How to Get the Most from Your
AWARENESS THROUGH MOVEMENT® CLASS
Your Best Move Yet!

PREPARATION:
1. Wear loose clothing in which it is comfortable to move. Bring an extra layer to wear to increase your comfort level in the environment. Water & tissues are always handy to have along with you. Bring an old towel or two you may have on hand at home for placing under your head for hygienic reasons while lying on the mat. It can also serve as a support for your head as needed.

2. Be prompt & arrive in plenty of time to settle in, go to the washroom, set up your mat & be ready to start on time. You want to be sure to catch the beginning of each lesson. Alot of the ‘setup’ of a lesson is contained in the first few moments of the class.

3. Classes begin with you lying on a comfortable mat while your teacher guides you through a ‘scanning’ exercise to explore your body & its contact with the mat. Scanning does three things: It establishes a blueprint of your body to which you can refer throughout the class, it fine~tunes your ability to focus & initiates the relaxation process.

4. During the class you will learn to focus on the sensations created by each movement & to notice how that movement affects other parts of your body.

5. Always move within your own comfort zone. Comfortable movement is fluid, without strain & inherently enjoyable. You are always free to change your position, stop or just continue the movement in your imagination. Pauses are an extremely important part of the process.

6. In Feldenkrais, less is more. Consciously do less than you are capable of doing. This means you reduce your effort, speed, range & number of repetitions. A powerful neurological rule is that less muscular effort produces more sensory motor learning & more physical improvement.

7. You will learn to avoid ‘parasitic activity’, i.e. any activity unnecessary to the movement you are performing. For example, holding your breath or tightening your neck & shoulders while you move your leg are parasitic activities.

8. Trust your own body intelligence. However, if you don’t understand an instruction, please ask your teacher. Don’t compete with others or copy them.

9. Throughout the class your body is receiving a wealth of sensory information. There is an easy way to help yourself retain the learning: before returning to the hustle & bustle of your daily life, give yourself a few minutes to take a walk. Notice the difference in your body & the greater fluidity of your movement.

10. Over the next few days or the week to follow, occasionally recall the movements & how you felt during the class. Possibly review one or two. You will discover ways to integrate the learning into everyday activities.

WHATEVER MOVES YOU
LISTEN TO YOUR SELF FOR A CHANGE!
RELAX FROM THE INSIDE OUT