"Movement is life. Life is a process. Improve the quality of the process and you improve the quality of life itself."
-Moshe Feldenkrais
Jillian is a Guild Certified teacher of Awareness through Movement (ATM) TM
Move more ways, your way.
Moshe Feldenkrais saw movement as a universal constant at the heart of learning and a conduit to self-knowledge for each person. He recognized that structured exploration of movement could be used to improve function and enhance self-awareness for anyone. He believed that the optimal ways of moving could not successfully be prescribed to someone by an external observer, but rather that each individual must discover for themselves ways of moving that bring freedom and flexibility by engaging in a process of exploratory sensory-motor learning. Whether you hope to improve simple, yet vital movements like walking, or complex movements, like playing sports or music, ATM lessons have something to offer anyone seeking ease, elegance, and comfort in their movement.
What to expect from an ATM class
In an Awareness through Movement lesson (ATM) a teacher will guide you to explore how your body moves with a progressive sequence of verbal instructions. Lessons typically start with a body scan, with students lying down, relaxing, and drawing attention to sensations in various parts of your body while lying still. The practitioner then asks the group to do a series of movements in various positions, exploring moving relationships rippling between different joints, muscles, and limbs. You will be asked to do the movements very slowly, resting completely between each repetition to allow yourself to start each movement anew. Over the course of the lesson the student pays close attention to the sensations evoked throughout their bodies and moves only in ways that feel comfortable, easy, and light. Your body softens and muscles relax as your nervous system experiences new, comfortable movement relationships between different parts of the body. As the lesson progresses, the practitioner will gradually increase the complexity of the movements to potentiate new possibilities for coordination and to keep you interested and engaged with every new discovery.
What to expect from an ATM class
In an Awareness through Movement lesson (ATM) a teacher will guide you to explore how your body moves with a progressive sequence of verbal instructions. Lessons typically start with a body scan, with students lying down, relaxing, and drawing attention to sensations in various parts of your body while lying still. The practitioner then asks the group to do a series of movements in various positions, exploring moving relationships rippling between different joints, muscles, and limbs. You will be asked to do the movements very slowly, resting completely between each repetition to allow yourself to start each movement anew. Over the course of the lesson the student pays close attention to the sensations evoked throughout their bodies and moves only in ways that feel comfortable, easy, and light. Your body softens and muscles relax as your nervous system experiences new, comfortable movement relationships between different parts of the body. As the lesson progresses, the practitioner will gradually increase the complexity of the movements to potentiate new possibilities for coordination and to keep you interested and engaged with every new discovery.
What will you feel?
In ATM, you are in the driver's seat. You need only to do what feels comfortable and easy and are encouraged to rest whenever you like. You will meet yourself where you are in your own process of development, letting go of the need to achieve and surrendering to a non-judgemental processes of sensing and noticing. A knowledgeable practitioner can help modify lessons to make them more comfortable and accessible to you, no matter your movement abilities.
Mind-body connection
ATM does not involve traditional muscle stretching or strengthening. Movements are repeated to allow your nervous system to learn by integrating sensory feedback from your muscles and joints. The process of bringing awareness to your movement will gently awaken your nervous system to possibilities outside your habitual movement patterns, helping to make difficult movements simpler, and easy movements more elegant. Over time, this mind-body training will enhance your ability to discriminate small differences in your sense of position, muscular tension, and orientation, and with it your access to comfort and ease in every movement. Often done in a group setting, ATM is a fun and playful way to experience the joy and confidence that comes with freer movement.
In ATM, you are in the driver's seat. You need only to do what feels comfortable and easy and are encouraged to rest whenever you like. You will meet yourself where you are in your own process of development, letting go of the need to achieve and surrendering to a non-judgemental processes of sensing and noticing. A knowledgeable practitioner can help modify lessons to make them more comfortable and accessible to you, no matter your movement abilities.
Mind-body connection
ATM does not involve traditional muscle stretching or strengthening. Movements are repeated to allow your nervous system to learn by integrating sensory feedback from your muscles and joints. The process of bringing awareness to your movement will gently awaken your nervous system to possibilities outside your habitual movement patterns, helping to make difficult movements simpler, and easy movements more elegant. Over time, this mind-body training will enhance your ability to discriminate small differences in your sense of position, muscular tension, and orientation, and with it your access to comfort and ease in every movement. Often done in a group setting, ATM is a fun and playful way to experience the joy and confidence that comes with freer movement.
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Benefits of Awareness through Movement include:
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Who can benefit from Awareness through Movement?
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