Thumb Up or Thumb Down?

Dear Reader,

Thumb up or thumb down? What difference does it make? I was in a Feldenkrais workshop recently, and my mentor asked me to turn my thumb upward as I worked with my partner’s foot. At first it felt awkward, partly because I was sitting too high. When I sat lower and had better leverage, it worked out quite nicely.

As is too often the case, I forgot to ask why. So, when I was working on my own, I tried this thumb’s up position again, and asked myself why. The movement was smoother, simpler, gentler—and more effective. Who knew?

Not that it’s always better to have the thumb pointed up. But sometimes it just makes things better.

One of the things I love about the Feldenkrais Method is that there’s always more for me to learn. Sometimes it’s a refinement of something I thought I already knew. And sometimes it feels like a whole new ball game—which in turn can make me feel like a rank beginner all over again.

Either way, it’s fun to have new ideas and information to play with—and to see the difference it makes for me and my clients.

We humans are built to learn. Curiosity is a primary emotion that we’re born with. It’s easy to shut it down, when we’re busy defending ourselves or our positions; but when we can pause and open up to wonder, life gets so much better.

If you’re curious, here are some ways we can explore together:

Unlock Your Neck and Shoulders: a Feldenkrais Mini-retreat is in person at the Jung Center of Houston, Friday afternoon, July 25.

Our weekly online Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement lesson is still Free/Pay As You Wish. It’s a gentle way to explore nicer options for movement.

If you’d like to work with me privately, you can Book an Appointment or reply to this email and let me know what you’re most curious about.