Oldie but Goodie! | Somatics and Spirituality w/Cynthia Allen & Jon Nugent

2 Jan

Sometimes it is challenging to share anything more potent than one of our workshop participant's personal experience. This is one of those times.

Among the goals in the Somatic Education center is the intention enhance the traditional fields of physical and occupational therapy. We hope to expand therapists' options so they find their profession increasingly interesting and physically do-a-ble as a life-long pursuit. Hand-in-hand, we aim to provide a way of thinking and learning through awareness that yields unusual results in some of the most challenging situations. Whether coming to a workshop for one’s own health or to be a better clinician, we seek to create conditions that allow growth on all levels.

Under the auspices of Integrative Learning Center, we also have a Spiritual center and for those of you who have been curious about this, Jonathan Nugent’s piece muses about this aspect. After attending our workshops with Integral Human Gait and Bones for Life, Jon communicated his experience in such a rich way on all of the above issues that we are making it the center of this issue.

~Cynthia Allen, CEO

Jonathan Nugent on His Experience with Somatics and Spirituality

I am finding the learning method of somatic education very fascinating. I now find myself to be an experiential learner, although I am not sure that was true when I took my first Feldenkrais course.

Recently, I seem to be connecting a lot more of my "fragmented education" from various classes and seminars and integrating it into a movement- centered framework, as opposed to applying it to specific diagnoses and conditions. It is very different from traditional lecture-type education and makes me wonder if education, in general, could be significantly improved with a more action-oriented approach.

Upon returning from the Bones for Life workshop, I was working with a patient in the pool giving him postural cues, and explaining some of the weekend work to my PT student. The student seemed somewhat skeptical, but one of the aquatic staff practically jogged over to ask what I was working on and asked me to show her more. She also told me she immediately noticed I was moving differently and standing much taller (making me wonder what my baseline looked like).

My student wasn't that interested in the weekend content until I had a full discussion of the kinematics involved, but the wellness staff was immediately interested. I think people from a wellness background already know what they do from experiential learning and are open to anything that furthers their personal understanding, but people who are academically trained usually have to run it through the "is this consistent with what I have been told" filter.

I am rather philosophical after a Feldenkrais weekend, which is a bit unusual for me.

I have wondered why there seems to be a spiritual aspect to somatic work and why spirituality is a portion of the Integrative Learning Center of Mid America. As I reflect on my Christian journey; I started out being told what to believe, later resented being told what to believe, decided for myself what to believe, accepted Christ, and now I have an authentic belief framework which has changed my world view tremendously.

Somatic education seems to have some of that same quality of allowing a person decide for themselves how they can improve, rather than being told what to do, and therefore it can facilitate a much more "authentic" healing process. In my work with patients, I am learning to become more patient. Prior when an exercise or movement didn’t seem do-a-ble, I might immediately move on to something else. I have begun to see the value in helping them struggle with the struggle, and the importance of experimenting. I recognize that this is the process of learning and also the more “authentic” healing process.

Back to the clinical setting, I am finding exciting results in applying my new learning to patients with a variety of conditions, although I am finding it especially useful working with those recovering from a stroke.

Jonathan Nugent is physical therapist with 20 years experience and works for the Drake Center, a rehabilitation hospital.

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Teachers gaming the system? Teach to test is failing children | New report | #Feldenkrais had some good points. #education

10 Jun

Our Somatics in the School work group is getting closer to our kick-off workshop at Xavier University. We take time each meeting to discuss the necessary dance between organic learning and formalized education. We are striving to answer: How can an appropriate balance between the two be struck so that we can advance society while growing healthy and contented children.

Moshe Feldenkrais defined two types of learning in his work.

One that emerged organically and lasted as long as the learner kept at it and was done for the sake of the learner's own pleasure and thriving. This approach tends to have low emotional tone to it because the child is completely in charge and therefore very little anxiety or life-long compulsions are developed as a result

The second type of learning is where an adult is involved through cheering, coaching, punishment, or fear and is guiding or providing the goal/curriculum. Here the adult brings forward an intense emotional tone and the child strives to learn that which the teacher or parent is so interested in even if the child is missing major building blocks to sustain it. The primary task now is pleasing the adult by fulfilling the adult's needs.

This second type of learning is not in and of itself bad and in fact has some very important and necessary components. Used consciously and judiciously, it helps a child and society a great deal. But when it becomes the primary form of learning and used unconsciously it has major drawbacks.

Panel Finds Few Learning Gains From Testing Movement

A new review of the decade long drive in schools towards accountability programs is showing some dismal results. Or from a Feldenkrais Method point of view, some rather predictable results. Adults too are subject to being driven by high emotional tone--raises or loss of job certainly raises the ante for any teacher. Thus teaching to test has apparently become the the net-effect. The teacher is learning to "game the system". The child is learning to please the teacher. The net effect? Both teacher and child are left wanting at the end.

At least that is my take. What is yours?

submitted by Cynthia Allen

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Barefoot Walking and Running Part II: Graphic Evidence

17 Jan

One would think a foot is a foot. But not so. If you had never worn shoes in your life, your own foot might be unrecognizable to you because it certainly wouldn’t look like the foot you use today.

In 1905 an orthopedist wrote an article entitled "Conclusions Drawn From a Comparative Study of the Feet of Barefooted and Shoe-Wearing People”. Using photos from his paper as a reference, we are providing two sketches. The sketch A shows the foot of a man who had been wearing the classic dress shoe of his time. When comparing the shape of his shoe to the shape of his foot, we can see that the shoe itself became a kind of mold. (Hoffman)

Ready for a visually breathtaking comparison to someone who had never worn shoes and lived close to the earth? Sketch B illustrates the foot a Bagobo tribesman who had never worn shoes.

The first response of a westernized shoe wearer might be "Ugh--how primitive." But that would be the point. Feet were designed to be in connection with the earth. Nowhere else in the human body will you find 26 bones, 33 joints and myriads of muscles, tendons and ligaments designed to marvelously adapt to a changing terrain under a load.

In Part I: The Incredible Human Foot of this series, we delved into the evolution of the human need (perceived or otherwise) for footwear. This article continues a bit further along these lines. The difference between a more “original model” foot that is shaped by its direct contact with the earth and a foot that bears the wear and tear of a mold causes us to consider when and how we shoe our ourselves and our children.

“Shoes are the problem. No matter what type of shoe. Shoes are bad for you.” (Sternbergh)This quote rather shocked me when I read it a few years ago because it was made by Galahad Clark, a member of the Clark family long known for creating comfortable shoes and founder of his own successful shoe company, Terra Planna. Clark was one of the first on the scene with the natural shoe. When a team that included an Alexander Technique teacher proposed a shoe that was micro thin, Clark began production.

It seems like Hoffman, the 1905 orthopedist, already knew what we are discovering: there are pluses and minuses to covering the foot.

If you read Part I, you already know my position is not either/or but both. Yet, I am inclined to believe that most of us (myself included) wear shoes far more of the day than is helpful for a healthy skeletal system and perhaps even mental state.

How much of the day do you wear shoes or go barefoot? What are your thoughts on children and shoes? If you are a runner, have you been exploring the barefoot running possibilities? We enjoy hearing your thoughts.

Part III? Coming in a few days.

By the way, the 1905 article is well worth reading. It takes a while to load but follow the reference below if more interests you. It also contains more graphic evidence through pictures.

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Cynthia Allen is a Feldenkrais Practitioner and Bones for Life Teacher/Trainer. She is co-creator of the Integral Human Gait Theory and teacher of Gait for Wild Human Potential workshops.

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References

Hoffman, P. (1905). Conclusions drawn from a comparative study of the feet of barefooted and shoe-wearing peoples, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 2 (3), 105-136.

Sternbergh, A. (2008, April 21) You walk wrong. Retrieved 01/15/10 from http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/.

Comments [4]

Barefoot Walking and Running: Part I - The Incredible Human Foot

12 Jan

During the last couple years, barefoot running has become a hot topic. If you are following social media, you may be seeing tweet after tweet on the topic. In view of my interest in reconnecting individuals to a life-supporting gait or walk, I’ve decided to join the discussion with an attempt to shine an integral light on the subject.

The discussion really revolves around the fact that shoes didn't come with the original make and model. Obviously, many things in this world are not part of the original human structure. Walking sticks, gloves, bras, and jock straps, like shoes, were invented to support and/or protect the human being. And like most things, there is a time and place for them.

As a somatic educator, I’ve had an interest in the topic for a while now, and especially since the day when I asked a new client with balance problems to remove her shoes for a private Feldenkrais® session. The 80-something-year-old woman began to sob as she told me could not stand without shoes. Her balance—what little of it she had left—would be gone.

I was struck by both the statement and by the palpable fear

Read the rest of this post »

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Synaptic Exuberance - Watch Edward's brain grow with joy

9 Jan

In this time lapse video Edward, 9-months old rocks. He rolls. He sucks. He kicks. He tongues. He handles. He flips. He touches. This play that totally captivates us adults is in the service of developing synapses in the brain that he will one day pare down.

...babies go wild making connections and then, as we grow into our preferences, our personalities, life is like a scalpel. We slowly shed what we don't need or use or want. Dr. Harry Chugani

The time lapsed nature does a great job of representing the rate at which his brain is developing--quite incredible. Even better is the article that showcases this video.

We love the picture of the brain cells getting bushier and then later the changes as they are culled away. The gives a great description of the innate learning process. By the way, this is a demonstration of why somatic education works. We capitalize on the capacity to use movement. Edward does it naturally, but it can be used to help all people--little and big--for new pathways when the current ones just aren't getting the job done.

Read the text and watch the video

To watch video only, click on the picture.

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Okay, now that was fun! Introduction to #somatics for 30 of #Xavier University's Special Education Faculty members.Kathy & I rocked...

14 Aug

Kathy Krebs and I rocked teaching Bouncing on Heels and Crossed Arms from Bones for Life and a Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement lesson on rotation in standing. The follow-up sharing, awareness, and interest was fantastic. What a great group of teachers, Dr. Sharon Merrill has in her program. It was so easy to pull forward principles of somatic education based on comments. There were some great questions on classroom application and if I do say so myself, some great ideas (given we had only a few minutes for that part). The hunger in the room for more was almost palpable. Thank you Xavier Special Ed! Thank you Kathy Krebs! Thank you Sharon Merrill!

In May of 2011, three of us will be co-teaching a 20 classroom hrs workshop in Xavier's summer program. All this action is an outgrowth of a small interdisciplinary think group that formed almost a year ago to ask the question, "How can somatics be mainstreamed into the classroom?"

Currently engaging in this Cincinnati based-discussion (and now action) group besides myself are Donna Lilley, Physical Therapist and Feldenkrais practitioner; Kathy Krebs, Occupational Therapist (and future Bones for Life Teacher), Sharon Merrill, Director of Xavier's Special Education Programs, Eileen Frechette a teacher/therapeutic educator with a great background in all kinds of things including Waldorf's way of teaching, and Jane Patty an early intervention childhood specialist.

This is not taking Feldenkrais practitioners or Bones for Life teachers into schools. Nor is it turning teachers into somatic educators but instead examining ways to give teachers rich, deep learning experiences so they might embody the principles of somatic education with ease throughout the learning experience. What is so incredibly exciting about this is we have what we believe is an unprecedented opportunity to put somatics into three basic courses required for all new teachers, such as Human Growth and Development, as well as courses required for recertification.

If anyone else out there has had the chance to do this and has some experiences to share, we would love to hear from you!

Rarely does a top-down opportunity like this arise. And in the case of classrooms, it is so important that there is support throughout the school system for teachers to have what they need to make such a substantial leap in creating an organic learning environment. Classrooms have become pressure cookers for teachers as funds decrease, students are continually changing in and out due to open enrollment/charter school fallout or our increasingly mobile society, and standardized testing requirements.

We are imagining a future for making the teaching and learning experience easier, increasingly enjoyable, and with better outcomes for all. Are you interesting that sharing that dream?

We highly value discussion, ideas and enthusiasm...we will also gratefully accept donations to fund this project.

One of the goals of Integrative Learning Center is to bring together disciplines for creative thinking and new answers to old or emerging challenges. If the program development were not new, if we weren't team teaching, funding would not be so important. But this is new and time intensive. Out of sheer practicality, there is a limit to how many hours can be handled on a volunteer basis. The better the funding, the bigger chance we have of rolling out a program over the next three-five years that will sustain itself and become a model or jumping off point for other universities.

submitted by Cynthia Allen

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Walk Like an Upside-Down Pendulum

13 Aug

Look at the apparent ease with which this African woman at left carries her load. Of course, it isn’t easy, yet studies show Luo and Kikuyu women are supremely well organized, even outperforming male U.S. soldiers with loaded rucksacks. She can carry up to 20% of her body weight on her head before she begins to need more oxygen or burn additional calories.

Just to put this in context, if you weigh 150 pounds, this means you would be carrying 30 pounds. Can you imagine balancing even 20 pounds on your head and, say, walking around the block? Much less without gasping for additional air? Scientists call the capacity to carry this weight without needing more air "carrying for free." In fact, she may add to her load up to 50% or more of her body weight and head into town. While her "free energy" zone has been passed, she will still carry her load at a lower metabolic cost to herself than to you or even to our beloved Army guys and gals.

In the 1990s gait researchers mapped the movement of the human center of mass in space and discovered the trajectory is like that of an upside-down pendulum swinging. Instead of a curve down, it curves upward with the crest being at the point when you are completely balanced on one foot and the other foot has lifted away from the ground and is swinging forward.