Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Feldenkrais Class Mid-term Update (late)

So far, class is going ok. Some sessions are groundbreaking some are totally discouraging. I have to learn to go slower, accept that I can't do some things, AND ask for modifications.
My professor is concerned for me to be sure though and that is nice!! She is constantly on the move in the gym space we do our Feldenkrais work in and she stops and makes adjustments on what I am doing or just asks if I'm ok. I think I am beginning to become more aware of my body and understanding that there is more than one way to move my body to get something accomplished.
However, this week was a discouraging one. I had to take a tramadol during class But the professor came over and did some Functional Integration work with me. She worked on my upper back, scalenes, collarbone and ribs.
Quote:
from WikipediaFunctional integration

In a Functional Integration lesson, the practitioner uses his hands to guide the movement of the student, in sitting, lying or standing. All of the movements are expanded from the habitual patterns of the student. This allows the student to feel safe, and gives the student the opportunity to observe the movement in detail. Through precision of touch and movement, the student learns how to eliminate excess effort and thus move more freely and easily. Lessons may be very specific in addressing particular issues brought by the student, or can be more global in scope.
The way she described it was [paraphrasing] she's using her hands to move the client's body and invites the parts of the body that don't want to move to the party, asking the body to allow these parts out of a holding pattern. its much different that PT where you make your body do something because someone is kind of working your body for you. There's no flexion or extension being done by YOU.
After this session of one on one my cloud was lifted and I tried to participate in class again. I would not say I physically felt "better" but it was certainly nice for my problem areas to move without me causing added stress (if that makes sense). One on one Functional Integration is something I would like to do more of. Unfortunately for me, its not the focus of this class and like all bodywork, its costly.. .

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