by Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D. (reprinted from the Self Healing Newsletter)
Have you ever watched a baby learn how to crawl, sit, stand, or walk? The Feldenkrais Method is based on the premise that we have all forgotten how to move with such natural ease and awareness. By paying close attention to the signals our bodies give us and gently exploring new ways of moving, claim practitioners, we can rediscover the free, effortless sense of movement we had in the first few years of life-and undo many of the aches and pains that plague us as adults who have become literally too set in our ways.
I have long been intrigued by this subtle form of retraining the nervous system, which I currently recommend to patients whose movement has been restricted by injury, cerebral palsy, stroke, fibromyalgia, or chronic pain. (I find it be much more useful than standard physical therapy.) I also believe that the Feldenkrais Method can help older people achieve greater range of motion and flexibility, and help all of us feel more comfortable in our bodies.