Getting It Right—Or Close Enough

Dear Reader,

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I like to get things right. Preferably, on the first attempt. What I’ve noticed is my habit of doing lots of studying before I make that first attempt. It’s a good enough strategy, I suppose. However, what I’ve also noticed is that it’s not always sufficient. You can understand something well enough academically or intellectually, but when it comes down to doing the thing, actual hands-on practice really helps.

What I’m really saying here is that it’s a good idea to jump in and try things early on. Early on, when the stakes are low. As you might already know, I’m working on a sewing project. Thankfully, I have several yards of muslin, so I can make quite a few mistakes that aren’t too costly. It’s a good thing too, because sometimes the iterations get a little worse before they get better.

Sometimes, in Awareness Through Movement lessons, Moshe Feldenrkais would encourage his students to do the movement poorly. Don’t even try to do it well. It’s an interesting strategy. And somehow, in those lessons, participants find improvement as they go along. Feldenkrais wrote a book called, Awareness Through Movement. The original Hebrew title could be translated as Improving Abilities. Nice idea: lots of iterations, don’t worry about doing them well, and still you find yourself improving your abilities.

I trust that there’s a message of hope in that for me and my sewing project—not to mention all the other things I’d like to improve. Perhaps you too can find a bit of hope in that message.

This evening, I’m teaching an in-person Feldenkrais workshop, at the Jung Center of Houston, Open Your Mouth—an Exploration of the Mouth, Tongue, Lips and Jaw.

Tuesday morning is our weekly online Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement, Free Pay As You Wish.

Tuesday evening, February 7, I’m teaching the Open Your Mouth workshop online.

Here’s hoping that you’re happy where you are, and that if you’d like to make improvements, you have all the fun you can!