What does it mean to move from the heart? This Feldenkrais mini-retreat invites you to explore heart-centered movement of the hands and arms.
Felt-making is nonhabitual, unfamiliar, tapping into memories, ideas, and possibilities that haven’t surfaced through words. Gathering bits of richly colored wool, manipulating the fibers into small objects and vessels, the materials and the seemingly magical transformations begin to tell the stories.
It’s the perfect time to tap into your playful nature and craft a touch of warmth and beauty for the chillier months. Create your own unique scarf or wall hanging with an open-weave fabric and super-fine merino wool fibers. Felting colorful wool fibers into the cloth creates a lightweight and beautifully textured “nuno felt”. It’s magical, hands-on fun! All materials will be provided, and no special skills are required.
What does it mean to move from the heart? This Feldenkrais mini-retreat invites you to explore heart-centered movement of the hands and arms. We do amazing things with our hands: give and receive, open and close, hold and let go, create and destroy. What happens when the movements of our hands come from the center—the heart?
Feeling stuck? Having a hard time moving your body, much less moving your life? How are your feet? Tired, sore, achy? Do you find yourself looking for the perfect pair of shoes (no matter how ugly) to get you through the day without hurting? Join Gika Rector for a gentle exploration of standing and moving forward – physically and perhaps imaginally. This Feldenkrais mini-retreat focuses on the feet as both a metaphor and as a physical experience to explore how we find easier stability, balance, and movement.
Felt-making is a rich creative experience for the senses. Enjoy this contemporary approach to an ancient fiber medium. Wrap a beach ball with luscious and colorful merino wool, cover it with pantyhose, add soap and water, and bounce! With a bit of work, the wool becomes a felted sphere—perhaps a purse, a bag, or some other vessel. No previous experience necessary, just curiosity and a willingness to have some fun.
Extending our arms is an important part of everyday functioning. Reaching high to grab something, reaching out for a hug, reaching down to pick up a bag. These all seem like simple, everyday movements—until they’re not. Through simple, gentle movement sequences, we will explore ways to reach out more simply and easily, and maybe even leave being able to reach a bit farther.
With colorful wool fibers, a little soapy water, and some manipulation, we'll explore techniques for creating for two- and three-dimensional hearts. It’s magical, hands-on fun!
The rib cage is a marvelous thing. It’s a basket-like structure that protects the heart and lungs. It’s strong, but it’s also surprisingly flexible. For many of us, this flexibility is diminished. We move our chests as if they were solid blocks of stone. When we discover how to soften this basket of bones, all kinds of movement get easier. When the rib cage gets unlocked, we breathe better, we bend and turn more easily, and we stand a little taller.
Starting with a handful of superfine, dyed merino wool and small plastic balls, participants will create at least 2 or 3 small felt bowls or vessels—containers for little treasures or big ideas. With a little soapy water and some manipulation, the loose fibers are transformed into beautiful and functional objects. It’s magical, hands-on fun!
