Tell Me What It Is You Do

Dear Reader,

It sounds like a simple enough question. “Tell me what it is you’re doing.” I was visiting with a friend I hadn’t seen in several years. She knew I was up to something, including this thing called Feldenkrais. And some coaching. She definitely knew about felt-making because she’d participated in some of my early felting classes.

I described the Feldenkrais Method as well as I could in the moment. I talked about the curious, brilliant man named Moshe Feldenkrais. I mentioned helping people move better, and talked about how Feldenkrais, coaching and felt-making connect and overlap.

Huh? The simple version is that each of those things I do allows people to experience themselves a little differently, to find more options for moving through life with more ease, grace and pleasure.

Not too long after that conversation, I was working with a client and came up with a different way of describing what I do. I’ll warn you that it’s oversimplified, but it still seems to fit.

Picture a mom kissing a child’s booboo. It’s a simple act, but there’s magic in it. The kid starts to feel better, and off they go—maybe to get back to playing full out, or maybe to calm down and rest for a while.

In Feldenkrais, we play with specific—usually small and gentle—movements, that pay attention to what moves easily and what doesn’t. Afterward, the participant finds new ways to move. Maybe they stand a little taller, breathe a little deeper; maybe something loosens up, or balance has shifted. Bottom line: they have new options for moving.

In coaching, we talk about stuff. We look at what’s working and what’s not working. Perhaps more importantly, we pay attention to how the participant wants it to be. We explore how to move from the status quo to something new and different—usually something that previously didn’t seem possible. Bottom line: new options for moving through life.

In felt-making, we just play. Play with wool fibers, transforming loose wool fibers into a cohesive cloth that can be flat or three dimensional. I keep telling y’all, it’s magic. Bottom line: when you make magic with your own hands, new things are possible.

I can use a lot of words to describe what I do. No matter what I say, it’s still like describing the taste of a peach. You just gotta try it for yourself.

If you’re curious, you can Book an Appointment, or reply to this email and let me know what interests you.

And a great way to experience Feldenkrais is to try out our weekly, online Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement lesson. It’s on Tuesdays and it’s still Free Pay as You Wish.

Whatever you’re up to, have all the fun you can!