From the Fall 2005 Schedule

Good Posture is Inside, Already

 When you look at a healthy child who is moving in a simple way, you see the ideal posture. Without having to list specific attributes, you see something that gives you a feeling of rightness and beauty.

All of us who had the gift of a healthy childhood had that posture. But when you look at an adult, or even a teenager, you often miss seeing that natural uprightness and ease. What happened in growing up?

The first thing to appreciate is that the child’s upright posture was learned. Mostly it was learned without being taught, simply by the process of engaging the environment and letting the natural possibilities develop. But, still, it took a long apprenticeship to transition from gurgling-baby-on-its-belly to wild-little-guy-running-everywhere.

The sad fact is that, apart from the consequences of specific trauma, bad posture is also learned. It is not learned intentionally, but learned nevertheless. Firstly, the growing child imitates those around him – and too often the older children are slouching and the adults are hunching. Secondly, today’s child sits too much, as do today’s adults. Thirdly, many interactions in the child’s social environment depress rather than support his self-esteem.

The antidote for learned bad posture is not the command, “Sit up straight!” Neither is it the insult, “You look awful. Why don’t you just straighten up!”

The antidote, in the Feldenkrais Method, is to take movements that undo the fixity of bad posture. Bad posture is, unconsciously, doing the same movement over and over again. When you take individual lessons or group classes in the Feldenkrais Method, you take movements that are different from everyday. You do them with a flowing and mindful quality, staying within your own range of comfort and safety. They help you to become more supple and more confident in your ability to move gracefully and safely.

From suppleness and confidence comes uprightness. It is only natural. The organic pattern of uprightness has been present since you were a toddler. The only problem is that other patterns have been layered over and prevent it from manifesting.

Michelangelo is reputed to have said, “All I did was take away what wasn’t necessary.” Feldenkrais does that too.