The past few days people have asked me how I plan to celebrate Independence Day. I said I was going to ballet class in the morning, and I was going to clean my house in the afternoon. I was asked, “No picnics, cookouts, going to the mountains, or fireworks?”     No. I didn’t want to celebrate in the traditional way. I prefer to have some quiet time for myself, which happens to include taking a ballet class on the 4th of July when I have a ballet mistress who is willing to teach. I also like to have time to reflect on this date and what it means to me.     The past few years I developed a fascination for the American Revolution and read many books on the subject. I love history, but not the kind where you memorize names, dates, places, etc. That’s just boring....

    Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a rut? Perhaps you have a certain habit or pattern that you’ve tried to change, but you keep repeating it, even when you don’t want to. The old pattern comes creeping back, like an unwelcome guest in spite of your efforts.     You try harder to change, put in more effort. and you fail again. So, you try even harder. That doesn’t work, either. Tired and defeated, you may just give up. Maybe you even think that the problem is all in your head. In a way, it is.     Neural connections that cause a specific response to a stimulus grow stronger with use. The response becomes faster and stronger through repetition. This explains why even complex tasks become easier through practice, which is a good thing. However, this same strong...

    It’s Feldenkrais Awareness Week, and a special time to celebrate this remarkable man and the Method that he created.     Moshe Feldenkrais never intentionally set out to develop this unique method of learning through self education. Instead, it slowly and gradually developed from his own personal experience and frustration from trying to heal from a recurrent knee injury. Every time he thought his knee was healed, he would inadvertently re-injure it, often just by stepping off of a curb and landing wrong.     After consulting with several physicians, he was advised to have his knee surgically repaired, with about a 50% chance of full recovery. He decided the odds were not good enough for him to go under the surgeon’s knife, and he chose a different path. That path was the...

    I work hard to keep up with the current trends in health, wellness, fitness and nutrition. It’s more than my  profession; it’s my passion. However, I’m a natural born skeptic, and I question everything. My skepticism is coupled with an adventurous spirit and a desire to try new things. Especially when it comes to the subject of health, wellness, fitness and nutrition. I know, it’s a conflict, but maybe you can appreciate my confusion.     I heard about green juicing several months ago from an acquaintance online. The scientist in me could understand the value of drinking raw vegetable juice. The skeptic in me wondered if it really would boost my energy and my immune system. The dancer in me wondered about the calorie content in the juice. The practical part of...

    After my first Feldenkrais workshop, I knew I wanted to become a practitioner. I wasn’t exactly sure what was involved in the four long years that it took to get through a Feldenkrais training, and I really didn’t care. At first.     However, once I made the decision, I started to have second thoughts. After all, four years is a long time, and I was feeling uncomfortable with all of the touchy-feely communication coming from my instructors and my classmates. I was also getting pretty nervous anytime I heard how a training transforms you. I didn’t want to be transformed.     Before I started the training, I worked with two clients who did Pilates together. They both had some experience with Feldenkrais. As a matter of fact, both of them had more experience in the Method...

    As a Feldenkrais Practitioner, one of my greatest challenges is trying to describe what the Method is, how it works, and what Feldenkrais can do to help you. At first, it seems quite complicated. In reality, it’s actually very simple.     In Feldenkrais, we focus on moving from our bones and our skeleton, rather than pushing from our muscles. Our skeletal structure supports us, our bones move us, and our nervous system is the computer which functions as the control center. Our muscles simply contract and relax as a result of the messages they receive from the very sophisticated, highly developed and extremely intelligent nervous system.     I know, it’s a different way of approaching movement, and it may be contrary to your current belief system about the science of movement....

    Changing the clocks twice a year seems like a huge waste of time, so to speak. It doesn’t matter if we fall back or spring forward, I always feel like I’ve lost an hour. Even worse, I can’t find it anywhere, no matter how hard I look.     Time is a funny thing anyway; it seems to slip away when you’re not looking. Add that pesky one hour time change and it’s amazing how it gets away from us. It disrupts our schedule and our circadian rhythm. On the other hand, if one hour can mess us up, doesn’t it make sense that one hour can work to our advantage?     A lot of my clients tell me that they are simply too busy to exercise. Between work, family and other obligations, they just don’t have the time. I know, and I understand. However, I explain that...

    It’s funny to see the reaction from most people the first time they see a Pilates reformer. A common response is, “It looks like a rack. Or a torture device.” Until they try it. And, they fall in love with it.     The truth is that the Pilates reformer is a very safe and comfortable tool (when used correctly) to help people of all ages and all levels of function stretch and strengthen their entire body. Even people who have chronic pain, injuries, balance problems, postural deformities and neurological conditions can safely and effectively strengthen their core, lengthen their spine, improve their posture and learn how to move without pain.        My clients who are injured, deconditioned (out of shape) or have chronic pain are amazed at how good they feel, not only...

    We all know that sitting and standing for prolonged periods of time is not good for our health. For my clients who have a desk job, I encourage them not to sit still; fidgeting and squirming is good for us. You know, the kind of behaviour that used to get us in trouble when we were kids. I also suggest that they sit on an exercise ball intermittently during they, as well as get up and move as often as possible. For my clients that have a job which requires prolonged standing, I have several tricks to relieve stress on their back, legs, hips and feet.    It’s important to keep moving during the day, including at work. But I was amused to learn that some businesses are introducing office furniture that allow employees to enjoy a new concept called “active work stations.”  These...