Month: March 2014

Feldenkrais(R) Training: My spine is fine!

After my little romantic interlude with the dance floor on the second day of my Feldenkrais(R) training, I started to loosen up a little. My nervous system was ready for the next learning experience. Or so I thought.  We were told to partner up, and just gently feel along each other’s spine. We were instructed to explore the shape of our partners spine, without judgment, but with a spirit of interest and curiosity, just like I did with that remarkable floor earlier in the day. I got down on the floor first. My partner, like myself, was a physical therapist. She was really smart, and she had a lot of experience. Apparently she also had her own interpretation of this exploration, because she had a lot of judgment about my spine. And, she found a lot of things wrong with it. “You...

Continue reading

The Floor is Your Friend…..

Today’s Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement (R) lesson was titled “The Floor is Your Friend.” During this lesson, we explored how the floor can be a blueprint for how we stand, sit, move and walk. The floor is a powerful tool to help you identify and release unnecessary muscle tension, refresh your body and your spirit, and discover a new sense of relaxation as you decrease aches and pains. As an added bonus, you can learn how to get down onto the floor and back up from the floor with ease, grace and effortless movement. Getting down and up from the floor is a valuable and functional skill, one that a lot of us lose as we get older. So, get down on the floor, make yourself comfortable, and sense your contact with the floor. You may be amazed at what you discover! Discover...

Continue reading

There’s a new class at Colorado Free University!

Swiss Ball for Strength & Stamina Tell a Friend about this Course Do you have a Swiss ball rolling around your house that you hardly use? This quick and fun one-session class will introduce you to a variety of easy, strength building exercise that you can do in just a few minutes a day. Build your core, balance, and muscle strength while sitting, bouncing, and using weights in creative ways on your ball. Even 5-10 minutes a day can make a big difference in your overall fitness. Take home handouts with descriptions of exercises so you can repeat them easily at home. Cheryl Ilov is licensed physical therapist, Pilates instructor, and certified Feldenkrais practitioner. She specializes in therapeutic exercise and has been teaching clients of all ages how to improve their strength, fitness,...

Continue reading

More than a floor….Feldenkrais Training: Day Two

Since I had survived the first day of Feldenkrais Training, I decided to show up for the second day. I still kept an open mind. Which meant that I could leave anytime I wanted to, and quitting was always an option, even if it was in the middle of the segment. Heck, even if it was in the middle of the day. Anyway, I walked into the dance hall that doubled as our training venue, and did a mental eye roll as I walked past the large poster proclaiming “This is the first day of the rest of your life.” Sheesh. I picked a spot on the floor, unrolled my big purple mat and set up my camp site for the day. Then I heard those magic words…”Lie on your back.” Ahhhhh, now you’re talking! “Sense your contact with the floor.” We began to sweep our arm slowly...

Continue reading

Feldenkrais(R) Training: Day One

By the time my Feldenkrais training was about to begin, I was a nervous wreck. After all, 2 weeks of training, every 3 months for the next 4 years seemed like one heck of a commitment. Besides, I was overwhelmed by all of the pre-training discussions and email communications. On top of that, I was feeling pretty apprehensive about the “touchy-feely” sense I was getting from the training group. I didn’t want to bond with anyone. I didn’t want to share my feelings. I had no desire to change my self  image, and I certainly didn’t want to challenge my belief system. Most of all, I didn’t want to release anything I may have repressed over the years. I just wanted to learn Feldenkrais. I didn’t like the glowing faces and dewy eyed look my teachers and...

Continue reading