Monday, May 18, 2009

Feldenkrais

From Singles 2009


I think this is an interesting process but each time I go to a group lesson I am frustrated or disappointed. Well, no. The first time was OK - it was just the last two.

For those of you who have never heard of F, this is a school (I guess you'd call it) of movement study with the aim to assist people to learn the most efficient, effective, pain free way to move (and be still) and in doing so reduce pain and improve function. It occurred to me recently that rather than returning time after time to masseuses and acupuncturists and chiropractors (who I haven't actually been to since I hurt my knee in 1994!) for my neck and shoulder stiffness and migraine headaches, it would make more sense to see if I could learn what I am doing to create them. And, in doing so, can this be changed.

So, I have no real beef with F, I think they may have something to help me, it is just these last two lessons were disappointing. First, they instructed me to remove my glasses. Then, they talked to me in Australian. I guess it is because I am such a visual person, I can't understand what I'm hearing as well when I can't see. (Does this happen to anyone else?) Plus, I can't follow visually what you are demonstrating if I can't see you. (I KNOW this would be common.) So, I was very frustrated.

My last class was given by the instructor for "Bones for Life". She was very good (= let me keep on my glasses) although I did find her singing little bone songs to be a bit silly. She was making a very good point about where on your foot you place your weight when walking or lifting up the body (though I cannot distinguish between my 5 toes, or at least the 3 in the middle). Then, she started saying things that as a veterinarian I have to say were just not right. She started talking about hooves. It may be 10 years now since I last saw a hoof or treated a hoof, but I certainly remember the anatomy of horse hooves, cow hooves, and pig hooves - which are not the same - though maybe the latter two are not called hooves. But, anyway, even if we need to restrict ourselves to horses, the hoof is not located between what would be our big toe and the second digit. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Horse hoof = third digit.

Unless they lied to me in school. "What is the chance of that???" she wonders.

(Note- photo from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Equine-dist-forelimb-bones.png)

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