Dear Reader,

A client recently asked me how I select lessons for our weekly online Feldenkrais class. For better or worse, there’s not a lot of “method to my madness.” I have lots of ideas and lessons from which to choose. Sometimes I think about movements or areas of the body I’m particularly aware of these days. Other times, I keep thinking about particular people and what they’re working on.

I flip through stacks of possible lessons, rejecting many of them for various reasons: nah, that one’s hard to instruct; that one won’t work for a particular person; that lesson is too challenging; oh, this one I love but I just taught it a couple of weeks ago.

Then, I go through the lesson, either in my imagination or actually do the movements step by step. As I do the lesson, I notice what happens in my own body, and imagine how it might influence my clients.

Sometimes, as the time to teach rapidly approaches, I’m torn—which of these lessons is just right? Or which one at least fits better than those others?

One of my favorite things about Feldenkrais lessons is that it almost—almost, not completely—doesn’t matter which one you choose. A foot lesson might appear to be all about foot movements, but it also affects the pelvis, the head and neck. An eye lesson might seem to only be about vision, but it affects carriage of the head, movement of the arms and shoulders, even how we walk. A lesson that seems impossible to do somehow manages to make it easier to sit or stand upright.

Another fabulous thing about these lessons: everyone experiences them in their own unique ways—and we each experience the lesson in different ways, even if we do the same lesson multiple times.

I love teaching these lessons, and I love noticing and hearing about what and how people learn and improve their abilities.

All that said, here’s a heads up. 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 just happens to be one of my favorites, and it’s been at least a little while since I taught it. It’s a great example of how the smallest movements can have the biggest benefits.

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!