The intelligent body: explore Feldenkrais with Lavinia Plonka.

A popular saying among neuroscientists these days is "Our biology has not caught up with our technology." This applies to everything from the speed of the Internet, to our shrinking world, to our suddenly sedentary bodies. We sit: at our office desks; at our home workstation surfing, emailing, and playing games: at our home entertainment centers; in our cars; on planes; and of course while eating. Besides creating obesity, what other havoc can this lifestyle wreak upon humans?

If you think of the human body as the result of millions of years of refinement, development, and genetic adaptation based on how it responded to the environment, you can easily see that it was not designed to sit for long periods of time. Until the end of the Nineteenth Century, people walked, harvested their crops, did their own chores. Only the wealthy could afford to be sedentary, and even they had no TV sets or PlayStations to keep them on the couch for long. People reached to pick apples, arched their backs to study the night sky, strode to the barn to saddle their horses, walked alongside their oxen, pumped their own water. In the kitchen there was no blender. Cuisinart, electric coffee grinder, or even a gas stove. Hands reached, grasped, released; only a few scribes and some craftsmen engaged in the small movements our fingers do for hours on the keyboard. Each finger is linked by an intricate series of muscles, tendons, and bones to the arm, shoulder, and the back. Moving the fingers without a connection to the back is one of the prime causes of arm and hand pain. The pelvis, known to be the source, the core of mobility and power, is held still. Therefore the hip joints and back have to work doubly hard to keep you from falling out of your chair!

If you stand still and close your eyes, within a few minutes, you will find yourself swaying; even the circulation of the blood depends on your activity. If you spend too many hours a day at a seated occupation, you will begin to see an effect on your ease, well-being, and quality of life. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, neck and shoulder tension, low back pain are just the tip of the physiological iceberg that can result in migraines and even illness. After all, if the body is designed to move, everything is affected--hormonal balance, circulation, digestion, and muscle tonus. When you are active, your chemical balance is different than if you are always still.

Some people long to move, even as they are trapped at their desk all day. They get out of work and jump on their bicycles, run to the gym, or dash onto the tennis court. The body, immobile all day long, is suddenly getting a brutal workout. The result? Increased injuries adding to the frustration. Suddenly even the joy of movement has become an ordeal, maybe even something to be feared. Excuses start to appear, and exercise falls by the wayside. Use it or lose it, say many physiologists. Without exercise, the body atrophies more, but the urge to exercise fades away as you sink more deeply into the couch.

One way to bridge the gap between static discomfort and a more vital, more mobile serf is called the Feldenkrais Method[R]. Moshe Feldenkrais, its creator, once said, "Movement is life; without movement, life is unthinkable." He developed his method of movement re-education as a means to recover the ability to walk after injuries had crippled Iron. He discovered the intricate relationship effective movement has with living an effective life. His method has helped many thousands of people around the world recover their mobility, improve their functioning and maintain a healthier lifestyle.

This unique approach to movement does not try to stretch, strengthen or pummel you into shape. Instead it approaches the body as having an intelligence of its own. Using small, gentle movements, students can teach the body, how to move more effectively, the way one learns to play the piano or drive a car. The idea is not to mindlessly repeat a "routine," but instead to attentively "listen" to the quality of a movement and notice where tension, holding or pain interfere, Because of this, the Feldenkrais Method has been found equally effective with people who have severe injuries and illnesses as well as high performance professionals. Proponents range from world renowned violinist Yehudi Menuhin to Whoopi Goldberg to tennis pro Martina Navratilova..

The Feldenkrais Method is taught and used in many ways. Group classes, called Awareness Through Movement[R] lessons, use verbal instructions that explore functions like turning, reaching, sitting and walking. Most lessons are done lying down, but others include sitting and standing. Functional Integration[R] is a one-on-one experience. Like going for a private piano lesson or yoga coaching session, in Functional Integration the student comes with specific needs that are addressed in the lesson with a certified Feldenrkais practitioner. The lesson is often done lying on a low table, fully clothed, as the practitioner guides the student sometimes verbally, and sometimes through gentle touch towards a specific goal or intention in his or her movement abilities. The Feldenkrais Guild has a complete directory of certified practitioners at www.feldenkrais.com

Try This:

Many people integrate the Feldenkrais approach into their daily activities: some Awareness Through Movement before or after a workout helps reduce injuries and make the workout more enjoyable; people with anxiety or stress often include Feldenkrais before bed; or upon arising. And those who find themselves sitting all day, benefit form mini movement breaks. Here is a short sequence to help free up the pelvis and spine in sitting,

Sitting on the front of your chair, with your feet flat on the floor, sense your sit bones at the bottom of your pelvis. Slowly begin to roll your pelvis as if you were slumping. Your tailbone moves forward and your lower back moves backward. You may feel your heels wanting to lift; that's okay. Return to neutral and repeat several times. As you tilt, notice your breath. Can you exhale as you round your back, and inhale as you return? What do you feel in head and neck? Take a short rest by sitting back in your chair.

Return to the front of your chair and try the opposite movement. Tilt your pelvis so that your lower back arches slightly and your tailbone moves back. Does your chest move? As you tilt your pelvis, let your head look up toward the ceiling. Imagine your whole spine participating in this movement.

After a short rest, return to the front of the chair, and begin alternating the movement of the pelvis, rolling it forward and back. As you arch your back, your head looks up, as you round your back, your head looks down. Make the movement smaller and smaller, till someone walking by wouldn't even see that you are moving. As you return to your work, notice your posture and even your vision may have changed.

Lavinia Plonka, a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner, is director of the Asheville Movement Center and author of What Are You Are You Afraid Of? A Body/Mind Guide to Courageous Living. www.laviniaplonka.com