Finding Feldenkrais(R)

I heard about The Feldenkrais Method(R) over the years, but it took a long time for me to finally try a class. However, after my first class, I wanted to become a practitioner. I didn’t just want to become a practitioner, I had to become a practitioner. I had no idea what was involved, but how hard could it be? I was stunned to learn that it involved an intense 4 year long training program. But, that didn’t discourage me. After all, I had recently gone through a brutal twenty four months of graduate school to become a PT, so I figured I was up to the challenge.

Then I discovered that the trainings were few and far between. As much as I wanted to become a practitioner, I did not want to have to travel to another city for two weeks every three months for four years to complete a training. It seemed like quite a commitment, and I was still reeling from the mental, emotional, physical and financial ramifications of earning my Master’s Degree in physical therapy. Maybe I wasn’t up to the challenge. But, then I discovered that a training was going to be held in Denver. Bingo! I was the first student to apply to the program.

The year before the training, the organizers hosted several pre-training workshops so perspective students could get an idea what a training was like. The workshops also included meetings and group lunches so we could all “get to know each other.” Gee, I didn’t want to get to know anyone. I just wanted to get to know Feldenkrais. During those meetings, we were told that we would all experience the training together, every step of the way. We would be like a family. I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of that. I already have a family, and although I love them to death, one family is about all I can handle.

Then came the discussion about how we would share our experiences and feelings during the four years of training. Yikes! That really stopped me in my tracks. I don’t like to admit that I have feelings, let alone talk about them, especially in a large group of people that I don’t even know. What did this have to do with rolling around on the floor? All of a sudden, going through a training didn’t sound like such a good idea.

Even more disturbing were the conversations about how the training had a tendency to “stir things up.” You know, bring things to the surface that have been repressed or deeply buried in our nervous system. That’s when I really started to worry. As far as I was concerned, anything and everything that I repressed was for a reason. If it was buried in my nervous system, it should stay there. I didn’t want to stir anything up. I just wanted to learn Feldenkrais.

I spite of my misgivings, I did start the training. After all, I didn’t have to finish the training. I could quit anytime I wanted to. As a matter of fact, I might even quit after the first week. However, I did complete the training, and I never looked back. The training and the joy of learning did not stop at the end of four years; it continues today as I continue to receive the proliferation of gifts that come from knowing Feldenkrais, and knowing myself. Just imagine what it can do for you!