Moshe Feldenkrais, D. Sc. (1904-1984), was an internationally regarded scientist, physicist, and engineer. He earned his D. Sc. in physics from the Sorbonne. Early in his career he worked closely with Nobel Prize Laureate Frederic Joliot-Curie at the Curie Institute in Paris where they conducted research together. He was also a Judo black belt and highly respected instructor who published several books on the subject. Judo founder Kigaro Kano chose Feldenkrais to open the Judo club of Paris- the first such school in the West.

While living in England in the 1940s, Feldenkrais found himself unable to walk after suffering a severe knee injury. He began an intense exploration into the relationship between bodily movement, thinking, feeling, and learning. As a result, he made a full recovery-regaining his ability to walk again without pain and even returning to Judo in later life. His synthesized his revolutionary discoveries in the development of the method that bears his name. He was fond of saying of his work- “I’m not after flexible bodies, I’m after flexible brains.”

Today, thousands of Feldenkrais® practitioners continue his work in such diverse fields as rehabilitation, education, psychology, and the performing arts. Dr. Feldenkrais' insights about the relationship between movement, awareness, and our human potential continue to be confirmed by the latest research in the fields of medicine, education, and neurology.

photo courtesy of the Feldenkrais ® Guild