Feldenkrais® group classes are known as Awareness Through Movement® (ATM®) lessons. Similar to Tai Chi or gentle yoga, Awareness Through Movement classes use slow, mindful movements to achieve powerful effects in terms of strength, flexibility, and holistic integration of body and mind. Unique to the Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education is that these lessons tie directly into functional movements of daily life, such as walking efficiently, safely lifting objects, and improving one’s posture in sitting or standing.
You can expect a class to last somewhere between 30 and 60 minutes. You might walk, stand, or sit in a chair, although usually, you will lie on the floor in a variety of comfortable positions: either on your back, front, or side. The teacher guides students through a sequence of movements, encouraging them to move with gentle attention within a comfortable range. You may become aware of unexpected and interesting connections within and between the movements. As you attend to the improving quality of movement, unnecessary muscular tensions throughout the body can reorganize and release. Students are often amazed at the quick and clear changes that occur through the neuromuscular repatterning that happens in an Awareness Through Movement lesson!
-courtesy of feldenkrais.com
Copyright © 2016 International Feldenkrais® Federation. All rights reserved. Directed by Marcela Bretschneider
Disclaimer
The Feldenkrais Method is a form of meditation/ somatic education. Graduates of a Feldenkrais Teacher Training program are not medical professionals trained to diagnose or treat pathology or disease of any kind or provide mental health counseling or therapy. Lessons are presented with the intent of providing the individual with an opportunity to learn about their individual patterns of movement, develop an increased sense of awareness of how gravity moves through the body and capacity for self-directed neuroplasticity. Students of the method are advised to consistently attend to their comfort during the lesson and avoid movements that cause pain or discomfort. Before doing any lessons, consult your medical practitioner.