Dear Reader,

I’m generally not a particularly fast mover. Lately it seems like life is moving pretty fast. My to do list never quite ends. I keep thinking I’ll let something go and find a bit more leisure. But I’m also not particularly good at letting go.

The grandbabies in my life have a way of keeping me moving. There’s always something that needs doing. And, they’re also great at inviting me to pause. Pause and be present. Time slows down. It’s a lovely experience.

Feldenkrais lessons are often slow moving. Slow, small, simple movements. Big changes. But, every now and then we make fast movements. Fast without hurrying. Something shifts when we find that balance. And when we slow down again, the movement is usually smoother and easier. Feels like magic.

Coaching has variable speeds. Insights can show up quickly, along with renewed energy for making changes. Somewhere along the way, there can be a sense that things slow down, and one starts to wonder if the change is really going to happen. Step by step by step, it’s hard to see the changes. And then, one day you look back and see how far you’ve come. Something has shifted and life is never quite the same. Magic.

Felt-making has a similar progression. You lay out the fibers, add soapy water and start moving things around. As you go along, the fibers make tiny little knots and begin to form a cohesive fabric. But, it’s not done yet. You have to keep going, and keep going. As the fabric gets stronger, you can move it all faster and stronger. There’s a stage that feels infinitesimally slow, and you start to think maybe it’s good enough. But if you keep going, a little faster and stronger, there suddenly comes a stage, where the whole thing gets really tight and strong, and takes on the shape it’s meant to have. Magic.

Time is a mysterious thing. I’ve heard that it might not actually be as linear as we thought. But we have a sense as we go along that it also moves fast and slow—and that we don’t have any control over it. Near the end of his life, my father-in-law commented that he’d had a good, rich life, but it seemed to be coming to an end earlier than he’d expected.

Maybe the best thing is to keep on paying attention. To notice our lives, our experiences along the way. To live rich, full lives. To do our best to appreciate the fast parts and the slow parts.

My husband happens to be at a cabin in North Carolina, and just texted that he’s watching fireflies. Enjoy the moments, fast and slow.

Partly due to the amount of traveling I’m doing this summer, I’m going to pause the online lessons for a number of weeks. I’ll still be offering private lesson—in person and online—but from June 23 through August 11, no Tuesday online lessons. We’ll resume on Tuesday, August 18. So, if you’re interested, now’s a great time to join us for a few weeks.

This week’s Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement lesson will surely have some slow movements—and maybe a few fast ones.

If you’d like to work with me privately, in person or online—Feldenkrais, coaching or felt-making—you can Book an Appointment or reply to this email and let me know what you’re interested in.

Have all the fun you can!