Summer reading

When Staffan and Chrish contacted me about writing a chapter, I was doubly honored: first, to be part of this esteemed group of leading teachers and thinkers and, second, to be asked to address the training of Feldenkrais teachers. It turned out that the most challenging part of the assignment was figuring out how to distill the relevant and crucial information down to a mere 3,000 words. Chrish proved to be an excellent editor, working closely with me to help craft my contribution. She was exceptionally kind and patient when I was going through radiation and chemo, for which I am so grateful and without which I wouldn’t have been able to finish my contribution.

Cracking the book open and leafing through chapters, I read Jerry Karzen’s sweet remembrance of Moshe. I recognized many of the authors by reputation or through knowing them personally. The range of age, nationality, background, conceptual approach, etc., is impressive. So many intriguing teachers and topics, most of whom also contributed the recording of an Awareness Through Movement lesson (accessible online).

When I saw Ruthy Alon’s chapter, I realized it might well be the last thing she wrote before leaving us earlier this year. 

The title of Moti Nativ’s chapter, which is about the martial arts roots of the method, is “Moshe Dō,” meaning the way of Moshe.  In a flash, I remembered the first time I’d heard that turn of phrase. In the early days in the US, Moshe wasn’t that keen on people promulgating his work. Instead, he encouraged those in the San Francisco teacher training to take what they learned from him into their existing professions or practices. The way I heard the story, two of them, Dub Leigh and Betty Fuller, tried, unsuccessfully, to talk Moshe into using Moshe Dō as the name of his method. 

Point being, many sections caught my eye. What a richness of options! I couldn’t choose which to read first. That’s when I decided to set the publication aside to take my time and read it on vacation next month.