Feldenkrais/Tellington Groundwork Workshop (Cattai)

This workshop is the first of what we hope will be many combining practical Feldenkrais exercises for people and the Tellington Method, for this workshop Groundwork)

Your Instructors:

Mary Werick is a Feldenkrais Practitioner and long-term advocate of the Tellington Method.  She has a passion for helping horse people to become more balanced and effective in their own bodies to allow the horse more freedom of movement.   Mary has held a strong interest in the Tellington Method for many, many years.  Her facebook page is A Better Way to Move, www.facebook.com/maryfwerick 

Rebecca Booth is the Tellington Instructor for Australia.  She met Mary approximately 15 years ago at a Tellington Clinic she was hosting.  Rebecca has a passion for sharing easy-to-apply techniques that everyone can apply to improve their horse's well-being, balance, and proprioception to create a deeper partnership between horse and human.  Linda Barr, Tellington Practitioner Level 2 will be assisting.  You can find out more about Rebecca at www.elementals.com.au or on facebook at www.facebook.com/ElementalsEquineTherapies

What is Feldenkrais?

Feldenkrais is a body awareness method for people created by Moshe Feldenkrais.  This description comes from the Feldenkrais Australia website www.feldenkrais.org.au 

The Feldenkrais Method® Awareness Through Movement.

The Feldenkrais Method® (Feldenkrais) is a universal method for improving human life through better movement, sensation, posture and breathing.

From early childhood to advanced age, thousands of Australians are using Feldenkrais every day to address their problems and to reach their fullest potential. Neuroplasticity is central to the effectiveness of the Feldenkrais Method. 

Trained practitioners use touch, movement, guided imagery and mindful body awareness to stimulate the brain to make useful and lasting improvements to movement and posture. With professional guidance from a Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner, these improvements can be directed towards assisting problems like pain, injuries and neurological issues, as well as assisting peak performance in sports and the performing arts.

Besides these specific benefits, people often find that improving their movement and posture improves their overall health and well-being, leading to better attention, thinking ability, emotional resilience, coordination, balance, and easier breathing. Feldenkrais Practitioners deliver two types of movement lessons. In Awareness Through Movement® (ATM), a practitioner will guide you through a planned sequence of movement explorations. You will be encouraged to pay close attention to the sensations of each movement. You will also be encouraged to practice the movements very gently and slowly, ensuring that you feel safe and comfortable throughout. In Functional Integration® (FI), you will lie or sit, comfortably clothed, on a low padded table. Your practitioner will physically guide your body through safe, effortless movement, and will use precise touch to bring unfamiliar parts of your body into awareness.

Mary will be focusing on exercises complementary to the particular needs of horse people.  The exercises may be done standing, seated or lying down.

What is the Tellington Method?

The Tellington Method® started with horses in 1975.  It was developed by Linda Tellington Jones who was studying with Moshe Feldenkrais, founder of the Feldenkrais Method.  Linda combined this knowledge with her existing skills in classical riding to develop the Tellington Method.  

This way of being with your horse is based on cooperation and respect, and offers a positive approach to training. It can improve performance, and health and presents solutions to common behavioural and physical problems.  It also helps establish a deeper rapport between humans and animals through increased understanding and more effective communication. 

The Tellington Method is a gentle, non-invasive, easy-to-learn, and effective way of working with animals and people.  The Tellington Method is an assertive and gentle method of developing a strong partnership with your horse to improve performance and communication. It is founded on in mutual respect and comprises Bodywork, Groundwork, Ridden work, and Communication.

It improves a horse’s balance, and spatial and body awareness, it can reverse postural habits, and increase trust and confidence.  It works through the nervous system and fascia by bringing awareness to different parts of the body, helping change posture and function in a holistic way, combining mind and body.  It helps horses learn in a non-threatening way through non-familiar touches and exercises. The non-familiarity of the work is key to its success. The nervous system takes note of the non-habitual movement to change postural habits that might be causing pain, lack of function etc.

Rebecca will be focusing on the groundwork component in this workshop.

Schedule

We plan to start with a quick chat about Feldenkrais and the Tellington Method.  Mary will lead the group through a Feldenkrais session.  after a short break, Rebecca will facilitate a groundwork session.  After lunch, we will have another groundwork session and finish the day with a final Feldenkrais session.

Who is this suitable for?

The day can be adapted to suit people with all levels of experience.  You can have no experience in one part of the day and more in the other. no experience in either, or have some experience in both.

Our Host and Venue

Tana Subotic-Holmes needs very little introduction. She has been a long-term advocate for the horse and is a compassionate and sensitive riding instructor.  She often hosts clinics such as The Tellington Method, Connected Riding, etc.  She also facilitates Experiential Learning School Holiday programs for children.    Mary, Tana, and Rebecca all met at the same Tellington clinic 15 years ago.  The venue is comfortable and well set up for these types of small workshops

Practicalities

You can bring your own horse or we can offer limited opportunities to borrow one for the day.  Ideally, bring your own yoga mat for the Feldenkrais sessions.  

 Tea, coffee, and biscuits will be supplied.  You will need to bring your own lunch, snacks, and water

We will be limiting numbers to a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 8 people

Cost

The price for the day is $280 plus yard hire for your horse.