Years ago, one of his direct students Ruthy Alon, told me on a podcast that Moshe would demonstrate movements just about anywhere. He could get animated during a meal at a restaurant and get on the floor to show certain moves and concepts. And that several times during his trainings in the United States she and other students would hear Moshe's bed "creaking" in the middle of the night.

But he was not with a lover, he was doing and exploring movements. If he had an idea, he would try it out, regardless of the time of day or night or what he happened to be doing.

But did he practice what he preached?

Did he go slow, was he gentle?

Did he do less than he knew that he could do?

Here's a telling moment from the 1981 Amherst training. When several students were puzzled by the "bell hand" session (several of which I teach in my "Deep Relaxation Through The Hands" series)

He explained to them:

"I think to myself what is the smallest, easiest thing that I can do ....and I do that.
And now [demonstrating ] I start with my hand making the smallest, easiest movement I can do."

So, yes, Moshe, even with his decades of experience was constantly in search of ways to go slower and deeper so that he could discover new differences in his movement.

If you're intrigued by the bell hand sessions that Moshe considered vital, I invite you to explore my "Deep Relaxation Through The Hands" series. Instead of a traditional sale, I'm offering this series with "pay what feels comfortable" sliding scale.

Discover the Series Here

Peace!

By the way, even after decades of practicing the bell hand techniques, I still find myself rediscovering the easiest, gentlest, and most effective ways to perform it. Given how much we all use our hands, taking time to relax them—and by extension, the related areas in our brain—is essential.

If the link above does not work in your browser, use this one:

https://ryannagy.samcart.com/products/your-hands/

The post how Moshe did Feldenkrais (a glimpse into his practice) appeared first on Emergent Somatics.

I have also been creating several experiential sessions that the explore the idea.

Below is one that will take about 20 minutes and that you can do while sitting in a chair. Best to do it with headphones and in a space where you can focus:

The post Hypnotic Somatic Body Scan appeared first on Emergent Somatics.

Muscle spasms can be tricky to deal with because they can feel like they’re there to help, but they can become a long-term issue. In some people with back pain, even exercises meant to strengthen and help relax the body can make the back muscles tense up even more. This tension interferes with movement and keeps the person locked in a pattern of discomfort and limited mobility, making it harder to sense and respond to their surroundings.

This is where Feldenkrais sessions can make a huge difference. Feldenkrais sessions are designed to help you move in ways that let go of this "splinting" response. By exploring small, slow movements, you’ll start to notice how you brace or tense up without realizing it so that your body can let it go.
Feldenkrais teaches you how to gradually release this tension, allowing you to regain comfortable movement, feel safer in your body, and avoid re-injury. Over time, this gentle approach helps break the cycle of pain and stiffness, restoring ease in both movement and posture.

If you are intrigued by the idea, check out my Feldenkrais "Eliminate Back Pain Now" sessions.

Peace!

The post Feldenkrais Helps Ease Back Pain by Teaching Your Body To Let Go of “Splinting” appeared first on Emergent Somatics.

And to keep you both calm and alert and let go of stress.

One of the most popular sessions that I have ever created, the link below has been clicked (and presumably used!) 7238 times in the last few years.

You can use it to help break out of internet/smartphone distractions.

And to connect simultaneously to your body, breath, and the external world so that you can chill out, relax and move onto the next part of your day or evening.

Do this session and I guarantee it will make a positive difference in your current mood.

It takes less than 13-minutes but you do not have to do it all. In fact, many report deep relaxation after just a few minuts.
And you can do it while sitting in a chair:

Peace!

Ryan

By the way, if you like these types of stress relief sessions, I have an entire series designed to lower stress and relax your body and mind by engaging your parasympathetic nervous system. It is a series that *anyone* can do regardless of experience with Feldenkrais and regardless of physical ability.

I call it, "Feldenkrais in Your Mind." And it is a complete series with 9 different sessions - from 4 to 40 minutes in length.

Take a look? The low cost might surprise you:

https://ryannagy.samcart.com/products/mental/

Note: Members of Easy Feldenkrais, do not purchase this series. You already have access to it in the member's area.

The post disrupt stress and anxiety (in just a few minutes) appeared first on Emergent Somatics.

Have you heard about David Webber and his experiences?

In 1996, David was diagnosed with an immune system disorder that caused severe inflammation in his eyes.

And in his words:

For the next six years, I was in pain and afflicted with complications including significant damage to my optic nerves, cataracts and glaucoma. I had five operations. My ophthalmologist told me that my condition would probably get worse and that I could expect to be on immune suppressant drugs for the rest of my life. By 2002, I could barely count fingers in front of my face and my visual acuity was 20/200. I was declared legally blind.

He consulted with students of the Bates Method. And with Yogis and Buddhists who had eye exercises. And he spent hours a day working with various sessions. But eventually, he gave up. It was not working. In his words,

...to my great disappointment, my damaged optic nerves and visual system threw off a continuous stream of visual “noise” in the form of white/grey flashing lights in the center of my visual field. As I tried these various exercises, I grew even more anxious and frustrated. Eventually I gave them up.

The point at which his story began to pique my interest is this quote:

In 2002, I discovered an early Awareness Through Movement lesson by Dr. Feldenkrais that explored the essence of Dr. Bates’s relaxation method for the eyes and three of the four Buddhist eye exercises I had learned. To my great surprise and delight, during the lesson, I suddenly experienced a release of unnecessary tonus in the muscles of my eyes. At that moment I knew, for certain, that I had found what I needed to heal my eyes. And so, I began to explore these three practices in concert.

An early Awareness Through Movement session? hmmm...I got very, very curious as I had an idea of what session he might be referring to.

And after doing a little digging, I discovered that David gave a talk in which he mentioned the exact session:

Two years into the Feldenkrais training process, we were able to access some lessons that Moshe had taught called the Alexander Yanai lessons...and very fortunately I was given the transcript of number 10, called "Covering The Eyes."

That is the session that I have sent the people on my email list several times over the last few years.

How cool is that?

I have put the link here again in case you missed it the first time.

Covering Your Eyes: A No-Cost Feldenkrais Sessions (transcript included)

Just click to play

And for good measure, I have also attached a transcript of the session to this blog post: Click here to view and download.

To be clear, it is not a transcript of the original session taught by Moshe. But a transcript of my recording of it.

Many people have achieved stunning levels of relaxation in their eyes from the session.

Though, as always, your mileage may vary.

That's all for now.

I hope everyone is doing great out there.

Ryan

My streamable and downloadable Feldenkrais sessions for the eyes can be found here:

https://ryannagy.samcart.com/products/easy-eyes-volume-1/

And here is a pdf that tells more of David Webber's story:
https://www.ryannagy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DavidWebberArticle2010.pdf

The post Feldenkrais For The Eyes appeared first on Emergent Somatics.

So it was a great pleasure when Bryson Newell of the Somatic Primer asked me to be a guest on his new show Somatic Primer Podcast

Bryson is a really mellow, thoughtful guy.

The main reason that I agreed to do a podcast with him is that he speaks to people from many different disciplines within the Somatics field including meditators, Buddhists and Martial Artists.

Bryson casts a wide "net" and he has some great interviews with people from different perspectives.

If you are interested, here is the link to Bryson's conversation with me:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/somatic-primer-podcast/id1607750857?i=1000558510580

If you link above does not work or you would rather listen elsewhere, just search for "Somatic Primer Podcasts" on Google or go to your podcast player and do the same.

Peace!

Ryan

The post Somatics Podcast: Bryson Newell Speaks With Ryan Nagy appeared first on Emergent Somatics.

Those of you who have been reading my emails and blog for a while, know that I speak about these things.

And one of my colleagues got very frustrated and wrote:

"Ryan, why do you keep bringing this sh*t up?!"

You know why?

Because that is what interests me. I have been doing that kind of thing since childhood.

And I think it is important.

So, before I tell you about my first-ever memorial day sale on my Feldenkrais download series, I would like to tell you that the first recorded memorial day parade commemorating fallen soldiers after the civil was organized and celebrated by black Americans.

This is a fact that I was never taught in school.

And as far as I know, is still not being taught.

Memorial day celebrations began when newly freed slaves in Charleston, South Carolina were paying homage to several hundred Union soldiers who had been buried in a mass grave after being horribly treated as prisoners of war.

The war had ended and they wanted to give them a proper burial. After doing so a group of more than 10,000 African Americans had a parade to pay them homage and put flowers on their graves.

That was the first memorial day parade and celebration of this important day in the United States.

And it was conveniently forgotten just a few years later when cities, states, and later the entire nation began the celebration of our fallen soldiers who gave their life for their country.

Our own bodies have forgotten histories.

And as we get older we have forgotten abilities and room for growth and flexibility that we can remember and use.

So, if you have missed any of my sales over the last few months, you can check out the download store on my website and use the code "memorial" for a 50% discount on any product.

Not all of my Feldenkrais series are listed there, but most are:

https://www.ryannagy.com/feldenkrais-downloads/

Again, if you put in the promo code "memorial" after "add to cart" and before paying, it will give you 50% off your entire order.

If the code no longer works that means the sale has ended. My apologies. You can grab my free course and get on my email list so that you do not miss the next one: Free Feldenkrais Course.

The post Forgotten Histories appeared first on Emergent Somatics.

But one of the keys to longevity is much simpler. It was not developed in a lab, and it cannot be injected or swallowed in a pill.

I am talking about leg strength, mi amor.

Leg strength - not muscle mass, but actual usable strength - is associated with a variety of positive outcomes in old age, including:

Longevity

Cognitive health (including memory)

Mobility

Balance

Independence

And when you stop and think about it, that makes sense. Leg strength helps people do the ordinary but essential things that keep life moving: getting up from chairs, walking with more ease, climbing stairs, catching themselves when they trip, and staying active and independent. Once that starts to go, people often move less, trust themselves less, and do less. And when activity goes down, many other things can begin to slide too.

There is a good deal of under-reported research and reviews on the topic. For now, I will just mention two sources:

“Leg strength and fat mass best predict physical function in older adults.” From PubMed.

“Researchers found that leg strength was a better predictor of brain health than any other lifestyle factor.” From WebMD.

And when you stop and think about it, this makes sense.

Leg strength matters because it helps people keep doing the basic things that make life work: getting up from chairs, walking, climbing stairs, recovering balance, and staying active.

That matters a great deal.

Because once people stop moving as much, other things often begin to slide too - confidence, balance, independence, cardiovascular health, and the willingness to stay engaged with life.

Now, before you rush off to do knee bends, squats, or go to the gym, it is worth remembering something:

Muscle strength is not simply a function of muscle size. It is also influenced by relaxation, length, timing, and how available the muscles are to do the work.

El Señor Feldenkrais said it quite well back in the 1970's:

"A muscle only works from the position of being long to becoming short. But, if it is completely short already, there is no more power, and something additional to it needs to contract. This just increases tension and that is all. It does not bring out any strength nor any power." - Moshe Feldenkrais

Does that make sense?

When unnecessary tension drops, muscles often have more room to contract and can contribute more effectively.

And that matters not only for walking better now, but for maintaining balance, independence, and confidence as you get older.

This is one of the reasons I care so much about slow, intelligent standing and walking work. Not because it is flashy. But because it helps people reduce unnecessary tension, move with more support, and build the kind of strength that actually carries over into daily life.

Peace!

Full disclosure: I don't only do somatics, oh no. I do bodyweight squats nearly every day (including Hindu squats), intermittent high-intensity workouts, and cycle and I walk with my dogs. All of these activities become easier for me because of doing somatic sessions. And they just might do the same for you.

The post Leg Strength: The longevity secret that no one talks about appeared first on Emergent Somatics.

It reduces your range of motion, your back moves less because the spine is rigid and injury can result.

Regular, gentle Feldenkrais sessions effectively increase the range of your spinal and back motion and dramatically reduces your risk of injury.

And ALL of your movement travels through your spine. All of them.

Even the tiniest movement of your finger or toe has its origin in signals that move through nerves in your spine. That's why it's shocking to me - even after all these decades of teaching Feldenkrais - that so few health professionals pay attention to spinal awareness and feedback.

Nope - not talking about exercises nor stretching!

Those can help certain areas of your functioning.

I am speaking to the thousands of micro-movements and micro-adjustments that are stimulated when you do slow, gentle and highly-unique Feldenkrais sessions.

Sessions which help your individual vertebrae and muscles to let go and to move efficiently...allowing strain to melt away - and you to move pain-free.

If you have never done Feldenkrais or have never done a session with me, what I wrote above might sound like BS.

I get that.

No hard feelings.

But for everyone else who has had the awesome experience of deep relaxation during a Feldenkrais session. Or feeling a strain spontaneously disappear while doing a session, I offer you my Flexible spine and ribs series, on sale for just a little while longer:

https://www.ryannagy.com/flexible-spine

Peace!

Ryan

Feldenkrais And Pain Relief

The post getting rid of pain without exercise appeared first on Emergent Somatics.

It is a bit more challenging, but also very accessible if you are willing to go slow and stop and rest whenever you feel the need.

In the past, I have called this session, "Classic Four Points," because it involves contacting the floor with your two hands and two feet (thus four points of contact). But I recently did a version of this session by Ryan Hoffman, a practitioner in Calgary, Alberta and he calls it "Bear Walking." I like that name better. It speaks to what Moshe was likely trying to get at - a developmentally early form of locomotion that most of us engaged in before learning how to walk on two feet. We usually crawl, before we walk, yes?

The session does not involve crawling on the floor, but it does involve playing with having weight on your hands and feet. Interested?

If so, take a moment and watch the intro video that I created below. And then start by doing the first few minutes of the audio session below it. It is one of the more interesting and useful Feldenkrais sessions that I do on a regular basis. I think you will find it has some fascinating effects:

Feldenkrais Video: Intro to Esalen Session "4 Points Classic" (Bear Walking)

Feldenkrais Session:"4 Points Classic" (Bear Walking)

And here is the audio version:

Download: 4 pts classic/bear walking

When I say that you can benefit from doing just a few minutes of this session, I mean it! Do not let time stand in your way. Start by doing just a few minutes of the session and see how it goes.

The session above is about 34 minutes. There is a longer version of it in my private member's only area and in the downloadable Feldenkrais Classics series.

Peace!

I would love to know how the session affected you. Leave a comment below or on the YouTube video?

The post Bear Walking: Feldenkrais at Esalan appeared first on Emergent Somatics.