Differences That Make A Difference

Differences That Make A Difference

There is a big gap between teaching and learning. As infants, we started through our internal listening, using all of our sensory organs to inform us. From the beginning of life, our sensory organs- eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hands- have informed us.

Our hands, with all the sensory nerve-ending receptors, are interconnected to our spine, enabling us to reach, touch, pull, push, and compare one thing with another. This was our introduction to learning about our world. Observe how any baby uses their limbs to connect to the world around them. These sensory organs, referred to as our teleceptors, connect us to the outside world. They helped clarify what is self and what is everything else.

As we become aware of our particular biases or habits that developed over time, we are better able to create comparisons to learn if what is wired into our nervous system and brain are in fact the most optimal patterns moving forward. It’s how we started, and through developing our awareness, we become more able to tap into our innate intelligence.

“Through awareness, we can learn to move with astonishing lightness and freedom – at almost any age – and thinking improves our learning circumstances, not only physically…but emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.” Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais

Hold your head straight ahead and move your eyes from side to side. Do you perceive a difference? Does your head want to follow the movement of your eyes? Awareness of subtle differences opens the door to curiosity.

Now, if you’re sitting, think about coming up to stand; imagine this action. Instead of thinking you have to come straight up, notice if there’s a bias slightly to the right or left that might make this feel a little simpler.

I’m sure you’ll begin to recognize there is a preference where something feels simpler. Start there and then continue to make comparisons so you have more options and ways to do what you want. Especially when some movement occurred that might have made a way of doing and being less available.

Start with a need, that awakens your interest to observe what you are doing and how. How did you breathe, where did your eyes go? From these observations, begin to explore and compare to find a sense of ease instead of making it more difficult. Make life easier, not harder. Feldenkrais® offers a pathway of comparing in order to do just that.

You begin by slowing down and taking small steps to recognize how influential those steps are to facilitating how you move every day.

“Make the impossible possible, the possible easy, the easy pleasant and the pleasant, elegant.” Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais

I invite you to join me for Awareness Through Movement (ATM)® lessons weekly online. You may also come to my studio if you would like to explore this live in person for more specialize options as well as hands on Functional Integration (FI) ® or Guided Learning sessions that are tailored just for you. All of these are possible, so reach out when ready.

I hope I’ve earned the privilege of your time and attention, and look forward to connecting with you in the near future. What are you waiting for?

Warmest,

Peggi