I am continuing to teach my regular classes online so my Online Training page is the one that is updated most often…
(Please note that the regular classes and workshops appear first, and thus this list may not be in a sensible order date-wise!)
Awareness Through Movement Online Classes, on Zoom*
Tuesdays @ Noon
12 pm – 1.00 pm GMT
£10 per class, or any donation welcome
This class is a general class and suitable for all levels of ability – we usually have time for a group chat afterwards for anyone who does not need to dash away. I find that these chats are very valuable for deepening the understanding of what Feldenkrais is all about.
Thursdays @ 6pm
6 pm – 7 pm GMT
This is a very gentle class and thus particularly suitable for anyone with chronic issues with injury, pain, or fatigue.
£10 per class, or any donation welcome
*Regular attendees will receive all recordings and notes even if they miss a class
These are ongoing classes, so the intention is for you to commit to attending on a regular basis: once a week is good, twice a week is better. Feldenkrais is about learning to learn; these are skills that you will develop over time with practice, and the benefits you will experience are also cumulative.
UPDATE: up until now I have been considering these classes as potentially mix-and-match but it is now clear that is not how it tends to work out, so I have made adjustments to the pricing accordingly. Everything I teach online is available for a suggested fee, or a donation of your choosing, which means you do not need to negotiate it with me, although I would prefer to know if you would like to come along but are not able to pay anything. I am increasing my prices this Spring, with the expectation that anyone on a low income will continue to pay what they are able, without worrying about it.
The Feldenkrais Method is unique in design, and of all the versions of personal training that include a physical element, Feldenkrais is most like Tai Chi, where regular practise is good, and the more time you give to the process the more you get back. At some point you become someone who practises Feldenkrais, and at that point the benefits and the pleasures begin to accrue. One reason I am so enjoying teaching on Zoom is the facility to share a recording of the class so you can build up an archive of lessons to explore whenever you wish.
Much of what I write about in my blog is intended to make the pleasures and possibilities of learning how to learn more apparent earlier in the process; here is a recent article on the subject.
You will need to book with me in advance by email. When I hear from you I will send you a secure link to access the broadcast. Once you are on the list you will get the invitation until you cancel, but there is no expectation that you will be able to attend every class.
*Suggested-fee-or-donation rate applies.
Feldenkrais Live at The Telegraph Hill Centre
Awareness Through Movement
Studio 2, 1st Floor, SE14 [top of Kitto Road]
Light & Easy Feldenkrais
Wednesday Drop-In ~ 4pm–5.15pm ~ £12.50/£10 [low income]
New drop-in class starts Jan 10th
Full-Strength Feldenkrais
Tuesday Drop-In ~ 7.30 pm – 8.30 pm ~ £10
I am starting a new local Awareness Through Movement class on Tuesday evenings – 7.30 – 8.30pm – at the Telegraph Hill Centre.
Regular sessions begin Tuesday 10th January – I hope to gather a committed group of regular attendees, as this will enable us to really advance our physical and mental capabilities beyond the natural limitations of a more general beginners-appropriate class.
The Tuesday evening class will be particularly suitable for dancers, martial artists, anyone wanting to improve a physical skill, such as running, climbing, riding, swimming etc, and anyone recovering from injury who is ready to return to more strenuous activities.
The Wednesday afternoon [4pm-5.15pm] class is ongoing, and highly suitable for all-comers, but with a particular emphasis on subtle, internal sensory-motor work, so ideal for anyone dealing with movement limitations, ongoing injuries, and neurological conditions such as chronic fatigue, and Multiple Sclerosis.
For the new class I am planning to explore the full range of human motion – wriggling – rocking & rolling – bear walking – scampering – walking with a fully mobile pelvis – possibly even jumping if folks are keen! – finding our natural rhythm, and achieving better organisation – balance and coordination – throughout the whole self.
Below is a sample of the sort of thing I am talking about – this Four Points lesson is a classic from my Feldenkrais training, a movement sequence that enables you to transition from lying to sitting to standing and back again with ever increasing ease and grace as we explore all the different elements of the sequence in fine detail.
Because of the slow, subtle, mindful nature of Feldenkrais – the movements were inspired by Judo, or “The Gentle Way” – my classes often attract those who are managing painful or limiting conditions, which can make a class less appealing to a younger, more lively community. If that is your situation then either the Wednesday class or my online classes will be ideal, however if you are looking for the more playful and joyful aspects of the method, then this “Full-Strength Feldenkrais” class is for you! We will explore more complex movement sequences, with more traveling through the space, more work in sitting and standing, inverted positions leading into the “judo rolls” (excellent for freeing the neck and shoulders), and work our way through the many excellent lessons that take place on hands and knees, all the while remaining focussed on developing our awareness and clarity, and discovering ever finer sensory-motor distinctions throughout every part of the self, both the physical AND the mental – as with any Awareness Through Movement Class.
More about Awareness Through Movement…
Would you like to get more done with less effort?
Would you like to feel easier inside your own skin?
Would you like to regain your youthful grace without mind-numbing, repetitive exercises?
Would you like to improve how you function day to day,
in a way that benefits…
your mobility
your strength
your balance
your breathing
your emotional health
and your posture
…and that is easy to maintain with gentle, playful, joyful regular practice?
Feldenkrais training has something unique to offer; something more integral, more whole-self, more “organic” than simply helping you achieve…
looser shoulders
better posture
more mobile hips
a freer neck
better balance
fuller breathing, and much else.
Although these are all potential benefits, they are just the side effects of improving your all-over sensory-motor self-awareness.
Many people are familiar with the idea of moving more efficiently – more “ergonomically” – but I am pretty confident that most of us do not associate efficiency with having more fun.
Fun is fundamental to Feldenkrais, precisely because we humans learn best when we are enjoying ourselves; experimenting, messing around, trying stuff out, coming up with new possibilities to explore ––you only have to spend time in a room full of playful toddlers to see this learning process in action…
“Movement is all important. From cardiovascular health, bone density, joint functioning to central nervous system optimisation. For the health of each and every cell in your organism, to your mental wellbeing and overall happiness. Movement is life. And life is movement!“
Rodolfo R. Llinás, MD, PhD
…and “Movement is Life” was a big favourite with Moshe Feldenkrais as well – I wrote a blog post about it…
The room is spacious so for the moment I am happy for people to drop-in. Feel free to contact me with any of your questions
Live classes, extra info: I have enough mats and head rests that you do not need to bring your own, however you are welcome to do so, and do bring anything else you need to make sure you are comfortable on the floor – some people like to bring an extra-soft pillow or a blanket with them.
The space is spacious, with big windows, so although it is well-supplied with radiators and we have access to extra heating nevertheless it may be wise to bring a couple of extra layers with you if you tend to get chilly when you relax. This is more relevant to the ultra-gentle daytime class, as the evening class will be livelier and you will be more likely to get warmed up!
Potent Inner Voice On Zoom
You can find all the details about my voice and performance teaching in the Potent Voice section.
Your Potent Inner Voice
Self-Awareness & Self-Hypnosis for Self-Healing
Wednesday evenings
7 pm – 8.30 pm GMT
2 pm – 3.30 pm EST
Online + Recording
£15 (suggested fee, or any donation welcome)
These extended evening classes focus on my Feldenkrais-based self-healing strategies, and the recordings are intended to make it very easy for you to develop these skills for yourself. I am exploring the evening format with the intention of supporting better sleep as well as pain relief and self-calming.
One seldom-discussed aspect of the potency of the voice is the influential presence of an internal voice, constantly commentating on our lives. The voice inside our own heads can be an ally or an enemy; for a while now I have been discovering how to train my inner voice to be a better ally in my on-going project of self-healing. Here is an introduction to the process, from an article on my website:
“Self-Hypnosis – also known as Autogenic Training – has been around for a long time. I first came across it back in the Eighties, in a book called Superlearning. This was at right at the beginning of my interest in meditation, and practising the autogenic sequences from the book were the closest I came to achieving the deeper states of inner calm that are reportedly the most effective brain wave frequencies for healing chronic conditions.
Thus, when a bout of chronic fatigue left me with fibromyalgic pain that did not easily respond to the mindful movements that had helped me free myself of sciatica in the past, my investigations brought me full circle, and this time I made a connection I had somehow failed to make before. I remembered that Moshe Feldenkrais was also interested in self-hypnosis at a similar age, except that – being the over-achiever he was – he translated a significant book on the subject into Hebrew, and boldly added his own thoughts in a 26 page commentary.
The book was The Practice Of Autosuggestion by the Method of Émile Coué (1929), and Moshe’s original contribution has recently been published as Thinking and Doing, A monograph by Moshe Feldenkrais. He retained his enthusiasm for these concepts throughout his life, attempting to republish his translation in 1977, and using the techniques he still valued to speed his recovery after his stroke.
This workshop will be ideal for anyone seeking to improve their own health and wellbeing, and the health and wellbeing of others.
Customised Workshops for Companies & Organisations
I am always happy to design a workshop for a specific purpose – good ergonomic self-use for office workers, good vocal self-use for performance communities, good performance skills for everyone – contact me to discuss what you would like.