Rights and/or to find out about products that can help electromagnetic sensitivity click here.