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Awareness Through Movement: Easy-to-Do Health Exercises to Improve Your Posture, Vision, Imagination, and Personal Awareness
Thousands have found renewed health and increased sensory awareness through the Feldenkrais method as explained in Awareness Through Movement. Here is a way for people of every age to integrate physical and mental development into a new, invigorating wholeness. Feldenkrais provides a modern-day, practical program for the perennial ideal of a healthy mind in a healthy body. His down-to-earth method carefully avoids any mystical component and never obliges any pupil to master abstruse theories. Exercises for posture, eyes, imagination, and more will simultaneously build better body habits and focus new dimensions of awareness, self-image, and human potential.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
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1708 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
October 17, 2016
It took a long while for this book to warm up - the first 70 pages were pretty esoteric and random. However, once Feldenkrais began to discuss awareness, and the methods he is now known for, this book turned fascinating.
Awareness and authentic attention: at the root of it is pure mindfulness on the physical form. The exercises and scripts here were fascinating to read. The methods are not wholly unfamiliar, especially to someone who practices yoga and meditation. Honing awareness, concentration without tension, moving effortlessly, and observation in the present tense - all topics that Feldenkrais succinctly covers here in this seminal text.
It's a great "jumping off point" to learn more about somatics and how to bring them into your own practice.
Awareness is the highest stage of development, and when it is complete, it maintains a harmonious rule over the body's activities.
Awareness and authentic attention: at the root of it is pure mindfulness on the physical form. The exercises and scripts here were fascinating to read. The methods are not wholly unfamiliar, especially to someone who practices yoga and meditation. Honing awareness, concentration without tension, moving effortlessly, and observation in the present tense - all topics that Feldenkrais succinctly covers here in this seminal text.
It's a great "jumping off point" to learn more about somatics and how to bring them into your own practice.
October 25, 2009
I'm rating the practice as much as the book. I have no idea what my experience of this would be if I had no experience of the practice - but I do, and so it's a very useful support of my immersion in Feldenkrais' work. At first it seemed impossible to do the lessons from the book (nothing can compare to having a live person giving a lesson) - but eventually I found a way and there are, unsurprisingly, many insights to be gained.
July 22, 2010
Feldenkrais was one of those extraordinary individuals who can do anything. Engineer, physicist, sonar expert, soccer player -- he injured himself first playing the latter and then on a submarine in WWII. So he developed a unique set of exercises designed to help people with injuries or handicaps. The result is a physical regimen that will increase your self-awareness and poise, not to mention your fitness and overall health. Highly recommended.
June 25, 2015
It is great book! A bit rough at the beginning, but get more smooth with time.
Lot of exercises are same as in yoga, but here focus is completely different. Main topic is our conscious of body, muscles and changing bad physical habits, where yoga is more about calming down, reduce stress and tension in body. At the end both do the same, but I found that not everybody is benefiting from yoga. That's probably because of just following instructions and not gaining conscious of body during practice.
I think that practice of this exercises can change life quality!
Lot of exercises are same as in yoga, but here focus is completely different. Main topic is our conscious of body, muscles and changing bad physical habits, where yoga is more about calming down, reduce stress and tension in body. At the end both do the same, but I found that not everybody is benefiting from yoga. That's probably because of just following instructions and not gaining conscious of body during practice.
I think that practice of this exercises can change life quality!
February 12, 2015
In families where children are judged primarily by their achievements, all spontaneity will disappear at an early age.
Individuals tend to identify their self-images with their value to society. [...] Ub this way society comes to be made of persons increasingly alike in their ways, behaviors, and aims. [...] there are few individuals who view themselves without reference to the value attributed to them by society. [...] so the individual tries to smooth out his biological peculiarities by alienating himself from his inherent needs. He strains to fit himself into the round hole that he now actively desires to fill.
Two states of existence: waking & sleeping. Third state: awareness.
Emile Coué used the moments when an individual is just falling asleep for autosuggestions and sleep itself for suggestion.
The waking state seems to be a good condition in which to learn processes that involve repetition and explanation, but not suggestion.
The choice of movement as the main means of improving the self is based on the following reasoning:
1. The nervous system is occupied mainly with movement
2. It is easier to distinguish the quality of movement
3. We have a richer experience of movement
4. The ability to move is important to self-value
5. All muscular activity is movement
6. Movements reflect the state of the nervous system
7. Movement is the basis of awareness
8. Breathing is movement
9. Hinges of habit
Our self-image consists of four components that are involved in every action: movement, sensation, feeling and thought.
Differentiate clearly between:
improvement of ability <=> sheer effort for its own sake
We overindulge in habits until self-criticism is silenced and our ability to discern is diminished, which gradually turns us into machines that act without thinking.
Identify unnecessary effort.
The ideal path of action for the skeleton as it moves from one position to another is the path through which it would move if it had no muscles at all, if the bones were linked only by ligaments.
You are not used to moving your shoulders without moving your head at the same time. (Uncoupling)
The true capacity of any nervous system can be estimated only by its individual characteristics - that is, man's own personality.
We are unable to use our bodies in any but accustomed patterns of muscular action.
When you rest after a movement carried out without much effort, it is not in order to regain strength, but to study the changes that have taken place during the action.
Our nervous system is so constructed that habits are preserved and seek to perpetuate themselves. It is easier to stop a habit by means of sudden traumatic shock than to change it gradually.
Attentive systematic scanning of a part of the body can relax superfluous muscular tension there.
If you try to reach the limits of your abilities every moment, you end up with little more than aching muscles and straining joints. When you strain for results, you make it impossible to achieve even a part of the improvement that can be obtained through the BREAKDOWN of HABITUAL PATTERNS of MOVEMENT and BEHAVIOR. (~Vippassana meditation, wisdom)
From time to time you should shake yourself out of your routine and ask yourself whether you are REALLY DOING that you think you are doing.
Effort that does not turn into movement, but causes shortening and stiffening, leads not only to a loss of energy, but to a situation in which the loss of energy causes damage to the body structure.
A self-image complete and uniform with respect to all parts of the body - all sensations, feelings and thoughts - is an ideal which has been difficult to achieve up to now in man's state of ignorance. (Nirvana ~ complete spontaneity without excess baggage from past experiences.)
The improvement of awareness is preferable to any attempt to overcome instinctive drives. For the more nearly complete a man's awareness becomes, the more he will be able to satisfy his passions without infringement of the supremacy of awareness. And every action will have become more human.
Individuals tend to identify their self-images with their value to society. [...] Ub this way society comes to be made of persons increasingly alike in their ways, behaviors, and aims. [...] there are few individuals who view themselves without reference to the value attributed to them by society. [...] so the individual tries to smooth out his biological peculiarities by alienating himself from his inherent needs. He strains to fit himself into the round hole that he now actively desires to fill.
Two states of existence: waking & sleeping. Third state: awareness.
Emile Coué used the moments when an individual is just falling asleep for autosuggestions and sleep itself for suggestion.
The waking state seems to be a good condition in which to learn processes that involve repetition and explanation, but not suggestion.
The choice of movement as the main means of improving the self is based on the following reasoning:
1. The nervous system is occupied mainly with movement
2. It is easier to distinguish the quality of movement
3. We have a richer experience of movement
4. The ability to move is important to self-value
5. All muscular activity is movement
6. Movements reflect the state of the nervous system
7. Movement is the basis of awareness
8. Breathing is movement
9. Hinges of habit
Our self-image consists of four components that are involved in every action: movement, sensation, feeling and thought.
Differentiate clearly between:
improvement of ability <=> sheer effort for its own sake
We overindulge in habits until self-criticism is silenced and our ability to discern is diminished, which gradually turns us into machines that act without thinking.
Identify unnecessary effort.
The ideal path of action for the skeleton as it moves from one position to another is the path through which it would move if it had no muscles at all, if the bones were linked only by ligaments.
You are not used to moving your shoulders without moving your head at the same time. (Uncoupling)
The true capacity of any nervous system can be estimated only by its individual characteristics - that is, man's own personality.
We are unable to use our bodies in any but accustomed patterns of muscular action.
When you rest after a movement carried out without much effort, it is not in order to regain strength, but to study the changes that have taken place during the action.
Our nervous system is so constructed that habits are preserved and seek to perpetuate themselves. It is easier to stop a habit by means of sudden traumatic shock than to change it gradually.
Attentive systematic scanning of a part of the body can relax superfluous muscular tension there.
If you try to reach the limits of your abilities every moment, you end up with little more than aching muscles and straining joints. When you strain for results, you make it impossible to achieve even a part of the improvement that can be obtained through the BREAKDOWN of HABITUAL PATTERNS of MOVEMENT and BEHAVIOR. (~Vippassana meditation, wisdom)
From time to time you should shake yourself out of your routine and ask yourself whether you are REALLY DOING that you think you are doing.
Effort that does not turn into movement, but causes shortening and stiffening, leads not only to a loss of energy, but to a situation in which the loss of energy causes damage to the body structure.
A self-image complete and uniform with respect to all parts of the body - all sensations, feelings and thoughts - is an ideal which has been difficult to achieve up to now in man's state of ignorance. (Nirvana ~ complete spontaneity without excess baggage from past experiences.)
The improvement of awareness is preferable to any attempt to overcome instinctive drives. For the more nearly complete a man's awareness becomes, the more he will be able to satisfy his passions without infringement of the supremacy of awareness. And every action will have become more human.
July 21, 2012
Moshe teaches you how to be aware!
Was not an easy read until after taking the Feldenkrais training.
I would not have understood most of the book if not for the training!
Was not an easy read until after taking the Feldenkrais training.
I would not have understood most of the book if not for the training!
March 13, 2011
This was the initial book that started the Feldenkreis movement - and has provided helpful techniques for my back.
February 4, 2013
Feldenkrais, being formerly plagued by an immobilzed knee, began to research the mechanisms of it as a young adult. He was able to cure his immobility and to walk again by the time. Not only did he continue to walk again, but he continued his studies about the human body.
over the years, Feldenkrais developed with theoretical as well as practical research a well-formed concept about the correct movement and use of the body. he also drew the conclusion, that our psychological self-images is strongly interwired with our bodily and locomotor habits. Thus, stating the reprocity of human self-image and physical body, he added several valuable recognitions that he gained over decades of practical use of his methods on thousands of people.
Here are some of the important topics he covers with the book :
- Reprocity of bodily and mental habits, that means change the one and you change the other.
- bodily damages that are caused by a wrong use of our muscular system. Feldenkrais realized that people move inefficiently. That means, much of the power our muscular system is generating to move the body, is headed in the wrong directions, towards our own body. The wrong use of muscles - that means the unaware use - causes wrong moving habits and tensions. But this evoked energy that is mislead, burdens our bones and organs over their limits. So he created the concept of easy and aware movements that will cure many of our diseases of our body and our locomotor system.
And then there is the psyche. It is interesting to see the connection between bodily and mental restrictions. Many people have them, they are stuck in relationships or (personal) conflicts, seemingly without any movement.
So what would be best to actually get out of any stuck state ? To MOVE. Better : To MOVE YOUR BODY. This is were the reprocity kicks in. Be sure to get movement into your life "just" by moving your body with sport on a regular basis.
The basics are easy to understand : Our brain contains our self-image. Also our brain is the headquarters of any nervous communication. The plasticity of our brain has it, that with any incoming signal, the whole brain is changed in its construction. So if you move your body outside of your movemental habit, you fire a gigantic firework of neuronal, habit-breaking electrical current up to your brain. There is much more than that, yet it is enough to know, that it would be wise to move our body, to train him the correct movement patterns that are efficient, health-protecting and not restricting in mind and body.
over the years, Feldenkrais developed with theoretical as well as practical research a well-formed concept about the correct movement and use of the body. he also drew the conclusion, that our psychological self-images is strongly interwired with our bodily and locomotor habits. Thus, stating the reprocity of human self-image and physical body, he added several valuable recognitions that he gained over decades of practical use of his methods on thousands of people.
Here are some of the important topics he covers with the book :
- Reprocity of bodily and mental habits, that means change the one and you change the other.
- bodily damages that are caused by a wrong use of our muscular system. Feldenkrais realized that people move inefficiently. That means, much of the power our muscular system is generating to move the body, is headed in the wrong directions, towards our own body. The wrong use of muscles - that means the unaware use - causes wrong moving habits and tensions. But this evoked energy that is mislead, burdens our bones and organs over their limits. So he created the concept of easy and aware movements that will cure many of our diseases of our body and our locomotor system.
And then there is the psyche. It is interesting to see the connection between bodily and mental restrictions. Many people have them, they are stuck in relationships or (personal) conflicts, seemingly without any movement.
So what would be best to actually get out of any stuck state ? To MOVE. Better : To MOVE YOUR BODY. This is were the reprocity kicks in. Be sure to get movement into your life "just" by moving your body with sport on a regular basis.
The basics are easy to understand : Our brain contains our self-image. Also our brain is the headquarters of any nervous communication. The plasticity of our brain has it, that with any incoming signal, the whole brain is changed in its construction. So if you move your body outside of your movemental habit, you fire a gigantic firework of neuronal, habit-breaking electrical current up to your brain. There is much more than that, yet it is enough to know, that it would be wise to move our body, to train him the correct movement patterns that are efficient, health-protecting and not restricting in mind and body.
July 11, 2025
Well, occasionally we all meet books we think will be fairly quick reads, but arenʻt
Moshe Feldenkraid thought long and hard about Human body mechanics. As with many deep and careful thinkers on the Human life, his perspective became transcendent. He found the gigantic in the tinest subtlety.
A beautiful book. Not an easy read, but certainly a valuable one
Moshe Feldenkraid thought long and hard about Human body mechanics. As with many deep and careful thinkers on the Human life, his perspective became transcendent. He found the gigantic in the tinest subtlety.
A beautiful book. Not an easy read, but certainly a valuable one
Read
March 14, 2008we spend so much time in our brains; we think that we know ourselves because we are engaged in mental activity; but our bodies are misguided machines that we never learn to operate; this guy was a physicist. it's all just physics.
Want to read
July 31, 2007Once upon a time I got halfway through this book... then things got convoluted and elliptical.
January 3, 2011
Kooky, but effective. You need a buddy to read the narrative so you can do the exercises. I am still looking for a buddy!
Currently reading
May 25, 2011from the 70's but so far has a lot of good to say. recommended and sent to me by a very aware friend. nice to find a "self help" book that isn't written at a 4th grade reading level.
August 6, 2011
A wonderful find. It is possible to work through the exercises by yourself and get amazing results. Hoping to find a class or instructor nearby.
April 20, 2014
Strange and fascinating. To do the exercises I suggest recording yourself reading through them and then do them to the sound of your own instruction.
November 22, 2021
Tartuin kirjaan, koska eräässä toisessa kirjassa puhuttiin Feldenkraisin metodista ja halusin tietenkin tutustua Feldenkraisin ajatuksiin suoraan. Kirjan alkuosassa Feldenkrais selittää ajatuksiaan taustaksi harjoituksille. Teksti on melko epämääräistä ja vaikeaselkoista ja täynnä vakaumusta. En oikein saanut siitä mitään irti. Jos oletetaan, että Feldenkraisin systeemille on olemassa tieteellinen aivojen plastisuuteen perustuva pohja, niin tämä kirja ei auta ymmärtämään sitä lähinnä siksi, että aivojen plastisuutta ymmärretään nykyään aivan toisella tapaa kuin kirjan kirjoittamisaikaan. Kirjan teoriaosuus vaikuttaakin enemmän katteettomalta filosofoinnilta, josta hassua kyllä puuttuu kaikki käytännön perustelut sille, miksi harjoitukset ovat sellaisia kuin ovat.
Kirjan toinen osa koostuu periaatteessa käytännön harjoituksista, joilla voi opettaa aivoillensa todellisuutta vastaavan kehokuvan, mutta todellisuudessa harjoitukset on kätketty lisäfilosofoinnin sekaan. Feldenkrais tuntuu perustelevan harjoituksia, mutta usein perustelut jäävät vaille yhteyttä mihinkään konkreettiseen. Lisäksi itse harjoitukset ovat vaikeaselkoisia ja niiden suorittaminen oikein on sen vuoksi hyvin vaikeaa, jopa mahdotonta. Kuitenkin oikean suoritustavan tärkeyttä korostetaan yhtenään. Välillä turvauduin Youtubeen kun yritin ymmärtää ohjeita. En ehtinyt kokeilla kaikkia harjoituksia, koska joudun palauttamaan kirjan kirjastoon. Voi olla, että lainaan sen uudelleen ja kokeilen loppujakin, mutta todennäköisesti niin ei tule käymään.
Kirjan toinen osa koostuu periaatteessa käytännön harjoituksista, joilla voi opettaa aivoillensa todellisuutta vastaavan kehokuvan, mutta todellisuudessa harjoitukset on kätketty lisäfilosofoinnin sekaan. Feldenkrais tuntuu perustelevan harjoituksia, mutta usein perustelut jäävät vaille yhteyttä mihinkään konkreettiseen. Lisäksi itse harjoitukset ovat vaikeaselkoisia ja niiden suorittaminen oikein on sen vuoksi hyvin vaikeaa, jopa mahdotonta. Kuitenkin oikean suoritustavan tärkeyttä korostetaan yhtenään. Välillä turvauduin Youtubeen kun yritin ymmärtää ohjeita. En ehtinyt kokeilla kaikkia harjoituksia, koska joudun palauttamaan kirjan kirjastoon. Voi olla, että lainaan sen uudelleen ja kokeilen loppujakin, mutta todennäköisesti niin ei tule käymään.
April 20, 2025
This book really took me on a journey- slow, intense, and eye-opening. Awareness Through Movement isn’t something you just read through in one go. The exercises are not your usual "follow-along" kind. They demand real presence, and at times, it felt almost impossible to be that aware without someone guiding me. I actually paused reading it after a few chapters because of how challenging it got. But despite that, or maybe because of it, I ended up really loving it.
What struck me most was how little we actually know about our own bodies. The same bodies that carry us through every single day, adapt to our habits, survive our chaos- and we barely notice them. We take them for granted. This book reminded me of that in a big way.
Ever since I stopped dancing, I haven’t really moved in a way that felt connected or intentional. Reading this felt like a gentle (and sometimes not-so-gentle) push to start again- not for how it looks, but to simply honour my body. And that, to me, made the whole experience worth it.
What struck me most was how little we actually know about our own bodies. The same bodies that carry us through every single day, adapt to our habits, survive our chaos- and we barely notice them. We take them for granted. This book reminded me of that in a big way.
Ever since I stopped dancing, I haven’t really moved in a way that felt connected or intentional. Reading this felt like a gentle (and sometimes not-so-gentle) push to start again- not for how it looks, but to simply honour my body. And that, to me, made the whole experience worth it.
May 30, 2024
My rating and the number of starts of this work has to be taken with a gigantic grain of salt. Why?
Because I wanted images. Pictures. Photos of the most common movements. Something that takes me by the hand without sitting down reading too much text.
So...
In actuality this should be a DNF. Yet. I see the value of Feldenkrais in my signature moves ;-)
Yes, there are few illustrations. Mannequin-kinda B&W photography,
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Because I wanted images. Pictures. Photos of the most common movements. Something that takes me by the hand without sitting down reading too much text.
So...
In actuality this should be a DNF. Yet. I see the value of Feldenkrais in my signature moves ;-)
Yes, there are few illustrations. Mannequin-kinda B&W photography,
[image error]
November 8, 2019
This is a great book. I had a hard time following through with the lessons because of space issues in my house and I did not have any other good place to do them. Also, I think they would be easier to understand if I had an instructor. Maybe I will see if I can find one. I have not done Feldenkrais work since my undergraduate degree and I feel like I might benefit from revisiting some of this stuff.
February 24, 2024
Feldenkrais tekniğini duymuştum ama fikrim yoktu, kurucusundan tekniği genel hatlarıyla anlatan bir kitap. Yalnız kitaptan egzersizleri yapmak pek kolay değil, bir uygulayıcıyla yada en azından videolarla daha kolay yapılabilir diye düşünüyorum. Hareketi his, duyum, düşünce ile çocukluktan itibaren nasıl kendi imajımızı (öz imge) genellikle çarpık olarak oluşturduğumuzu anlatıyor. Beden ve nefes ile ulaşacağımız son noktanın farkındalık olduğunu söylüyor kısaca.
December 2, 2017
Feldenkrais was a black belt in judo and a pioneer in spreading judo outside of Japan. This book isn't about that, but he used these experiences to develop revolutionary ideas about how making small, attentive changes in movement can lead to major improvements in how we inhabit and live through our bodies.
March 11, 2019
Great for the exercises, but very difficult to read for being just over 100 pages. Few pictures. The exercises are definitely interesting, but the promised differences aren't coming easily for me, possibly because I'm into movement arts. I think it's an interesting base to go find a teacher, however.
October 12, 2019
The theory in this book is interesting, although a bit old-fashioned in its language. When it got into the portions that were exercises, I had to stop reading. The descriptions simply weren’t clear enough for me to make sense of what it was saying to do. If you’re interested in the Feldenkrais method, you’d be better off finding someone who can explain it to you in person.
February 2, 2025
Totally different point of view. From the method I’ve learnt to create new patterns, not follow the obvious.
Although I did not like too many descriptions, almost zero imaging and repeating himself. Without video instructions (that I searched separately) the book itself would be to hard to implement.
Recommened by the teacher on medical personal trainer course.
Although I did not like too many descriptions, almost zero imaging and repeating himself. Without video instructions (that I searched separately) the book itself would be to hard to implement.
Recommened by the teacher on medical personal trainer course.
June 1, 2025
Это книга для тех, кто хочет научиться по настоящему владеть своим телом. Первые главы сложно написаны, требуют вдумчивого чтения и есть много важный моментов. Поэтому книга по началу может казаться сложной, сухой. Но с главы 2 все меняется.
Данный метод- один из самых лучших и эффективных в своем роде.
Данный метод- один из самых лучших и эффективных в своем роде.
February 16, 2020
Highly recommend for understanding his method of how movement can impact all areas of ones life, including healing or expanding potential.
I see things in a whole new way after reading this and am already reading another book of his.
I see things in a whole new way after reading this and am already reading another book of his.
July 8, 2018
Great book, unique concepts, but only fully understood in practice. After taking a lesson in 'feldenkrais method' a lot of things became less esotheric and more practical.
April 3, 2018
The Feldenkrais method is a deep and transformative way to healing and self-awareness. This book, written by the creator of the method, is a classic.
Want to read
August 16, 2019Primary resource
November 30, 2019
Razočaravajuće. Ne mogu da kažem da u knjizi nema korisnih informacija, ali u suštini je sranje
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews