Self Love
February/March 2024
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As children we learn many things, how to read and write, how to tie our shoe laces, how to listen to our guardians or authority figures, even how to walk, run and do any number of other mental or physical tasks. But what about learning to love ourselves? Is that something that can be learned and what would the impact of that type of learning be across the whole of our species? In this month's SenseAbility edition we explore the concept of self love through the lens of the Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education, trying to understand what steps can we take to love ourselves more; and is it possible that a movement based practice like the Feldenkrais Method can offer some insight into this subject?
We have a contribution from Deborah Bowes who shares some of her accumulated wisdom through many years of private practice and leading Feldenkrais® Movement Trainings in a great video podcast interview. We also have an enriching article from Alan Questel, who has a particular interest in this subject and has written deeply about it in his book Practicing Intentional Acts of Kindness...and Like Yourself More.
Lastly, we have decided to feature an old article 'Individualism and Self-Reliance: The Elusive Obvious' by Mary-Beth Smith called as it is very relevant to this month's subject and we felt that it would also be nice to feature Mary-Beth who unfortunately is no longer with us, but was a committed member of the Feldenkrais® Movement community and a prominent member of this communications team for a number of years. Thanks for everything that you did Mary-Beth!
Jane, Michelle, Seth and Joe
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This month Joe Webster interviews Deborah Bowes about how she has developed a compassionate approach to working with clients, students and herself through her years of experience with the Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education. She offers some great insights into developing the skill of self-love and also shares a 10 minute lesson, in sitting, to help us start/continue that journey.
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Everything in Approximations |
An Article by Alan Questel
Self-love is probably one of the most important aspects of a healthy self-image. Like many things…it’s easier said than done.
Years ago, I participated in a week-long residential workshop called the Hoffman Process. One of the underlying tenets was about loving yourself. Another aspect of the workshop was no one knew what we did; we all kept our ‘jobs’ a secret until the very last day. On that last day, after we all revealed what we did, I was having a conversation with 5 people and was explaining the Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education. At some point, I said, “What I really do is help people like themselves more.” And all of them said, “That sounds a lot easier than loving ourselves.”
I was really struck by that!
Of course, self-love and loving ourselves is essential to our happiness and wellbeing. Yet for many of us it is either a distant dream, something we do not understand or have no idea where to begin.
Everything in approximations is an idea that is familiar to most of through the Feldenkrais Method of movement. How learning, development and personal evolution happens over time, not all at once…in successive approximations.
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Individualism and Self-Reliance: The Elusive Obvious |
An Article by Mary-Beth Smith
The memory is vivid. I remember those intoxicating early experiences after an Awareness Through Movement® Lesson, when I marveled at how much change was possible. I soon began to notice my smallest habits: which leg went into my jeans first? Which shoe did I put on first? In a parking lot, did I choose the empty spot to the right or to the left? Then I started “shaking things up,” creating variations and new options, discovering that there was more than one way to do most things. I also realized that my habits had prevented me from exploring many challenging ideas.
After about nine months of private lessons, I entered my Feldenkrais® Movement teacher training program. At the end of the first month, I traveled home with the realization that, despite years of psychotherapy and in-depth internal work, I had only begun to scratch the surface of understanding “Me.”
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Deborah Bowes has a new 5 week course called Legs in Action. It continues weekly for the 5 Fridays in March. You can access the course here: www.feldenkraissf.com.
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‘Threads and Gentle Fingers’ from Uncommon Sensing™ by Alan Questel - In this lesson you will explore moving gently from your front and your back while developing a fuller engagement and distribution of action throughout the rest of your self.
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'Connecting to yourself with softer hands' an Awareness Through Movement® Lesson by Alan Questel
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