“How much of creatures of habit are we?
To what extent are our habits a sacrosanct part of our identities?
Do we ever think to question the origin of our habits?
How well do our habits serve us?,“
Ruthy Alon asks.
We all know that the habits we cultivate throughout life enable us to survive and even thrive. They also can create limitations in how we live.
Ruthy Alon adopted the phrase Movement Intelligence to illuminate the essence of her life’s work. This work is now presented through five programs whose roots are firmed planted in and expand on the Feldenkrais Method. The intention of Movement Intelligence is practical guidance of how to free yourself from compromised levels of moving, by restoring organic, autonomous, inner self-correction.
“Movement Intelligence is your personal compass for navigating optimal movement.” (Ruthy Alon)
Each of us has an innate capacity for clearly transforming intention into action, and finding optimal coordination of movement and human functioning. Each of us has a dynamic range for vertical orientation and force transmission from the ground upward – controlled by our movement intelligence. However, through life experiences and the effort of conforming to social and cultural codes we forget, deny or ignore our connection with this innate capacity. (Credit: Foundation for Movement Intelligence)
Movement Intelligence helps us to reconnect with our ability to organize “’organically’ — elegantly and in entirety, with spontaneously coordinated harmony, for optimal efficiency, maximal efficacy, and pleasurable, sustainable living.” (Credit: Foundation for Movement Intelligence)
Ruthy Alon Interview, 2011, Munich, Germany
Ruthy talks about writing her book Mindful Spontaneity as a way to better understand Feldenkrais and explains the evolution of her work from strictly Feldenkrais work to Movement Intelligence. She shows how and why a wrap is used in many Movement Intelligence programs, describes her foundational Bones For Life program, and offers a mini-experience related to sitting posture and walking. (14:09 minute video)
Ruthy Alon teaches a part of one process in the Walk For Life program. (4:54 minute video)
NOTE: Movement Intelligence Programs are the intellectual property of Ruthy Alon, Ph.D. Bones for Life® is a registered service mark of Ruthy Alon, Ph.D.
I (Katherine) heard about Ruthy Alon, one of Dr. Feldenkrais’ first students and practitioners, during my Feldenkrais traning program. After graduating from this training, in 2014 I began studying with Ruthy Alon. Initially interested in the Walk For Life and Chairs programs, when I learned that Ruthy Alon would be in Berkeley, California, teaching the first segment of the training for Solutions For Optimal Mobility program, I immediately made plans to travel to Berkeley. Somewhat simultaneously I undertook the Walk For Life program training with Anna Haltrecht, a Movement Intelligence Senior Trainer. Currently I am certified to work with both of these programs, and have taught stand-alone Movement Intelligence classes as well as embedded processes (like mini-Awareness Through Movement lessons) in my Feldenkrais work.
Interview with Ruthy Alon on Self Health and Vitality (6:55 minute video in which Elinor Silverstein interviews her about how one can take care of oneself, especially in the elder years and for women. She gives great emphasis to continuing to move throughout life and allowing oneself to move in a variety of ways as the key to wellbeing.)
Interview with Ruthy Alon about the Feldenkrais Method and Bones For Life, in Munich, 2011
Ruthy Alon – Interview on Israeli TV, 2013 (8:45 minute video in Hebrew, not subtitled in English, in which she demonstrates uses of the wrap in her programs, talks about the influence of African women walking with loads on their heads on her thinking, and invites the interviewer into a mini-Chairs program experience)
Movement Nature Meant, Part 1 (6:53 minute video showing Ruthy Alon demonstrating the restorative power of natural movement through harmonious coordination that feels safe and graceful and describing the autonomous learning process of the Feldenkrais Method. Following by a mini-exploration in going from lying to sitting using the wisdom of the spiral to cope with gravity)
Movement Nature Meant, Part 2 (2nd of 4 videos, 8:05 minute video by Ruthy Alon about learning about the wisdom of the stomach/back balance through folding in, whilst lying on back, and safe variations for arching backwards or extension, not through contraction, but release into full length)
Movement Nature Meant, Part 3 (3rd of 4 videos, 6:49 minute video by Ruthy Alon about exploring how your back operates and what it is able to do, and about reorganizing the back through primal locomotion – crawling and primal swimming motions – in order to take care of your back and help free yourself of back pain)
Movement Nature Meant, Part 4 (last of 4 videos, 4:27 minute video about the movement of creeping as a way to address a bothersome neck and heal neck-torso distribution of labor, followed by a segment about rejuvenation through exploring non-habitual alternatives)
Movement Intelligence (main front page of Ruthy Alon’s website and all Movement Intelligences programs)
Foundation for Movement Intelligence (home page of the North American non-profit sponsor of Ruthy Alon’s Movement Intelligence programs)
Mindful Spontaneity. Returning to Natural Movement, first edition 1996 (book by Ruthy Alon)