Back into action again
If you would seek health, look first to the spine.
— Socrates
A few weekends ago, I taught a public Back Into Action workshop in Prague.
The content came from a program by the same name that I created for chronic back patients in a comprehensive rehabilitation program. I learned from working with these folks that they didn’t do their prescribed exercises because of pain, did them despite the pain, or, all too often, did them in a counter-productive way. Instead of improving their abilities, how they performed exercises was, unbeknownst to them, strengthened their preexisting restrictive, self-protective, and inefficient — even dangerous — habits. Based on the neuromuscular coordination patterns underlying these exercises, the classes unravel chronic holding, rebalance muscle tonus, and clarify how to move easily, effectively, and enjoyably.
This compilation of lessons became the basis for a professional seminar I taught hundreds of physical therapists in the US and Europe in the 1980s and ‘90s. So that the participants would be able to use what they learned after the course, I provided them with printed transcripts.
Walking to the venue, I wondered what it would be like to return to this curriculum after a few decades. Entering the large, full hall, I realized how profoundly at ease I was feeling. There was no pressure to perform; I did not have to prove anything.
The lessons unfolded smoothly and effortlessly. I knew the rhyme and reason of each class. I had spent years discovering the difficulties and detours students encounter and learning to turn them into opportunities for self-discovery and improvement.
I felt unhurried. Since many of the Czech and Slovak participants weren’t fluent in English, I worked with a translator. The extra advantage of watching the students as they listened to the translation was a gift. I had ample time to observe how the instructions landed, see who understood and who didn’t, and proceed accordingly.
It was a delight knowing so well where each session could take us. I could adjust my guidance, modifying content and cadence as needed. I could be faithful to the learning logic of the lesson plan while adapting to meet people’s needs. I discovered new ways of delivering directions and learned from what happened in the room.
I couldn’t help but feel the liveliness of teaching in person. I was delighted to see more than one person at a time, shift my focus from the group to an individual, hear how students were breathing, and walk through the class or around the edges of the room.
I wasn’t only teaching the group. I found myself spontaneously interacting with a student, sometimes in passing with just a few words, often non-verbally, and occasionally working with someone in front of the entire class.
Working with the artist Sage Lee in the early 90s, I built on the transcripts from the Back into Action seminars and created an illustrated handbook. You can purchase the digitized version of the book and the recordings of the lessons here.
Thanks to David Apltauer from Druna, the wonderful place in the center of Prague where the workshop took place, for the photo of me working with one of the participants featured above.
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I remember back 2001-2006, just beginning my feldenkrais-journey as a teacher, I discovered your script „back into action“. Still a bit feeling lost where to beginn and go on with my first clients…those lessons where a gold standard for me to follow when I felt unsecure. They guided me well and from there I could slowly find my way.
Hello Yasmin –
Thank you so much for letting me know how important Back Into Action was to you when you began your Feldenkrais practice. That’s so cool!
Larry,
I’ve read many of your blogs, usually with a smile, but this time I had to respond.
What a joy to read your Back into Action again blog about your Prague teaching experience! It sounded like the ‘old’ Larry – full of enthusiasm, child-like delight in discovery and ever curious. I sincerely hope it means you are really back on your feet again, and if not, your could’ve fooled me. I acquired Back into Action early on and have used it on many occasions both as a series and as case specific Lessons or ATM’s as required.
I wish you continuing joy and good health as we move into summer. Thanks for everything, Rosa
Thank you, Rosa! Yes, I’m back on my feet and having fun.
Good to know that you got Back into Action back in the day and found it so useful
Thanks for your good wishes.
Happy summer!
Larry, It was inspiring and humbling to read about your recent experience of teaching Back into Action. Having just completed my penultimate segment of my training and feeling like an absolute beginner as I approach my graduation in June, it was reassuring to read that even with your decades of experience, the realisation of your feeling of ease with the material seemed to almost come a pleasant surprise. This was reflected in the beautiful photo of you sitting crosslegged on the floor demonstrating something with a student. I then felt a sense of permission almost to allow myself to develop slowly and not having to rush into suddenly ‘becoming’ a teacher of the method: to, in a sense, allow the process to happen in its own time. Thank you for that. I always appreciate the candour with which you write this blog.
Hello Giles –
How wonderful that what I wrote made it possible for you to give yourself permissiion to allow the process of becoming a teacher unfold in its own time.
Congratulations on getting this far in the training process. It’s exciting that you will be graduating soon.
Thank you for your kind words about my writing.
Nice to see you Larry! You are looking good. Fascinating discoveries!???
Nice to hear from you, Mary>
Hope we’ll get a chance to see each other again soon.
Way to go!
Much appreciated, Natalie.
Well stated and thoughtful as always. Still wish for you to teach in Bayfield.
Sweet of you to say, Janet.
My schedule is more open than it used to be so it’s possible that I could come teach in Bayfield.