The Mind-Body Connection: Insights from Moshe Feldenkrais
A Personal Journey of Healing
Moshe Feldenkrais, a man who grappled with significant knee injuries, experienced a remarkable recovery that transformed his understanding of movement and pain. Following an incident where the pain in his injured leg seemingly vanished after a period of rest, Feldenkrais began to explore the underlying mechanisms of this healing. He posited that the brain’s capability to reassign functions could play a crucial role: “When one side of the brain is blocked, the other often takes over its function,” he suggested, indicating a fluid adaptability in our neural pathways (Doidge, 2015, p. 165).
The Interconnection of Brain and Body
Feldenkrais’s exploration led him to realize that the mind and body are not merely adjacent entities but rather a unified system. “Mind-body unity is an objective reality,” he concluded (Doidge, 2015, p. 167). His research integrated insights from neuroscience, his judo experience, and personal encounters with injury, ultimately guiding him to articulate the foundational principles of the Feldenkrais Method.
Formulating the 11 Core Principles
Through his observations of judo students, Feldenkrais recognized a tendency to revert to instinctive self-protective movements during unexpected situations. This instinctual behavior, linked to the brain’s natural defensive response, became a pivotal aspect of his teaching. Rather than attempting to suppress these reflexive movements, Feldenkrais designed techniques that harmonized with them, thus enhancing students’ learning and performance.
A Shift in Approach
This shift in paradigm allowed Feldenkrais to teach techniques that aligned with natural instinct. Students learned to accept their reflexive reactions while remaining aware of their movements. By focusing on the intricacies of these movements, he developed refined judo techniques that utilized these instinctual behaviors to create effective defensive strategies (Doidge, 2015, p. 163).
The Unity of Movement
Feldenkrais argued that every movement affects the body as a whole. “We cannot move a part of the body without others being affected,” he stated (Doidge, 2015, p. 166). This interconnected approach suggests that any physical action generates neurological and biochemical responses that contribute to the overall equilibrium of body and mind. The act of moving one’s limbs triggers substantial activity within the neural pathways, reinforcing the intricate web of interactions between mind and body.
Micromovement as a Tool for Recovery
Feldenkrais emphasized the importance of slow, deliberate movements in rehabilitating injured areas. He postulated that tiny, conscious movements, practiced consistently over time, could effectively reshape the brain’s motor maps responsible for those areas. This process mirrors his initial engagement with judo, where understanding the mechanics of movement was paramount. The discernible reduction in pain served as a measurable outcome of this method (Doidge, 2015, p. 166).
The Power of Repetition in Skill Development
Feldenkrais’s method underscores the role of repeated practice in mastering physical skills and fostering neurological changes. By committing to a regimen of slow and precise movements, practitioners can enhance myelin growth—essential for effective neural transmission. According to Coyle (2009), accuracy is vital for myelin development, making slow practice a crucial component in perfecting movements. “Practice is perfect for myelin and myelin,” he states, capturing the essence of Feldenkrais’s philosophy.