We all have habits, and some of them are very useful. Consider the way we can drive a car or clean our teeth without making much conscious effort.
Other habits are not very useful or even harmful such as constantly hunching the shoulders or poor posture at the computer. Holding the breath is a habit we often consider to be bad, however even our ‘bad habits’ have uses. It’s useful to hold your breath for example when you are diving underwater.
‘It’s only a habit – and a habit can be changed.’
Jodie Krantz
In Feldenkrais we are not trying to get rid of our habits, but simply to become aware of them, so that in any one moment we have freedom of choice. The important thing is to be aware of our habits and to determine whether or not they are serving us as well as the others around us.
Moshe Feldenkrais often said that unless you have at least 3 options you have no real choice.
Is having 2 options real choice? Imagine if someone told you that for the rest of your life you have 2 choices – you can wear any colour of clothing you like as long as it’s black or white. Would you have real freedom of choice? What about all the shades of grey in between? and all the colours of the rainbow?
In every Feldenkrais lesson, group or individual, we present you with a variety of different and often novel movement options. These unique and different movement combinations awaken our sense of curiosity, facilitating learning. This begins the process of freeing ourselves from habitual ways of moving, thinking and feeling that may be limiting us. It’s as if each Feldenkrais lesson adds new colours to your movement palette, giving you true freedom and choice.
