Moshe
Feldenkrais: a Neuro-scientist before his time.
In the last few years, Dr Norman Doidge has moved the conversation about the emerging field of Neuroplasticity in to popular mainstream science. In his recent book, "The Brain
that Changes Itself”, he eloquently brings us an updated
understanding of the brain - mind - body connections, and the brain's capacity
to change through its neuroplastic qualities.
Now, in two chapters of his new book, "The Brain's Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity", Dr Doidge specifically demonstrates the links between the Feldenkrais Method and the latest research in neuroscience and rehabilitation. He describes how Feldenkrais lessons provide optimal conditions for learning, or in neuroscience speak, for maximising neuroplastic changes.What makes neuroplasticity so exciting is that it completely upends how we once understood the brain. We now know the brain is a dynamic organ, one that can rewire and rearrange itself as the need arises. This is an insight from which all of us can benefit. People with severe illness or disorders — strokes, cerebral palsy, MS, learning disabilities, autism and the like — are the most obvious candidates, but who among us would not like to improve our movement, our ways of thinking, our attention to the habits that inform our everyday lives?
Neuroplasticity is not only relevant for people rehabilitating from brain injuries or disfunction, but also for those of us who find ourselves stuck in patterns of
tension that reduce our freedom of movement, limit our abilities and lead to
strain and pain. Through the use of subtle self awareness and novel,
gentle movement sequences, Feldenkrais lessons allow us to experience
profound changes in the way you move and function; without
stretching, manipulating or 'correcting'.
You can listen to an insightful interview with Dr Doidge on The Brain Science Podcast, here: scroll down til you get to “Norman Doidge: A Few
Words about Feldenkrais".
Or, for more scientific research you can read "The Effectiveness of the Feldenkrais Method: A Systematic Review of the Evidence", by A Worley and Dr Susan Hillier from the International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, at the University of South Australia, here.
Or, for more scientific research you can read "The Effectiveness of the Feldenkrais Method: A Systematic Review of the Evidence", by A Worley and Dr Susan Hillier from the International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, at the University of South Australia, here.
