the feldenkrais method
Moshe Feldenkrais
Born in Russia in 1904, Feldenkrais emigrated to Israel at the age of thirteen. He worked as a physicist in the Curie Lab in Paris until WWII when he escaped to the UK, working in Scotland on sonar. He was one of the first judo black belts in the west having trained in Paris with Kano, the originator of judo.
After sustaining a debilitating knee injury which restricted his mobility, and with surgery offering only a 50% chance of success, he was motivated to find a way to heal himself. While in Scotland he used his spare time to apply his extensive knowledge of physics, biomechanics, neurology, martial arts and psychology to develop what is now known as The Feldenkrais Method.
Moshe Feldenkrais was an early pioneer of neuroplasticity meaning the capacity of our brain to renew itself and build new connections. He understood that by directing our attention onto novel movements we can change our brain, create better habits and improve the quality of our life. He wrote five books about the method as well as four books on judo and trained around 300 Feldenkrais practitioners. He died in 1984. Dr. Feldenkrais wrote five books about the method as well as four books on judo and trained around 300 Feldenkrais practitioners. He died in 1984.