Two Masters and a Nerd©

A Unique Master Class – Open for everyone

Taught in English without translation^[1]
 

What will you take home?

• New ways to connect embodied experience and interpretation      
• New skills for teaching Feldenkrais^® lessons
• A renewed perspective on the martial arts, poise and action 
• An expanded understanding of the Feldenkrais Method^® and what makes it effective
• Opportunities to participate in an international learning network using a wide range of professional knowledge and practical skills

What will you be doing?

• Qualifying your poise, posture and power with Awareness through Movement group lessons (ATM).
• Observing demonstrations, practicing martial arts techniques^[2] to discover their relationships to Feldenkrais^® lessons
• Receiving individual supervision
• Understanding how these techniques are effective
• Watching live Feldenkrais Functional Integration^® lessons^[3]
• Open discussions with question-and-answer opportunities
• Attending two online sessions between each seminar (for all participants)
• Benefit from reading suggestions for your understanding
• Reflecting on your experience with staff and participants in group formats
• For participants with no experience in the Feldenkrais Method^®, we will offer a free online introduction in February 2024.^[4]

Why this seminar series? 

The Genius of the work of Moshe Feldenkrais lies in his wide-ranging education in three traditions of knowledge: his Jewish heritage, including the Talmudic and Hasidic traditions; his university education in engineering, mathematics, physics, and the philosophy of science; his early inventions for self-defense in Palestine and his classical Judo training with some of the twentieth century’s greatest judo masters. 

Each of these traditions teaches you to embody a growing range of choices for acting in any situation; whether it be in the habits of everyday living or in extremely challenging confrontations.

Feldenkrais’s talent for thinking clearly and acting effectively led to his astonishing synthesis of know-how and understanding that we now call the Feldenkrais Method^®. He named the ability to have choices in any activity: reversibility. The three traditions of Feldenkrais’s education call this way of flexible living: wisdom. Each prescribes an ethical standpoint for creative ways of interacting with other people. 

At the crossroads of these traditions we will search for, clarify, elaborate and practice the parallels between Feldenkrais’ martial arts experience and the Feldenkrais Method^®.

Who Should Participate?

These seminars are open to anyone curious about human development. For yourself or for your professional activities, or for your study groups. We expect an international and interdisciplinary group of Feldenkrais^® teachers, martial artists, academics, athletes, coaches, movement scientists, physical therapists, psychologists and teachers. This diversity of perspectives and backgrounds is to our advantage               

Seminar Themes

• Reversibility, Balance and Effective Action (March 2024)
  Feldenkrais’s knowledge of reversibility, reveals insights into how balance functions in everyday life and in all martial arts techniques. Part of the secret lies in the science of the evolutionary line of our vertebrate heritage.
• Acting for Creative Interaction (August 2024)
  When interacting with other people, reversible balance is the foundation of one’s sense of confidence; whether participating or teaching Feldenkrais^® lessons or effectively meeting the challenge in a martial arts situation.
• Why Wisdom? (February 2025)
  Preserving our “dignity of choice” is a key that opens constructive engagement with other people while maintaining our own flexibility. This unusual form of wisdom contrasts with the trap of the “wise person has all the answers”, and keeps refreshing our own resource of curiosity and attention.

Please notice

• Register early, the seminar space is limited.
• These Seminars only can be booked as a series. If space is available single seminar registrations may be available after March 1, 2024.
• No video or audio recording by the participants during the seminar will be allowed. The seminars will be recorded on video for streaming at a later time. The details will be provided in November, 2023. You will be able to opt-out of being seen in the video recording. 
• Housing will not be provided. A list of options for housing and travel will be sent after registration.
• A list of participants will be sent to registered participants to enable cooperation for housing and travel.

^[1] We expect an international group and want to spend our time with learning rather than translating.
^[2] All martial arts techniques will be safe for beginners
^[3] Individual Feldenkrais^® lessons are called “Functional Integration” (FI)^®. Accredited Feldenkrais^® teachers will have the opportunity to participate in additional online FI demonstrations and discussions that will offer a deeper understanding and precise skills. More information in November, 2023.
^[4] Open to all registered participants.

^{Service marks, trademarks, collective, or certification marks of the Feldenkrais Guild® of North America in the United States and Canada: Feldenkrais®, Feldenkrais Method®, Functional Integration®, Awareness Through Movement® or Feldenkrais Method(TM).}