Technique gets to the heart of things

AS A Feldenkrais practitioner, Jenni Evans is in the business of teaching people to make the most of their body’s abilities.
Jenni, who trained in the Feldenkrais method for four years and has been a practitioner for a further four years, runs Heartland Feldenkrais at Lilydale.
Recognised as an expert in the technique, she recently presented a workshop at the International Feldenkrais Federation Assembly in Berlin.
“Feldenkrais is for anyone who wants to improve the way they move,” she said.
“It’s not about a correct or proper way of doing something.
“It’s about becoming more aware of the choices your unique body has, and making the most of those choices.”
The technique was developed by judo expert and physicist Moshe Feldenkrais in Israel.
He set out to explore how to reeducate his body after being told surgery on an injury could leave him unable to walk.
“We establish which bits of the body are available to move, which are forgetting to get involved, and, in some cases, which are overworking and use small, very gentle movements to get more of the skeleton carrying and supporting the muscles to hold you up and move you around,” Jenni said.
Feldenkrais can be beneficial for people of all ages and at all levels of fitness and wellbeing.
Commonly people with pain or discomfort which limit movement, for instance as part of rehabilitation after a major injury or illness, use the technique, but people looking to improve performance in sport, singing, theatre – any activity where the body benefits from being as good as it gets – also use it.
For those who sit at computers all day, in cars or in front of the television, it can be a way of reconnecting with the vitality they might have lost and it’s an excellent start for anyone wanting to get fit, getting the body moving in a gentle, lowimpact way.
Jenni said practitioners were also starting to work significantly with babies who had developmental problems.
At Heartland Feldenkrais, Jenni does individual consultations and runs classes at Lilydale on Tuesday afternoons and evenings.
For more information on Feldenkrais or to inquire about classes, contact Heartland Feldenkrais on 9738 8525.