Posture Reimagined: How the Feldenkrais Method® Helps You Find Ease in Movement
When you hear the word posture, do you immediately think of “sitting up straight” or “standing tall”? Many of us have been told since childhood to “fix our posture,” often by pulling our shoulders back or holding ourselves rigid. But posture isn’t something you can correct by force. It’s not a frozen position, it is a living, adaptable, fluid process.
The Feldenkrais Method® offers a different perspective on posture: one based on awareness, ease, and choice.
Posture as a Dynamic Process
Instead of seeing posture as a static “right” or “wrong” shape, Feldenkrais invites us to recognise it as the way we organise ourselves in movement and at rest. Your posture shifts constantly, when you reach for a glass, bend to tie your shoes, or turn to greet someone, our structure constantly moves as a whole, not individual parts to reorganise itself. The use of oneself as a whole is crucial to finding ease in any posture position.
Good posture doesn’t mean holding yourself stiffly, it means being balanced, responsive, and ready to move in any direction with minimal effort.
Why Posture Matters
Ease & Comfort: Unconscious holding patterns often create tension in the neck, shoulders, and back. Feldenkrais lessons help you sense these patterns and let go of any unnecessary effort.
Breathing & Energy: A collapsed chest or hunched position restricts your breath. With more balanced posture, breathing becomes fuller and freer, fuelling you with more vitality.
Confidence & Presence: Posture influences not only how others perceive you, but also how you feel about yourself. Many students notice they feel calmer, lighter, and more open after a lesson.
How the Feldenkrais Method® Improves Posture
The Feldenkrais Method® works through two main approaches:
Awareness Through Movement® (ATM) Lessons
In gentle, guided group classes, you explore novel movement sequences a bit like a physical puzzle. By slowing down and paying attention, you discover easier, more efficient ways to move and posture naturally reorganises itself without force.Functional Integration® (FI) Lessons
In individual sessions, the practitioner uses gentle touch and movement to guide your body into new patterns. It is not about “correcting” you”, it is about expanding your awareness and giving your nervous system new options you may never have thought possible .
A Simple Exploration You Can Try
Sit comfortably in a chair. Notice how you’re sitting right now—where do you feel pressure? How is your breathing?
Slowly and gently roll your pelvis a little forward and back, as if rocking on your sitting bones. Do this a few times, then pause.
Now sit again as you normally would. Does your posture feel different? Many people notice they sit taller, breathe easier, and feel lighter without effort.
This small experiment shows how posture improves not by “holding it together”, but by discovering new possibilities.
If you are curious to experience a deeper dive into the effects of the Feldenkrais Method® try my FREE ATM lesson. DOWNLOAD NOW
Closing Thought
The Feldenkrais Method® teaches us that posture is not about perfection; it is about freedom of movement and awareness. By exploring gentle movement with curiosity, you can let go of strain, improve comfort, and find a posture that supports both body and mind.
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