day 100

where to begin a post about an ending?

this morning was my last ATM of this 100daysofFeldenkrais project.  I was joined by one of the students that I met through this project who  has become such a wonderful source of support for my practice.  I am still not feeling quite over my cold so we listened to a Ruthy Alon ATM, “rocking”.  What’s wonderful about this ATM is that it is totally dictated by one’s skeletal frame.  In that way, you learn so much about your skeletal self; how long are your arms in relation to your back, in relation to your legs, how can your spine accommodate linking the legs and arms together.  It is insightful.

But I digress…

I’m done.

I’m due for a bit of a break – and even a bit of a celebration!  If you are in Ventura tonight please join me at Cafe Nouveau (corner of Chrisman and Thompson) at 7:30 as we raise our glasses to the man who started this all, the genius way ahead of his time and mine,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOSHE!

can I just add – as a footnote - one of the many things that I have learned?: 

This project gave me reason to seek out the work of my colleagues; I had 100 days to fill!  I became acquainted with practitioners that I had hitherto heard of but not experienced.  And I reacquainted myself with practitioners who trained me as I became a GCFP.  At the moment I feel sad (but that could be the cold talking) about this fact:  There are Feldenkrais Practitioners out there right now and in the past 20 years who have done AMAZING, AMAZING  work.  They have taken the Feldenkrais Method and applied it to sports, children, dance and to life in creative, inspiring and AMAZING ways.  What I am sad about is that the world still doesn’t know us.  And I thought that a project like 100daysofFeldenkrais could change that.  But all those brilliant practitioners, they thought that too.  Frank Wildman, he thought that the Fibromyalgia lessons would break ground for us.  Gil Kelly, he thought that his sports application would break ground for us.  Stephen Rosentholtz, he thought that teaching Feldenkrais to children would help us gain a wider audience.  Arlyn Zones, trained new practitioners in Toronto, hoping that sending all those new practitioners out into the world would tip the scales.

but it hasn’t

so what will? 

I want the world to know of this resource.  I want the world to grow, to evolve, to learn to take better care of itself by each of us taking better care of ourselves.  And I believe, with all of myself, that this method is part of that journey.

starting anew

I need to run like a fish needs water.

may 4th & 5th

sick and sick but getting better…

may 3rd

sick

luckily Dan Schmidt somanaut.wordpress.com sent me a nifty sinus ATM.

whew, the cat did not enjoy that one:  me humming high pitched then low pitched notes through one nostril!  It was a very interesting lesson.  I was reminded that I am highly sensitive to noise, and I love silence.  This lesson did loosen up the concrete that had been deposited in the recesses of my head.

May 2nd

listened to a training tape of Arlyn Zones:

“how do we keep in movement?”

May 1st

For those of you keeping tabs:

taught the Russel Delman lesson, “Long Free Back”

today

CLASS CANCELLED

major sinus infection, more on that later, now back to bed.

day 92 way to go dancers!

I came at the Feldenkrais Method with a ballet background.  I am a dancer.  As such, I have very open hips, very flexible pointy toes, very ingrained ideas about ‘good posture’… the list could go on and on…

Today, for a change, my ballet background benefitted me in a lesson.  It was an Alexander Yanai Lesson taught by Arlyn Zones during the second year of my training.  It was about the relationship of one hip joint to the other.  Apparently my hip joints know each other very well! 

It was a very enjoyable lesson for me that has left me feeling very potent in the  pelvis!  And when you feel ‘potent in the pelvis’ you can really get things done!!!  I have crossed many things off my TO DO list this morning.  However, the unpaid medical bills are stumping me and I am waving my white flag of surrender, actually I am going to nap.  But before I go here is my last battle cry: this country oh United States of America is completely FUCKED UP (excuse my language mom) but so so completely FUCKED UP in its medical system that: I am angry, people are suffering and –  you know what – people are dying because of it.  Dying.

I really think Amnesty International needs to be brought on board.

day 91

this morning I had my last date with Russell Delman before I have to send it back to the SoCal Feldenkrais Library.

and

I fell asleep.

Other than today I have been really engaged and really enjoying Russell’s lessons.  I like the way he transfers the learning of the ATM into daily practical life, especially in terms of mental habits.  It has invited me to think in new ways.  And that “Creating Options” Lesson was outstanding.  I wasn’t able to complete all of the lessons prior to needing to send it back so I’ll have  to take it out again sometime.  I highly recommend this series, it is very easy to find a way to integrate the lessons into our busy lives.  They are short, easy to understand and relatively easy to do.

day 90 is this the marathon wall?

because I’ve hit something, hard.  It’s day 90; save for easter break I have been going to the studio everyday for 90ish days.  And last week was a bender.  Move like the Animals performance, then birthday party, then open class.  I am tired tired tired.  And I don’t even feel well.

So I cancelled my ATM this morning.  I cancelled my FI this morning and I went to bed.  I slept for 3 hours.  And I’ll tell you, I could sleep some more.

What I know for next time is to build more breaks into this project.  Like maybe 75 days of Feldenkrais with weekends off.  That would be more doable.

Anyway, 10 days to go.  I think I can do it, I’ve put the habit in place, hopefully that will carry me through a few days.  Maybe I’ll bribe myself with chocolate for the other days!