Skip, Hop & Jump to Growth

Dear Students:
During my college years & early afterwards I taught gymnastics to kids ranging from toddlers to teenagers. I taught children rolling, crawling, creeping, climbing, hopping, jumping & flipping in a very matter of fact type of way.  During these years I also taught adults of all ages as a Personal Fitness trainer.

Jumping & hopping seemed like a very simple concept to me by the time I became a full time Feldenkrais Practitioner. Up to that point the people I taught wanted to learn many different ways of moving, so I did not realize there were individuals who never attempted to learn how to skip or jump. That was until I witnessed a fellow colleague instantaneously grow “just” by learning how to hop during my Child’Space training. 

One day in class we broke into groups to teach each other how to kick a ball, hop, skip & jump.  In my group there was a woman in her 50’s that had no desire to participate.   When our teacher made it clear that it was important for everyone to try each activity, she began to meltdown. Just thinking about hopping over a line on the floor terrified her so much that she began to cry & shake all over her body. 

The other trainees and I recognized her trauma & gently encouraged her to face her fears with our support. In the end she learned how to hop for the first time in her life. It was amazing to watch her self-esteem & confidence grow more than twofold by doing a skill she had never imagined she could achieve.  As for me, this experience made me realize how the “simple” skills that I taught for most of my life could positively shape a person physically, mentally & emotionally.  I viscerally felt to a remarkable degree how self-image is created & how this influences the choices we make in life.   

I was astonished by how shocked I was by this woman’s fear & pleasantly surprised by her transformation.  I will never forget it and I am grateful that I was present for her and for the lesson she gave me that day in class.

With that said, my next workshop is called Standing & Hopping, on Sunday, October 20 from 1-4pm.  Click here for more information & details about the workshop.  I hope to see you there!  Peace!
~Donna