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Free to be. Some brief #Feldenkrais wishes

3 Jul
Since one of our approaches to helping the world is through the Feldenkrais Method, we naturally bring reflection of Moshe Feldenkrais into the mix on July 4th.  One could just as easily bring any number of developmental theorists, psychologists, spiritual teachers or philosophers into that reflection because virtually all these paths hold that the ability to push against and become free is vital to a healthy, growing individual.

In his book, Awareness Through Movement, Dr. Feldenkrais relates an old Tibetan parable in which a carriage filled with passengers each with different destinations speeds along down the road. Unfortunately, the driver is asleep and thus the horse, while making time, is out of control and unable to determine how to bring the passengers to their destination. One can imagine the terror of the passengers.

For the carriage driver to awaken, for you to awaken, for me to awaken is to know oneself and the clamoring needs or conflicting motivations within our own carriage. To awaken is to be free to arrive at the destination which we intended. This kind of freedom requires a kind of fighting against the sleeping state in order to awaken.  

For Feldenkrais, awareness through movement (not the registered mark but the actual meaning of the words) was the process of awakening.

Most often the independence we seek is from our own compulsions, even when it is couched in a fight against someone or something else.  At its best, the fight for independence is in the service of awakening.

May you be free to be in this moment in the place that you are. 
May I be free to be in this moment in the place that I am. 
May all be free to be in this moment in the place that they are.

submitted by Cynthia Allen

Comments (1)

Jul 04, 2011
Integrative Learning Center said...
May you be free to be in this moment in the place that you are | May I be free to be in this moment in the place that I am | May all be free to be in this moment in the place that they are.

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