Author: Moshe Feldenkrais

In 1981 Moshe Feldenkrais taught a series of four outstanding public workshops, sponsored by the Quest organization. The Quest series were his last public workshops.

May 29-June 3, 1981

Lessons

Friday Evening, May 29, 1981

1. a) Introduction b) Instruction
2. Finding lightness and ease in the arms and in yourself: Rolling with interlaced hands on the back
3. Rolling interlaced hands continued: coming to stand

Saturday, May 30, 1981

1. Lifting the head on the back: simple flexion, one side in imagination
2. Rolling from sitting to lying and back again
3. The bell hand: soft opening and closing movements of the hand

Sunday, May 31, 1981

1. Perfecting the self image: tilting the legs and lengthening the spine on the belly
2. Rolling from sitting to lying on the back continued, including taking the legs over the shoulders
3. Discussion: Habits. Fear. We are not interested in moving but in how the movement is performed
4. Lengthening through the arms to roll from the back to the side
5. Rolling from sitting to side-lying

Monday, June 1, 1981

1.AM1 Lecture: Learning, Free Choice, Individuality

2. Increasing ease in the head, neck and shoulders.

a) Sitting; rolling the head (AM2)

b) Bell hand, rotating arms on back (PM1A)

c) Sitting, rolling the head continued (PM1B)

3. PM2 From straight leg sitting to rolling on the back, opening and closing hand

Tuesday, June 2, 1981

1. Discussion: imagination, the unconscious and memory

2.       a) Pressing and lifting on the side, opening and closing hand to stand

b) Variations in standing

c) Pressing again on side, making a wave

3. Discussion: Relationships, Change and the Self

4. Softening the neck affects the whole self: Lifting the head with lapping movements of the mouth and tongue in many different positions

5. Lecture: Learning is doing things in a different way. Even in simple things we have lost contact with ourselves

Wednesday, June 3, 1981

1. Lecture: Change, Habits and Good posture. Includes demonstration of helping a man touch his toes more easily
2. Hands-On Functional Integration Session with a woman with cerebral palsy. Feldenkrais talks very little during the lesson but does describe it at the end
3. Rolling from the belly to sit, bringing in many themes from the five days
4. Tilting legs on the belly to sit. Whole group moves together at the end

External Links

You can buy a CD of this workshop on the Feldenkrais Resources.