Practicing the Feldenkrais Method®
There are two ways to practice the Feldenkrais Method: Awareness Through Movement® and Functional Integration®.
Awareness Through Movement (ATM)®
Awareness Through Movement (or ATM) can be done either as a group or one-on-one setting. A practitioner talks students through a series of movement sequences and guide their attentions throughout
the lesson to improve their self-awareness. The lesson invites involving one's sensing, thinking, feeling and imagination to explore and discover the easiest and most effective way to move and
function.
Each lesson is framed around a particular function, or components thereof. Here are a few examples of the themes and movement repertoire that can be found in over 1,000 varieties of movement lessons.
- developmental movements (rolling, crawling, transitioning to sitting to walking, etc.)
- ordinary functional activities (breathing, reaching, seeing, bending, turning, etc.)
- athletic activities - (running, jumping, falling)
- movements can be found in Yoga, martial arts, dancing, etc.
- explorations of skeleton, postural relationships, etc.
A lesson can be simple or complex—even puzzle-like.
Lessons are designed to work within each student's ability. The Feldenrkais method can help people of all ages and levels, ranging from those with severe limitations and injuries, to those who are extremely athletic.
ATM lesson
"My body feels enlightened!"
-Reggie
Functional Integration (FI)®
Functional Integration lessons (or FIs) are one-on-one sessions to address individual needs and requests.
In FI lessons, a practitioner will use gentle yet clear, hands-on guidance to assist the student to influence her infrastructure without invasive force. The student and practitioner work together to improve function and re-organize/re-arrange thought patterns.
FI sessions are great for students with:
- limited mobility
- severe pain
- difficulty following verbal instructions
- fear of moving
- self-destructive tendency
Students who want to focus on specific ideas or conditions may also prefer this private setting.
"Futaba has this amazing ability, sometimes using a gentle, sometimes a strong touch, to find unused, underused, sleeping, or hiding parts, and somehow awaken them and guide your awareness there. With her help I have been able to re-connect with myself, and for the first time in many, many years I can move comfortably and enjoyably, with more energy, and little if any pain."
Susanne
FI lesson: Student learning how to let go of her unnecessary tension in her neck and shoulders.