| Miracles of the work continue today…unknown to most people. Stories abound in our practitioner community about amazing outcomes from the work of Dr. Feldenkrais and colleagues he specifically trained. I call these extraordinary outcomes “miracles”. Clients significantly improving in function, often surpassing medical expectations. Dr. Feldenkrais has since passed on the teachings of his work. The random “miracles” continue daily, weekly, and monthly…and are produced around the world by practitioners. I’ve witnessed many of these amazing changes in people…all a result of experiencing this work. I mentioned to Anat Baniel frequently during my training that the outcomes I'm seeing exceeded both medical expectations and traditional physical therapy outcome expectations. The possible huge payoff of sensing and feeling simple, easy movement. The rewards of going the extra mile. Ida and Don Thompson went the extra mile. Parents like many of you seeking out different ways and methods to help their son Russ. Ida came across Feldenkrais® Practitioner Kurt Miller. She took Russ for many lessons with Kurt and later with Anat Baniel. The outcome from the many lessons was Russ learned to take his first steps and walk…without any devices…in his teen years as a result of this work. Russ Thompson and I became friends during my training in this method. He spent his previous years in a wheelchair, limited by the effects of cerebral palsy. I know as a physical therapist that most children bound in wheelchairs before age 10 never walk and ususally are abandoned by physical therapy intervention. I met Elizabeth during my training, and her Mom Abby trained with me. Elizabeth was diagnosed with global brain damage at 6 months. Prognosis given to her parents was poor regarding the potential to walk and have a functioning IQ. Elizabeth received years of lessons from Moshe Feldenkrais and Anat Baniel. Elizabeth is marrried, walking and now a college graduate with a masters degree. Go to youtube with this link, search down the list for the Elizabeth or "Healing Quest..." and view her story. The video DVD is her inspiring story of working with Moshe Feldenkrais and Anat Baniel. The video is a success story to the effectiveness of Anat Baniel's work with children. Suellen Bartel suffers from psoriatic rheumatoid arthritis since being a teenager. The results of her unlucky disease fused most of her spine, an opinion shared by medical professionals viewing her x-rays. She is relentless for searching for ways to help herself. After discovering this work, she regained the ability to raise her arms above her head, turn her head easier to drive, roll out of bed, and move her ankles. She spends hardly any time using her motorized scooter. Suellen is a graduate of the Anat Baniel Method(SM) Professional Training Program and has a practice in Bay City. "Imagine yourself practicing the piano every day for a long time, barely being able to perform "Chopsticks", then suddenly finding yourself capable of playing Rachmaninow. Owing to this nonlinearity, people cannot comprehend the nature of a rare event. This summarizes why there are routes to success that are nonrandom, but very few people have the mental stamina to follow them. Those who go the extra mile are rewarded." Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Fooled by Randomness. Random House Trade Paperbacks. New York. I know outcomes, results, and improvement vary. Not everyone participating in this method will report outcomes like this. But events like these happen randomly. If you are a proof seeker, then experiences like these are hard to research scientifically, yet the results are very real. Enrolling in this method and having stamina to go the extra mile make these miracles possible. The Anat Baniel Method(sm) and the Anat Baniel Method for Children(sm) are service marks of Anat Baniel. Feldenkrais®, and Feldenkrais® Practitioner are registered service marks of the FELDENKRAIS GUILD® of North America. This method is considered a learning approach, not medical treatment. If you are seeking medical advice, consult with your physician. |