Yochanan Rywerant did not create his own method, nor did he use trademarks.
This was a deliberate stance.
He taught what he referred to as the Feldenkrais Path—without additions or reinterpretations. As a teacher, his aim was to clarify and develop aspects of the work that Moshe Feldenkrais left incomplete—not by intention, but by necessity.
This included the conceptual articulation and pedagogical foundations of the profession as a systematic inquiry into action and its refinement.
To distinguish this from later reinterpretations—such as those that frame the work primarily as “movement teaching”—I use the term Classical.
Classical Feldenkrais designates a direct line from the original sources in Hebrew and English, and is firmly rooted in the theory and practice transmitted by Moshe Feldenkrais and Yochanan Rywerant [among others].
The term Classical signals continuity of a living tradition—formed in early Tel Aviv and sustained with clarity and precision.
An important principle:
Feldenkrais said that as teachers we do not imitate actions, rather we fulfill principles.
Index of contents
| § | Theme | |
|---|---|---|
1 | The meaning of classical Feldenkrais | |
2 | MF's foreword in Teaching by Handling | |
3 | Interchanging in FI's | |
4 | More about the foreword | Go to page |
PARAGRAPH 1
Howcome Classical Feldenkrais?
Classical Feldenkrais is an indivisible combination of above all the writing and practice of two trainers, Moshe Feldenkrais z"l and Yochanan Rywerant z"l.
MF's writing is the original source and is interpreted, supplemented, and completed by YR's writing. In true Jewish tradition, the written is supplemented by the oral and the practical interpretations, that is numerous recordings of the principles they developed.
In three articles in this section, numbers 5, 6, and 7, I discuss and analyze material from two Hebrew books by Moshe Feldenkrais. The epilogue to the book Autosuggestion, The Thought and The Deed from 1929.
[I have corrected the translation]
The second book is the extensive theoretical section in combination with the refinement into 12 model lessons of the years of teaching ATM from Alexander Yanai. I translate the Hebrew name Improving Ability, a theory that can be put into practice from 1967.
I have made new translations and show with all clarity that the expression Awareness Through Movement is a translator's cliché that poorly reflects the comprehensive theory that underlies the practice and learning.
YR published a textbook in FI, Teaching by Handling, The Feldenkrais Method. It was completed during Moshe Feldenkrais' last years and is thus approved and included in the original literature. I discuss this at depth in article 9. The curriculum for training practitioners, Acquiring the Feldenkrais profession is spanning and summarizing many years of experience, training teachers, that is the years 1974 - 2000. He also published a monograph, Corollary Discharge, The forgotten Link; Remarks on the Body - Mind Problem, about this very important and central feature of the brain addressed in the lessons, making the difference.
Both MF and YR were active authors until they died, and all other of their publications, in text, sound and video are of course also included.
To follow my reasoning about Classical Feldenkrais with ease, the reader needs to have access to the books in English (or other languages) to which I refer. I assume that if the person concerned is a trained teacher, they are already on the bookshelf.
I am Hebrew speaking, learned the profession in English and teach in Swedish. Living in the triangulation of several languages I share an interest and fascination for words with my two teachers. Based on this, Hebrew has become a necessary reference that in many ways gives me a broadened understanding. I can show the indulgence of those who saw it as a matter of course to shoulder the mantle of Moshe Feldenkrais legacy. Careless to say the least.
The Hebrew original language is part of my argumentation. I will do my best to bridge the uncertainty for the reader who do not dwell in how language and it's meaning always alters in translations and can be used for other interpretations. It asks for a flexibility of mind that can be improved by practice.
The Jewish civilisation, culture and religion use the same texts and images with or without a belief in God. As every person is unique, so is the relationship to the texts. Judaism has no credo. I use Jewish religious references from a secular point of view. By no means are these references in this professional context meant to imply a religious connotation.
Classical Feldenkrais also distances itself from the personality cult that has been encouraged around Moshe Feldenkrais's persona, where he is referred to by his private name by people who have never met him, as a Jesus figure with a legacy of speeches instead of looking soberly at the profession and its theoretical and practical sources that bear his name. Basically, such an address has evolved to give people who knew him an authority through stories and gossip - "I was there" instead of referring to objective material. This continues without due questioning now 40 years after his death.
The awareness correlates between intention to achievement.
PARAGRAPH 2
Here I present evidense about the close partnership between Moshe Feldenkrais and his assistant Yochanan Rywerant. MF wrote a foreword in YR's textbook Teaching by Handling.
I firmly claim that foreword was written to give us, the readers, the trainers and the teachers a direction into the future.
The ailing and elderly Moshe Feldenkrais is unequivocal in his call to us, albeit from a Jewish tradition of ideas, unknown and incomprehensible to most of the teachers and trainers in USA and elsewhere.
Yochanan Rywerant began to formalize and conceptualize material about Functional Integration already during his own training while becoming a teacher in Tel Aviv during the years 1969 - 1971. Later, between the years 1972 - 1975, at the San Francisco training, he was encouraged by Thomas Hanna to compile his material and write an essential textbook. The book was not ready until after the Amherst training 1980-1981, which Moshe Feldenkrais could not complete. The book was published near the end of Moshe Feldenkrais' life, in 1983. He died July 1, 1984.
"Yochanan was a teacher of physics in one of the best schools in Israel.
He was at that 28 years running.
Later he joined the Feldenkrais School.
He worked 13 -1/2 years within close quarters in the same room in which I worked.
He has his own “handwriting” like all the others.
Everyone learns the Method without imitating his teacher.
Yochanan is not imitating anybody.
This book in front of you should be re-read several times.
That way you are likely to get most of the goodness of the book.
Good luck!"
PARAGRAPH 3
In the first Stockholm training 1986 - 1989, YR explains how he and MF used to alternate giving FI to the same client.
One started and the other ended it. In silence. They followed the consistent logic of a lesson. Afterwards they discussed what they had done.
MF did so with other teachers as well. The difference is that MF & YR did it for many years. The textbook gives us an insight into what the two men thought and talked about.