Professionalization Is A Strategy

There are many ways to share and get ideas to spread within a culture. Creating a "profession" is one of those ways. It is one way - one possibility - a strategy. OK?

For my personal needs and desires, and for the exponential growth that I want for the work, I do not find professionalization to be appealing. I find it limiting. You may have a different idea and that is fine. There is not a right and wrong way to share Feldenkrais. There is a right way for you - for now. And for me - for now. OK?

I want for myself, and for those who are interested, the maximum flexibility to benefit from the work and to develop as a person, to develop as a personality. When someone adopts a social identity be it priest, practitioner or plumber, there are many social norms and legal rules that come into play. These norms and rules may not, likely do not, support the organic growth of the individual. To quote Feldenkrais from the Awareness Through Movement Book:

"The education provided by society operates in two directions at once. It suppresses every nonconformist tendency through penalties of withdrawal of support and simultaneously imbues the individual with values that force him to overcome and discard spontaneous desires. These conditions cause the majority of adults today to live behind a mask, a mask of personality that the individual tries to present to others and to himself."

My apologies. I know this will offend some people. But the education that people receive in any professional Feldenkrais certification program does what Moshe wrote above.

I will not live my life by the rules set by a committee or group of lawyers. I will not try to convince someone that what I want to do and try and experiment is "Feldenkrais" or "Not Feldenkrais" or that it should be or somehow needs to be sanctioned. I prefer this idea:

"We do a big mixture, we don't want any routine for the human brain, so that when it does start a routine it is the best thing it can do, and it is open to revision with any change in circumstances in order to make life easier.
Feldenkrais at Esalen Session, 24

As Feldenkrais said in many ways, "it must be good for you". It must be good for you and not for the profession. It must be good for you.

Enjoy!