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S3NSE: Centering

Writer's picture: Tom RankinTom Rankin

“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.” ~Lao Tsu


What is centering? Is it the breath? Maybe the core muscles? Perhaps movements along our middle? Or is it something else? What and how would Moshe Feldenkrais think about centering? While it is impossible to know for sure; it is fun to speculate.


Perhaps, Feldenkrais would have used G.I. Gurdjieff’s concept of three-centered beings to explain centering. Each human being has three-centers: the intellectual (thinking), the emotional (feeling) and the physical moving (sensing). These centers have their own processes, contain a certain amount of automatic (habitual) behavior and are divided into higher and lower functioning. The centers are also able to inform and integrate together to build a self image that governs actions. Centering could be a process, like The Feldenkrais Method®, that informs and works with our thinking, feeling and sensing.


The Feldenkrais Method uses movement to communicate with all the different levels of emotional, intellectual and physical functioning. Each lesson is composed of scans, movement instructions and questions that guide self awareness. In the beginning of a Feldenkrais lesson, body scans and reference movements are used to bring attention to habitual actions. A good example of a reference movement is getting out of a chair and standing up. Asking and answering questions helps you become aware how you normally get out of a chair:


How do you feel about getting out of the chair? Is it easy or difficult? How does the movement start? Is it leaning forward to get over your feet or trying to push yourself straight up? Where do you sense the most effort or strain? In the neck, back or legs? Knowing your habitual patterns makes it possible to discover new options and create better choices.


As the lesson progresses, a variety of movement sequences are utilized to promote new learning. Lessons start out fairly easy but become more complex as it continues. This requires using higher functioning levels of thinking, feeling and sensing for more potent self education. Instead of habitually going through the motions, you “wake up” your thinking, feeling and sensing to be more “human”.


At the end of a lesson, the scan and reference movement summarizes your changes and learning. Because your self image is more precise and accurate; you know yourself better. You learn the process of asking informed questions and center in on your best answer.


At S3NSE, we will be centering for the rest of the summer. Join us in Cupertino, CA or on a computer near you. www.s3nse.org

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