spring 2012 columbia college women

EVENTSWhat is “Brain Gym ® ”?EVENTSBrain Gym movements, exercises, or activities refer to the original 26 Brain Gym movements, sometimesabbreviated as the 26. These activities recall the movements naturally done during the first years of lifewhen learning to coordinate the eyes, ears, hands, and whole body. The twenty-six activities, alongwith a program for “learning through movement” were developed by educator and reading specialistPaul E. Dennison and his wife and colleague, Gail E. Dennison who say that the interdependenceof movement, cognition, and applied learning is the basis of their work. For over 20 years, clients,teachers, and students all over the world have been reporting on the effectiveness of these simpleactivities.These movements work so well, they often bring about dramatic improvements in areas such as:• Concentration and Focus• Memory• Stress Management• Academics: reading, writing, math, test taking• Physical coordination• Relationships• Self-responsibility• Organization skills• AttitudeAll information courtesy Mari Miyoshi’s website. For information on courses in New York go to:http://braingymlearningcenternyc.weebly.com. To find additional information on Brain Gym as well as classesand practitioners in another area, please visit: www.braingym.orgPHOTOS: D. FongOrdinarily, we learn just enough to function. Forexample, we learn to use our hands well enough toeat and our legs well enough to walk. Our abilitiesto function with a greater range of ease and skill,however, remain to be developed. The FeldenkraisMethod ® teaches -- through movement -- how we canimprove our capabilities to function in our daily lives.The Feldenkrais Method ® is named after its originator,Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, D.Sc. (c.1904-1984), aRussian born physicist, judo expert, mechanicalengineer and educator.The Feldenkrais Method ® is a form of somaticeducation that uses gentle movement and directedattention to improve movement and enhancehuman functioning. Through this Method, we canincrease our ease and range of motion, improveour flexibility and coordination, and rediscover ourinnate capacity for graceful, efficient movement.These improvements will often generalize toenhance functioning in other aspects of our lives.The Feldenkrais Method ® is expressed in twoparallel forms: Awareness Through Movement ®and Functional Integration ® . Both forms are basedon principles of physics, biomechanics and anempirical understanding of learning and humandevelopment. By expanding the self-image throughmovement sequences that bring attention to thePHOTO: S. SongWhat is the Feldenkrais Method ® ?PHOTOS: D. Fongparts of the self that are out of awareness, the Methodenables individuals to include more of themselvesin their functioning movements. Students becomemore aware of their habitual neuromuscularpatterns and rigidities and expand options fornew ways of moving. By increasing sensitivity theFeldenkrais Method ® helps us to live our lives morefully, efficiently and comfortably.In New York, you can find Feldenkrais classesin popular health clubs, acting schools, privatestudios, physical therapy offices and sometimeseven in Central Park!All information compiled by Tina Fong from theFeldenkrais NY website. For information on courses inNew York go to: http:// www.FeldenkraisNY.org.8 9