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Video about the Integrative Learning Center

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Got #pain? Think there is nothing you can do about it? No so. #feldenkraismethod #bonesforlife #somaticeducation

7 Aug
 
Back_pain1

Somatic education approaches such as the Feldenkrais Method, Bones for Life, Alexander Technique and many others can make a big difference.  Read the science behind pain and three ways out of it.

 

http://toddhargrove.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/seven-things-you-should-know-about-pain-science/

 

http://toddhargrove.wordpress.com/2010/08/03/strategies-to-reduce-chronic-pain-part-one/

 

P.S. we have workshops that enable you to change your pain patterns.

 

http://integrativelearningcenter.org/workshops.htm

 

 

 

 

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Pearls from #Feldenkrais Conference via Larry Goldfarb

10 Jul

Are you using will or skill?

Your breath is your mentor. When you stop breathing but keep moving you are using will.

Awareness means having a basket that holds the things you can attend to.

Anyone can do the movement once. (tongue in cheek)

It's up to the teacher to make the lesson relevant for the students.

Submitted by Cynthia Allen
My apologies Larry if I didn't get them quite right :-)

(download)

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#Feldenkrais conference 1st lesson: 4 points standing|pics and quote

9 Jul

Four points standing
About 250 of us following Moti Nativ's directions.  Some key moments attached. 

Quote of the hour: "Dr. Feldenkrais made his students sweat. We just sweat the intelligent way."

Lots of laughter followed since we tend to be known as the gentle, easy way.  When understood within context can be true and still sweat.. It is all relative.

Submitted by Cynthia Allen
From Feldenkrais Conference

(download)

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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

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Short #Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement help | shoulder blade pain eliminator via Charlie Murdock's Youtube

28 Jun

This is a great reminder clip taken from the longer Feldenkrais lesson commonly called Chopping Wood or Praying Mantis. Take the 13 minutes and let us or Charlie know how it works out for you.  Enjoy.

submitted by Cynthia Allen

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The rumors are true, you can improve the rest of your life even post #stroke | #feldenkrais #physicaltherapy

23 Jun
In the Feldenkrais Method we have espoused the ability to improve quality of life for virtually any situation for over 50 years . Real growth is possible in the majority of situations.  It is gratifying to see research starting to bear out what we have seen working with clients the medical system had typically given up on in areas such as stroke, CP, spinal cord injuries, etc.
 
 
Hopefully, research such as this will bring about renewed interest in helping people with neurological trauma through all the years of their potential.  And by the way, if you are in the traditional system and you find working with patients that year post event to be difficult, a somatic approach will change that that difficulty to fun and engaging while yielding great results. You can move away from "do 10 of this and 20  and tell me when you are done" to unlocking the true potential of neuroplasticity through the purposeful engagement of the organic learning loop. 
 
What is that loop?  See the next post....
submitted by Cynthia Allen

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Parkinson's patients sing in tune with creative arts therapy

15 Jun
ScienceDaily (2011-06-14) -- Music and drama offers physical and emotional benefits for patients with Parkinson's.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110614132038.htm#

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Find your vagel brake and turn it off and on....at will?

14 Jun

Polyvagal

 

A few weeks ago I excitedly opened my new copy and started wading through The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, Self-Regulation by Stephen W. Porges.  Wading because I am not a neuro scientist so the vocabulary in the first half is a bit daunting.  However, the second half is creating a resounding YES! in my experience of my own life and those I work with.

I believe this work will rock the world of Behavioral Psychology in particular. From this new, comprehensive look a the autonomic nervous system, we may see the merging of the best of what psychology, somatic approaches, physical therapy and occupational therapy have to offer.  It will of course, take time, because we will all need to get better at regulating our vagal brakes to feel safe enough and to have enough skills to be in relationship with each other in a way that truly allows that level of collaboration and outside outside of the current box thinking to emerge. :-)

Here is an easy to digest radio interview.  

Shrink Rap Radio Interview

Really listen--I think you will enjoy it.

 

submitted by Cynthia Allen

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Newsletter: Movement is life at home, work, school and play | #micromoves #education #xavieruniversity #somatics

11 Jun

New workshop for integrating somatic education into the general and special education classroom.

Micromoves: a brilliant flash video program of ooddles of tiny movement sequences that will change your day, every day in seconds for $49

http://bit.ly/knPCC9

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