Feldenkrais + Yoga

As much as I loved it, after many years of practicing yoga, I thought I was going to have to give it up because it was causing me more harm than good. Unaware of my hypermobility, I was over-stretching and straining my body during my yoga practice.  That’s when I discovered the Feldenkrais Method, which my doctor suggested as an even safer and more mindful approach to movement.

Through the Feldenkrais Method, I learned to listen to my body and find new, gentler ways to move, in alignment with my unique strengths and limitations. This transformed my yoga practice, making the more challenging asanas more accessible, while enabling me to find more strength and balance while staying within healthy boundaries. I was able to enjoy my yoga practice even more, without feeling like I was at risk of reinjuring myself. Embracing the Feldenkrais principles (such as do less to feel more), and with the extremely cautious and informed guidance of Kate Coughlin (Director of Downtown Yoga, Pleasanton ), I completed my advanced yoga training and became a certified RYT-200 yoga teacher in 2020. 

I love teaching yoga with a Feldenkrais perspective. Integrating Awareness Through Movement, I guide my students to explore their bodies’ sensations and gradually expand their range of possibilities. This gentle approach enhances stability, coordination, and balance while reducing effort and discomfort.

I also love sharing Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement (ATM)^® lessons that can help people experience certain yoga poses in a way they never thought possible.  As Moshe Feldenkrais famously said: “Making the impossible possible, the possible easy, and the easy elegant”.

ATM-inspired yoga classes, and yoga-inspired ATM classes are both perfect for those seeking yoga’s benefits without the potential stress and strain of many yoga classes. They offer the mind-body connection, mindful movements, and relaxation that people often seek from a yoga class, without pushing beyond comfort levels.  And counter-intuitively, by staying within our comfort zone, we actually extend the limits of that zone.  The effects of these two modalities multiply to provide improved physical performance, increased strength & balance, more comfort & grace, and (if done right) less pain.

The Feldenkrais Method empowers individuals to embrace their unique body-mind connection and find a safer, more pleasurable yoga practice. This integrated approach extends beyond the mat, fostering stability, balance, and overall well-being in daily life.