A friend of mine has just bought a fixer-upper, in a great location. Some people thinks she’s gone a bit crazy. But this move is largely in response to a tragic event in her life last year. Of course the first thing she did was to get the building inspector to check the foundations. Life-changing events can make us question our values, shed our skin and start something new.
Excessiveness, expansion can occur in times of ease or abundance. I remember a time in my life which was abundant. Its lovely to have enough, don’t get me wrong, but I became a lavish shopaholic. I feel like those times were not meant to last…
After my divorce settlement I went from being comfortable to struggling financially. I remember selling my Omega ladies 9ct gold watch at the pawn shop (now do you believe me about being a shopaholic). I cut down on memberships and had to juggle bills and work out how to feed my daughter on $10 a day.
So when constraints are put in place we have to adapt, sometimes creatively. These constraints, either chosen or placed on us can be limited space, time or money. This is not a new idea but it has been called `stretching’, being resourceful, using what you have, rather than `chasing’ for more, or being excessive. Chasing vs stretching has been coined by Scott Sonenshein. Stretching is seen as a better way to live than chasing, better for the environment, cheaper and more satisfying.
Drew and I are moving into a much smaller space. The studio space at the back of our house is being converted into a 1 bedroom apartment. I have been culling household items whilst learning about Marketplace. We have found a miniature versions of kitchen goods. Yes there is such a thing as a 45cm wide dishwasher. I am learning how to stretch rather than chase. I do think humans thrive when we have to adapt. I will let you know how we go sharing a 60m2 space.
In Australia consumer spending and excess has slowed after 10 successive interest rate rises (SMH 28/4/23). I’m sorry for those doing it hard. If you are missing your Feldenkrais 1:1 sessions because you have had to tighten your belt, I have a new series coming up- 10 weeks of classes which are very affordable.
We will be exploring our earliest movements, your own foundations. It’s a bit like checking under your own house to see if some gentle restumping is in order. This is `stretching’ not `chasing’ I assure you! I have taught this series before. It is a grounding re-examination, an immersive journey. You will lie like a baby, roll into sitting and even do some crawling. If you look at babies they have long backs with no tension, they are flexible and curious. That will be you!
Re-explore your earliest movements: Feldenkrais Method®
We are born as curious explorers filled with a sense of potential. We literally feel our way through the essential steps of development. The Feldenkrais Method approach helps to rejuvenate those early learning skills, using unique movement sequences to improve awareness, unravel harmful habits and regulate your nervous system.
This 10 week `Awareness through movement®’ series explores the earliest movements of life and the unfolding of developmental processes which lead from one function to the next such as:
· Baby pose to rolling
· Rolling to sitting
· Sitting to crawling
You will be guided through these lessons which encourage somatic awareness, curiosity and fun!
This series runs for 10 weeks
May 2- July 4
Tuesdays 6:00-7:00pm
The 10 week block costs $170.
The Fourth Floor Level 4/65 Murray St
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