The textbook about ATM for laymen
The book is divided in two sections:
Let's hear and let's do
Let's do and let's hear
An exhortation is lost in translated books.
Improving the ability, a theory that can be put into practice
שיכלול היכולת - הלכה ומעשה -
sichlol hajecholet - halacha l'maaseh
The book was first published in Hebrew in February 1967.
Translated under the name Aufrechte gang in 1969, Awarenesss Through Movement in 1972.
It is translated to many other languages as well.
Index of contents
| § | Theme |
|---|---|
PART A | About the book itself |
1 | Introduction |
2 | The books double title |
3 | Section 1) & 2) |
4 | The exhortation is lost |
PART B | Reflections on the theoretical part |
5 | Let's hear and let's do part1) - 6 chapters |
6 | Cornerstone of classical Feldenkrais theory |
| § | Theme |
|---|---|
7 | Our self-image |
8 | Where to begin and why |
9 | verbal becomes abstraction |
10 | The structure and virtues of its function |
11 | Segula |
12 | 13 paragraphs |
13 | Made at the end and planned from the start |
14 | The awareness correlates between intention to achievement |
PART A About the book itself
PARAGRAPH 1 Introduction
The students who over the years attended group lessons (which later came to be known as ATM) in various places throughout Israel asked Moshe Feldenkrais to write an explanatory book, so that they would better understand what it was all about and not least why?
Moshe Feldenkrais then wrote a rich book for self-studies based on the learning in the group format. It was published on his brother's publishing house ALE'F, the same as Autosuggestion, in the early spring of 1967.
In this book he developed his theories, explaining his conclusions and practical experiences after more than 15 years of teaching. It is a layman's textbook, for ATM explorers as such. There was neither a profession nor other teachers at this time. The first training came about two years after the publication of the book, in 1969. The author had expectations or perhaps an extraordinary audience on the Alexander Yanai floor? The book is advanced and not an easy read.
The book is based on 1,000 lessons and from this extensive material he refines and describes the principles and approach to 12 overarching lessons. In the many lessons he has created and repeated over the years, he extracts a theory building with clear and informative meta-comments.
The lessons are self-contained while forming a continuous sequence, selected because they clarify principles and are tools for a systematic inquiry. They include various aspects of action as such and are examples of what he suggests are the constituents of human biological posture (acture).
In classical Feldenkrais no body parts are addressed, instead there is an attitude of refinement of the self-image, the image that precedes the action and an improvement of the life process as such.
I learned an important distinction from Yochanan Rywerant that has been invaluable to me. It applies to all recorded teaching materials left to us from Moshe Feldenkrais' legacy. I am convinced that this is not something that Yochanan Rywerant applied himself, but it is mutual, both men thought in this the same way.
Classical Feldenkrais does not teach functions per sé, but the elements of function.
The combinations are innumerable. Students came to the big room at Alexander Yanai Street to explore improvements of their abilities and actions, not to heal singular body parts.
This kind of thinking gives the teacher as well as the student autonomy and creativity and is completely consistent with the founder's intentions with his discovery. If studying the lessons at depth, certain aspects of one lesson is also present and integrated in all the others. A close reading of the ingresses reinforces my statement.
An example is breathing.
Every lesson is a breathing lesson. Life is depending on breath. Breath is feelings and emotions. There are lessons when the breathing apparatus is in focus, to enhance skill and awareness. The breath is part of the self-regulating homeostasis, the breath is also a sign of presence and comfort, a mode where learning can take place when anxiety is low and ease is prevalent.
After my depth reading of Body and Mature Behaviour it became strikingly evident how Rudolf Magnus (1873- 1927), a student of Sir Charles Sherrington, influenced the construction and buildup of lessons. The root is biology. Hence biological posture in TEO, The Elusive Obvious, Basic Feldenkrais published 1981.
I suggest you compare chapter 7 in B&MB with lesson 7 in the ATM book. If you are familiar with the Chanukkia lessons from teh Alexander Yanai material they are another example.
Understand how theory that can be put into practice.
PARAGRAPH 2
The Hebrew book's double title points to a direct appeal
This part of my text can seem somehow challenging to readers not accustomed to Jewish thought, but it is relevant to understand the magnitude of the characteristic design of the textbook as well as choice of title.
It is a book that rests on a long tradition of learning as a way of life, learning to learn and contiunuing being in learning.
The first part of the title, sichlol hajecholet, שכלול היכולת can be translated as improving the ability.
Sichlol שיכלול translates - enhancement, improvement, sophistication; enhancing, improving.
Hajecolet היכולת translates the ability;
ביכולתו - within one’s power.
The second part of the title, halacha l'maaseh - הלכה למעשה, which is left out in the English book, is a Hebrew expression meaning a learning where theory and exploration are intertwined.
More so, the term comes from the Jewish Talmud, the extensive post-biblical collection of writings containing statutes, legal discussions, and expositions. The word Talmud means study, teaching. It is discussed in the section Baba Bathra 130b.
The first words translate Halacha (Jewish law) meaning law, rule; theory. The verb of the root means to walk. Words like path and way are close.
The second word is again Maaseh - deed, act, action.
In a Feldenkrais context can the meaning be interpreted as to know how to behave, do and act. It is not enough to learn theory and at the same time blindly follow the rule of the book, but it is necessary to act judiciously and adapt the theories yourself based on your own reality.
For the suggested explorations to be individually adapted, an investigative approach is needed. The student tries himself out, rejects what does not feel good, and continues to improve what is preferred to later integrate this into an improved function and habit.
An adopted translation of halacha l'maaseh, is a theory that can be put into practice.
PARAGRAPH 3
The book is divided in two sections, 1) and 2).
Let's hear and let's do
- נשמע ונעשע - n’shma v’naaseh
Let's do and let's hear
- נעשע ונשמע - n’aaseh v’nishma
Moshe Feldenkrais makes a pun with a well-known Hebrew concept where he reverses the two pairs of words.
Part 2 is the original text, and part 1, his own reversed expression. What is orignal is seen from a Judaic perspective.
This second saying, n’aaseh v’nishma, with the 12 lessons, is derived from Exodus 24:7 and is the foundation how to practice mitzvoth, the commandments mentioned when I discussed the name of the Feldenkrais Institute in Nachmani street in article 2). There are plenty of commentaries to be found in the Talmud and Jewish literature on its meaning.
The usual advice to a person about the obligation to fulfill the commandment is not to try to understand them but do them, obediently, and by the doing the understanding becomes self-evident.
PARAGRAPH 4
The exhortation is lost in translated books
Moshe Feldenkrais wrote an exhortation in the Hebrew book. At the front page!
“Part 2 of the book is written in such a way that it is possible for the reader to start the practical work before reading part 1. But it is better to read the book in the order in which it is written. It gives the reader a broadened horizon and a deeper understanding of the practical lessons and the practice thus becomes more effective.”
I wish I could have asked Moshe Feldenkrais why he omitted these lines from the Hebrew original when he published the ATM book in English in 1972.
Yes, each translated book is a different book, even if written by the same author. But still, in this case it has unexpected consequences. Feldenkrais practitioners can complete a basic training course without reading the layman's book!
There is no mistaking the purpose of the wording of this short paragraph.
For Yochanan Rywerant, it was obvious and absolutely necessary.
The carefully integrated theory and practice has too often been lost and what remains is a confused reality when principles and concepts have been blurred and the whole has disappeared.
Quality and clarity suffers.
PART B Reflections on the theoretical part
PARAGRAPH 5
Let's hear and let's do,
part 1 of the book, consists of six chapters
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Our self-image
Chapter 3. Stages of progression
Chapter 4. Where to begin and why
Chapter 5.The structure and virtues of function
Chapter 6. Whereto?
PARAGRAPH 6
Cornerstones of Classical Feldenkrais Theory
According to Yochanan Rywerant, all material in the Improving the ability [Awareness through movement] textbook is essential to understand the general theory of both FI and ATM.
He started his trainings in Israel by asking the prospective students how the book started? The very first sentences. Too often, people were unaware of the book's content.
The book was of course a recommended reading along with Autosuggestion, books about the Psycho-Physical as well as his own books.
I have selected some very basic passages to underline the differences between classical Feldenkrais and an approach embraced by many teachers active today, where a reductive dualistic approach is dominant.
Unfortunately, this limiting view also exists not only among individual teachers and trainers, but also among guilds and even IFF. It is an intellectual entropy developed over 55 years.
Classical Feldenkrais is not a variant of body work, nor movement learning or a variant of dance, yoga, physiotherapy or martial arts to name a few.
The Classical Feldenkrais path of inquire, developed and cherised by Moshe Feldenkrais, is something else, entirely.
PARAGRAPH 7
Our self-image [chapter 2]
“The dynamics of personal activity
We speak, move, sense and feel each person in a different way than his friend, each person according to the image that he has formed due to his life experiences. In order to act in another way, we need to change our self-image in our own eyes. Spoken about a dynamic change of our behavior and not by changing one action for another. The change in the dynamics of our actions means change in our self-image, the value of the various impulses and the mobilization of all the limbs participating in the performance. These changes are those that which make up the differences in a certain action when it is done by a person or other (like the differences in handwriting, pronunciation and such.)”
“Four components of the action
Our self-image is composed of four different parts that always take part in every action: Movement, sensation, feeling and thought. These are the four components of any activity. The quantitative and qualitative ratio of each component in a certain action is different, just as the people doing the action are different, but each component participates, to one degree or another, in every action.
• To think, for example, a person must be awake and know that he is awake and not dreaming, that is, he must sense and notice his position in relation to the gravitational field. Hence, movement, senses and emotion are also used in thinking.
• To be angry or happy, a person must be in a certain position and in relation to any other person or object. That is, he must move to feel and think.
• In order to see, hear or sense at all, a person must be interested to be startled to notice what happened? That is, he must move, to feel and think.
• In order to move, a person must use at least one of his senses knowingly or unknowingly, that is to feel, to sense and to think.
When one of the components is so small that it disappears completely, then the action involves a real danger to existence without emotion, there is no drive for life, the feeling of suffocation pushes to breathe without minimal thinking, reflex thinking, even an insect cannot grow old.”
Translations from the Hebrew by Eva Laser.
I find a comparison with the English in the book justified.
PARAGRAPH 8
Where to begin and why [chapter 4]
Why is not How !
The why has become a how in the official translation.
Why ask for what cause, reason, or purpose?
How ask for the way or manner in which something is done.
In my opinion, the carefully crafted theory that makes up Classical Feldenkrais requires a critical eye when it comes to translations as the content can be misunderstood and even misleading.
This is a clear example, small but characteristic.
For the time being I only reflect on the heading that is clear enough telling of the confusion left to the general reader.
More on Why & How
PARAGRAPH 9
In translation, Moshe Feldenkrais careful choice
"verbal" has become "abstraction" !
The starting point in Classical Feldenkrais includes a paradigm where man is seen as an indivisible whole.
From that, the choice and use of language and words are important because they convey a context, even a specific cultural context. Students need to think again, think anew. The responsibility lies with pedagogues, representatives of the profession and institutions.
The motives for this must not be monetary.
The Classical Feldenkrais path always addresses the whole person as a living soma, a self [Self]. It is subjective and conscious experience based.
The division of body and soul/psyche, mind/matter or body/mind is understood as only verbal, requiring attention, vigilance and awareness of language choice, both in teaching and in written text.
Based on this, action is seen as fully integrated emotionally, perceptually, cognitively and movement-wise in space-time. It permeates the genuine approach.
“To distinguish between the various components is verbal [1]
The omission of this or that component from the four is justified only in speech or on the verbal level which does not allow one to deal with only one thing at a time. In fact, in the waking state, not a single moment has passed without all of a person's attributes being mixed up in him. For example, it is impossible to remember an event, a person, or a landscape, without the action of one of the senses, such as sight, hearing, or smell, being used in the memory, or a part of it, together with the self-image of the rememberer such as posture, age, appearance, the action, or the lack of action, a pleasant or unpleasant emotion. Since this is the case, there is quite a detailed reference to each component in order to affect all the other components and the entire person. In fact, there is no realistic possibility of correcting man but in the way of the gradual correction of all and the individual details alternately.”
[1] Awareness through movement 1972 chapter 4, Where to begin and why, page 32