I. Orientation: Opening New Paths of Understanding
What matters most is not what we think we know, but what remains to be explored. [S.M.]
This section of the project invites research to reconsider how we think about the Feldenkrais Method. By returning to original and archival sources, we shift our orientation—not to reject existing narratives, but to loosen what has become too fixed.
This allows for:
- Fresh questions to emerge
- A broader view of theoretical and historical influences
- A more dynamic understanding of the Method’s evolution
Goal: Reignite curiosity, unsettle assumptions, and foster movement in how we think
II. Perspective: Restoring Depth and complexity
It is principally and fundamentally a whole re-education that is at stake. [S.M.]
This aspect of the project emphasizes the need to preserve the full complexity and spirit of the Method. By consulting original documents, we resist oversimplification and:
- Avoid turning the Method into a mere set of techniques
- Reconnect with its foundational educational philosophy
- Embrace uncertainty and the continuous revision of knowledge
Goal: prevent reductionism, and support a thoughtful, accurate transmission of the Method.
III. Integrate and Share Definitions
Project : to organize a collaborative catalogue of elaborate definitions and descriptions of the Feldenkrais Method
FM cannot be reduced to existing categories or disciplines; its uniqueness lies in its evolving, integrative nature
It could be described, for example, as a “practical allagmatics” or an “operating perspectivism”—that refines human judgment and discernment through embodied experience, without seeking to fix the identity or functioning of an individual. [S.M.]
The Feldenkrais Method defies easy classification. It draws from diverse disciplines, yet belongs fully to none.
More than therapy, somatics, or pedagogy, it operates as a dynamic system of discernment—refining how we judge, feel, and respond to ourselves and the world. This project argues that we have not yet fully defined or understood the Method’s true nature or potential. Rather than applying ready-made labels, we aim to clarify what makes it unique: its capacity to recalibrate perception, support plural perspectives, and foster intelligent responsiveness to the unknown. This is not about reapplying what is already known—but about discovering how the Method truly works, from within its particula logic, plurality of device and flexibility in stategy.
Initial Question
What if the Feldenkrais Method cannot be adequately described using the terms we already have—what if its true nature lies beyond current disciplinary boundaries?
Key Question
How can we identify and articulate the unique logic, function, and evolving identity of the Feldenkrais Method without reducing it to existing models, and in a way that honors both individual uniqueness and shared intelligibility?
See “Engaging with original sources – note of intention“, 2023-2024