Awareness Heals: The Feldenkrais Method for Dynamic Health

A disciple of the late Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais and practitioner of the Feldenkrais Method explains how to perform this body movement therapy in six easy-to-follow, well-illustrated lessons. Beginning with bending and breathing, turning and twisting, leaning and lifting, then moving on to uninhibited. i.e., unconstricted, breathing, sitting, and walking, Shafarman proceeds step-by-step though a program to reduce stress, relieve pain, improve athletic and artistic performance and increase pleasure in movement. The clarity of both the directions and the line drawings make this a good starting point for anyone wanting to try out the Feldenkrais Method on his own, although having a partner read the instructions aloud would definitely help. Shafarman's anecdotes--e.g., Feldenkrais teaching the 76-year-old David Ben-Gurion to do headstands--reveal his mentor's style and personality, but the author is less successful in articulating Feldenkrais's philosophy. Claims that the method, besides increasing flexibility, ""enhances all aspects of life"" and provides ""access to a greater range of possibilities"" are likely to leave the uninitiated in the dark. An appendix tells eager readers where to find books, tapes and training courses. (May)