Vital Core – Tree Wisdom and Feldenkrais Lessons for your Back

NEW! September Feldenkrais & Nature Series 

Trees are one of the essential keystone species on the planet along with kelp for survival and vitality. Trees are much like our spines and have so much wisdom to teach humans on how to stand and maintain our minds and bodies as upright animals.

I began my nature series teaching lessons for movement and mind/body vitality from my love of trees many years ago.  I’ve taught retreats, workshops, a previous online series working with trees as a theme for Feldenkrais lessons.  I’m excited to continue working with trees as a mentor in this series to listen with our bodies to what trees are telling us at this critical time in our environment, how to stand tall, how to be vital and connect with all living beings.

These Vital Tree lessons will be grounding and uplifting.  They will help lengthen your spine, support upright posture and ease in standing, sitting and walking with ease.  

Benefits:

• Improve upright posture (great if you tend to round or slouch…)
• Mental and Emotional uprightness (helpful for depression, grief and compulsive habits)
• Light walking and ease in standing
  
• Grounded ease in legs and feet (calming if you tend to be nervous or fearful)

The series begins Sept. 5th – 26th with recordings available for missed classes.

Register for this Feldenkrais Online Class either through Patreon – Rockstar LIVE or through other ways below:

If you prefer to register outside of the Patreon membership platform or Paypal, please send payment of $60-$40 for 4 classes (sliding scale) or $15 individual class to annie@sensingvitality.com either via Paypal (below) or directly to me through Venmo, ApplePay, Zelle or mail a check to address: 6869 Woodlawn Ave. NE, Suite 114, Seattle, Wa 98115

Here’s the Paypal form:

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*If you would like to purchase the previous series separately from Patreon membership, each series is $25 or discount of 5 series for $100, please email me with a request and I’ll send you an invoice.

The grouse are revered by many indigenous people  for their ability to call their mate through a centered dance display. Many cultures and spiritual practices use turning to align oneself with the Divine, their body and the earth.

These lessons will help you align yourself in a “sacred cross” for physical balance and clarity with your movements in life.  

• Relax Hands, Face and Feet
• Deep Relaxation 
• Move whole body freely and fluidly
• Improve coordination and balance
• Connect with self-healing

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Learn from the special gifts of the big whales to engage your voice, vibration and the deep core within you. These giant mammals are so much like humans in many ways and great communicators.

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This series helps you with short awareness practices as soon as you wake up in the morning.  These lessons gleaned from many wise teachers and healers are designed to align your for the best day ever!  Start your day on the “right” side…..

The rooster (and sometimes hens) are nature’s alarm clock and respond to light as well as a protector of the flock.

Begin your day with this Rooster Wisdom series to:

• Prepare your mind and body for the day
• Refresh vitality throughout the day
• Connect with your life force and nature’s “prana”
• Improve flow of your life force and your natural biorhythm for waking
• Spark passion in your life

The rooster is the only bird in the Chinese Zodiac and holds a prestigious place. What a great teacher of boundaries for dark and light as well alerting us to any potential threats. The crimson crown of the rooster can be compared to the “stately hat worn by high-ranking government official in ancient China as a symbol of highest honor that one could bring to the family.”  These awareness through movement lessons help connect and move vitality throughout the body and calm the mind for a clear, vibrant day.

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This series helps you align to the natural rhythm in your body for deep rest and sleep.  Recent studies show that most people living in western cultures are sleep deprived and suffer illnesses and accidents related to lack of sleep. Increasing our awareness can use this precious time of rest and sleep for healing, integration and creativity.

Deep Rest lessons help:

• Calm your nervous system for healing, vitality and creative problem-solving
• Sleep more deeply – in all four stages of sleep
• Feel more rested after sleep
• Mental and Emotional Clarity

Deep rest and sleep are essential for learning, health and memory integration.  You will learn lessons to help you rest, go to sleep and get back to sleep that will help every part of your body and mind function better.

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Herons possess remarkable balance to stand still in the water for long periods with a quick and often accurate stab at a fish below.  In this series we’ll cultivate some of the lessons from the heron with their keen vision, footing and neck movements.

This new Feldenkrais and Nature Awareness series will help:

• Loosen and align head, shoulders, neck and chest for balance
• Sure footing: solid connection with your feet
• Fun balance practices to sharpen awareness and agility in environment
• Improve range of motion in head and neck for turning, bending and birding!
• Cultivate Patience to wait for the “right time” and “right action” 

We’ll also learn more about herons — their behavior, gifts, and how to identify them from other birds and how to identify them.

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Chipmunks are the smaller, spitfire members of the squirrel family (Sciuridae) that live closer to the ground and have remarkable energy, speed, flexibility and capacity to store food. Did you know chipmunks have a superpower? They can carry the equivalent of bodyweight in their cheeks! What a teacher for us all, especially in the fall season–and any time of year.

This series helps:

• Free up tension in shoulders, neck and chest
• Loosen Lips, Tongue and Jaw
• Improve flexibility in mind & entire body
• Sharpen awareness & senses to guide you to nourishment
• Gather and store vital energy 

We’ll also learn more about chipmunks– their behavior, gifts, and how to identify them from other similar squirrels and mammals. If you have difficulty planning, pacing yourself or sense scarcity in your life, this series will be helpful to connect with your body wisdom to sense better what nourishes you and how to store and conserve your energy.
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Dragonflies have been a source of inspiration for me for many years. The enormous size of their eyes are comparable to wearing two football helmets on either side of our head! Imagine seeing with such expanded vision and quick agility... Explore how to use imagination to see and move beyond our ordinary senses.

You will also learn more about the dragonfly– their amazing transformative life cycle, identification and their prowess as a predator.  Some cultures say the dragonfly represents the ability to see reality clearly past all illusions. Expanding one’s vision can help greatly in navigating choices in life – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

– Sharpen vision (peripheral, near and far)
– Shoulder, neck and head freedom
– Expand your perception of yourself and present situation
– Deep, nourishing rest
– Clarity of mind, thought and action
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Kelp is one of the largest subcategories of seaweed that makes up our “rain forests of the sea.” This series is helpful for fluid spine and pelvis to move with ease in all activities. 

In the Pacific Northwest, we have a number of varieties of kelp including the bull kelp and giant kelp. This amazing algae (not a true plant) is responsible for helping our atmosphere with storing carbon and producing oxygen.  They also have a special way they attach to rocks called a “holdfast” which anchors them to the floor of the sea or ocean and extend upward resembling a leafy tree, shrub or vine. These lessons access the fluidity and freedom of your spine to the ground.

– Gentle and playful lessons to warmup your back and hips
– Connect through your spine to your feet
– Comfort and ease with sitting, standing and walking
– Sense more power to “stand your ground” as well as go with the flow
– Move emotions all the way out the feet

You will also learn more about kelp and seaweed – comparing a few different species, their role in balancing our environment and the nutrition they provide us. If you have been stuck in a pattern of pain, movement limitation or stuck thinking, this series playfully guides you to your “holdfast” for grounding as well as freedom of movement and expression.
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Seals are remarkably powerful and agile. Playful and curious like the otter, seals are “fin-footed” and are believed to have evolved from otter-like animals.  This series connects with your core for fluid movements and power through your spine and pelvis.

Seals are considered an apex animal in the food chain, one of the top predators and highly successful. They live both on land and in water. As we get to know the movements and gifts of the seal, this series will access more power and freedom of play from spine to the tips of your toes:

– Connect through your spine to your feet
– Comfort and ease with sitting, standing and walking
– Sense more power to “stand your ground” as well as go with the flow
– Connect with play for a strong core
– Move emotions all the way out the feet

This series includes a special bonus lesson with an Sea Lion class, also working with the core and chest. So far, one of the best series to connect with the deep core of the spine, helpful for hips, too.
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Bumblebees are so awesome! Not only are they mostly friendly and not threatening, but they seem to defy gravity and pollinate our world to become more beautiful. How do they fly with such little wings and giant body?  You will learn about that as well as lighten your own shoulders in the process! And OK, we may not fly at the end of the series, but we will feel lighter!

Bumblebees are social, communicative and essential pollinators for our survival throughout the planet. This series helps free up the chest and shoulders for more freedom of expression, play and connection with the world:

– Open flexibility in shoulders & arms for ease in expression
– Release fear and relax old tension in body
– Awaken your senses – color, smell, taste
– Use vibration to connect and relax your shoulders, chest and spine
– Wake up your senses to find the nectar you need

You will learn more about bumblebees – comparing a few different species like the honeybee, their unique qualities and gifts as well. If you are experiencing a shoulder limitations or pain, creative blocks, fear, grief or depression, this series connects us to self-pollination–an inspiration and sweet aspect in nature.
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The Otters are here! The otter is considered one of the most playful animals on the planet and also a top predator. When you see them move, you may understand why they are so successful and playful.

Otters are highly successful hunters which leaves them with lots of time to play and socialize.  The gentle lessons in this series will loosen your whole body for a more flexible spine and have more play in your day.

 This series helps free up the spine for more adaptable and playful movements:

– Assess the fluid movement in your entire body
– Explore how to move more playfully with your spine
– Relax old tension in entire body
– Open to creative force and flow

You will learn more about these active animals, their unique qualities and gifts as well. If you are experiencing a back tension or pain, creative block, low energy or feeling a bit blue, this series connects you to a very positive and joyful aspect in nature.
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Tap into the creative power in your pelvis. The earth has a constant pull that can align us and help us feel connected, alive and creative. You will work with a stone and other movement lessons to free up the pelvis and hips for ease and vitality.

Nourish your whole body to move more easily within gravitational force of the earth. 

This series helps:
– Ground yourself to sense support
– Sit with ease, power and connection to the earth
– Connect with your creative center 
– Free up tension in your low back, pelvis and hips

You will also learn more about the earth, the unique qualities of this planet from a science and nature awareness perspective. If you are someone with anxiety, sleep issues, low back or hip pain, difficulty calming down, or feeling stuck in some way this series may help you tune into deep support and connect with your creativity.
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The earth series had so much material that I continued with this second part! We continue to work with a stone in this series to help with sensing gravitational forces on the abdomen and pelvis. The movements in this series continues to explore more support and ease in the low back, hips and sacrum.

This series connects to the power in the pelvis for holding and moving our energy.
– Sense your personal power- physically, emotionally and energetically
– Deepen your “roots” to connect with the earth
– Release fear and anxiety
– Connect with the creative forces in the pelvis and the earth

You will learn even more about the earth, the unique qualities of this planet from a science and nature awareness perspective. If you are experiencing a creative block, anxiety, sleep issues, low back or hip pain, or have trouble sitting still, this series also connects you to your “Seat of Power.”
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Lighten your head, move easier within the environment and find how to work with your center of gravity for grounding.

These lessons work with a rock and orbit movements (simulating the moon) to free up shoulders and neck, uplift your head and entire body to move more easily within gravitational, moon and earth forces:

– Lighten your head, especially in sitting and standing
– Ease chronic neck, head and shoulder tension
– Balance Mind, Emotions & Nervous System
– Connect with your center

You will learn a bit more about the powerful force of the moon from a nature awareness perspective as well as the latest scientific discoveries. If you have felt awkward moving or dancing, this series may help align you for ease to connect with your inner center for easier rhythm.
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The sun is a powerful force in our lives and affects us in so many ways, including the pull of gravity from its giant mass. These gentle lessons nourish your chest for more flexibility and power using light from the sun and fire as well as light from your heart.  The lessons are easy but have a profound effect.  We will use a candle and a chop stick or small stick throughout the series.  Movements will open your chest and spine as well as connect your head and heart to your hands and feet.  This series helps:

– Build up your immune system for any season.
– Open your chest for more energy and lightness on your feet. 
– Clear emotion and free space for joy.
– Stronger balance and connection with ground with feet. 
– Connect with the power of the Sun!

You will also learn a bit more about the powerful force of the sun with the latest scientific discoveries from a nature awareness perspective.
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How does it feel to see like the eagle and move like an eagle?  Eagles have some of the strongest grip of any animal. This series connects vision with our feet for ease in walking and coordinated balance. Yes, Eyes and Feet! Without good eye and foot coordination, the eagle would go hungry. How can you feet help your eyes? — amazingly they do! And so many of you have been requesting more attention to the feet.

This series helps:

• Improve confidence with balance and walking
• Sharpen vision – both distant and far
• Improve coordination and timing of eyes, hands and feet
• Clear nervous system for seeing with whole body
  

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Spiders are amazing! In this series, you will learn how to apply the movements and awareness from this unique 8-legged arthropod to our lives. Similar to the bat, the spider is extremely beneficial to our survival on the planet. If you have a phobia to spiders, I hope this series helps ease that fear. Many students have found this series helpful in learning about this often misunderstood insect that is so beneficial to our lives and so brilliant with awareness.

This series helps you improve moving in any direction, balance and open your connection to move from your pelvis and chest.

Here’s a few benefits of the Spider Series:

• Ease to move in any direction
• Improve balance with hands, feet and walking
• Ease in hip joints and low back for getting up and down
• Deepen your connection to environment- webs
• Expand vision and awareness in all directions

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This series is one of the best to improve your core movements.  Explore movements and meditations inspired from the clever coyote often referred to as the “Trickster.” Coyotes have so much to teach us about survival, efficiency and awareness. They are remarkably adaptable to many kinds of environments and seem to survive against all odds. The key I have found is in their efficiency of movement in their spine. This is a super fun and gentle series that helps you move more simply in your back and core to improve walking in a remarkable way, as well as relax shoulders and spine.

Here’s a few benefits of the Coyote Series:

• Identify mental stress and calm mind
• Tone back, core and hips with greatest efficiency for power and endurance
• Listening skills for finding path of least resistance
• Balanced Walking- light on feet
• Access to your unique humor

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Bears have so much in common with humans. They are considered one of the most intelligent and powerful animals in the kingdom. They have many gifts with their senses, memory and ability to hibernate. You will learn about the special gifts of the bear as well as the movements and awareness we might learn from them–particularly strengthening the core in a gentle and playful manner using a pillowcase!

Benefits of the Bear Series:

• Strengthen hand to chest alignment for grabbing, pulling and climbing
• Core strength movements with ease
• Rolling for fun and the function of it!
• Going up and down from the floor
• Lengthen your hamstrings without stretching
• Courage to go inside for guidance

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Hummingbird Wisdom – Vibrant Heart

Learn awareness and movement from this smallest bird in the world with the biggest heart and brain compared to any animal. Their presence bring courage, stamina and agility into our lives. Their tiny bodies weighs less than a nickel but they can break the sound barrier when they dive! Hummingbirds are fiercely territorial, able to migrate long distances and can maneuver their wings in any direction.

Here’s a few benefits of the Hummingbird Wisdom Series:

• Open shoulders and chest to lighten your heart
• Ease with walking and balance
• Connect to sweetness in Environment
• Move with joy and courage

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Domestic & wild cats have a swagger of self-reliance. They are remarkable survivors, agile and aware. Their spines are more flexible than most mammals. Their style of hunting is patient and has an efficient use of energy. The bigger cats like the Mountain Lion in this photo are super stealthy– Cats are one of the top predators in the world and highly adaptable in many environments.  What can cat movement and sensitivity teach us?

 These lessons will help:
– Move with more flexible ribs & spine for balance
– Soft & supple feet
– Sharpen Vision, Hearing and Smell
– Connect to internal guidance
– Opening Throat/Voice- Vibrating to the Bone!

Blackbird/Robin Lessons – Open Chest & Voice

Rabbits are known for their agility, bounding energy and keen awareness to survive so many predators. They also have a remarkable ability to ground and clear fear out of their big feet!  They have to be efficient at clearing fear in order to survive since their main defense is agility and awareness. They also have expressions of pure joy in their movements which is a delight to see and imitate!

This whole series will help nourish your feet & hips– to be more supple and springy for walking, balance and jumping.

Benefits of the Rabbit Series:
–  Plucky agility with body & within environment
 – Energize your body, mind & spirit
 – Sharpen hearing & expand vision
–  Respond to fear with awareness & choices of movement
–  Connect with your community

Graceful Liftoff and Landings: Swan Wisdom

The salmon’s vitality to make the arduous journey from the ocean up rugged rivers and creeks to their spawning grounds is awesome. Salmon are a keystone species– important to the planet for vitality and can teach us with their remarkable sense of direction.  We can learn a lot from salmon’s graceful core strength and supple spine to move upstream to their fertile grounds.  What a guide for all!

These lessons help with:
 – Spine flexibility and vitality in all directions (Head to Tail)
 – Listening with our entire body for movement direction
– Waking our sense of smell and feeling subtle movements for inner direction
– Come “home” to your core self and your environment.

Moving within Light & Dark- Owl Lessons:

I love owls! They have remarkable vision and are a symbol of wisdom in many cultures. Their silent flight is so remarkable that our scientific equipment can’t hear them! They have one of the most flexible necks of any bird and the largest eyes of any bird proportionate to their body in order to take in light. Owl hearing is also highly acute.  These lessons work with some of the best skills — vision, hearing and neck movements that the owl can teach us for moving in the dark with grace and ease:  

 – Relax tension in neck, chest and shoulder for ease and flexibility for turning and all kinds of circular movements
 – Wide angle vision and night vision practices
– Sharpen listening abilities for better hearing and balance.
–  Stillness and silent movement practices
– Gain confidence in balance and senses to move in the light, low light dark and in-between.

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The Bat series helps relax eye tension for clearer vision in the dark and improve balance for better footing for walking into the unknown.  The bat is one of the few mammals that can fly (other than the flying squirrel which is not quite the same…) We will draw wisdom from the bat who is comfortable and agile in the dark, uses their eyes, ears and nose to navigate and is also a highly socially organized animal- something we all can use in these changing times.

– Clear tension in your eyes and connect to your senses for better balance
– Clear footing for ease in walking and standing
– Continued lessons with Chest Flexibility
– Ease in Breathing
– Head/Neck/Chest Freedom

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The Squirrel series particularly in autumn and spring seasons, a healthy and mobile chest and shoulders helps our lungs and nervous system adapt to massive environmental changes.

This series features the squirrel, our spirited and plucky friend who has one of the most flexible chests and limbs in the animal kingdom.  Feldenkrais lessons will help connect mind and body to explore new connections and freedom in the chest and shoulders.

This series helps:
– Loosen shoulders and chest
– Free up neck and head movement
– Deeply calm down quickly
– Tone arms and shoulders for pushing weight

Deeply relaxing and nourishing, this series will also help your lungs and immune system.

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Walk in Balance – Elemental Power 

Balance and Walking is so helpful during this time  of Covid,  Learn how to connect and use the power of the elements for more solid skeletal balance and grace.  Each element provides healing and support for balance.  Feel more confident with your balance for lighter ease, fluidity in walking and healing for hips, knees, ankles and feet. 

This series along the the Deer Wisdom series has been gleaned from over 35 years of Feldenkrais and nature awareness study from knee, sacrum and back injury recovery to exploring lessons with walking, hiking and many other activities to improve balance.

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Walk in Balance – Deer Wisdom 

So helpful for relaxed and balanced walking, hiking and running– something everyone is doing more of during Covid!  Learn special wisdom and expanded awareness from the deer, particularly useful for relaxed and balanced walking. Improve your balance for lighter ease and healing for hips, knees, ankles and feet. 

This series has gleaned from over 35 years of Feldenkrais and nature awareness study from knee, sacrum and back injury recovery to exploring lessons with walking, hiking and many other activities to improve balance.

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Radiant Face – Flower Medicine

An uplifting Facial for everyone.  Learn practical tools to open your heart and face based on the Feldenkrais Method®, Ayurveda, self-massage and nature awareness practices.  Connect with the healing essence of flowers to release tension, unnecessary effort in your face and radiate your unique inner beauty.  Sense deep peace and joy in connecting your heart and the medicine teaching of flowers.

Nourishing series for relief from chronic face and jaw tension, headache, clearing emotion and stress, pain relief and heart health.

Uplift Head & Neck Series: Geese Courage & Encouragement

Photo by G.Plowmen, courtesy of Martha Jordan.

Excellent series for healing and recovery from chronic neck and head tension, whiplash, neck injury, postural issues and fatigue. 

The movements of the geese as well as how they support to work together can be helpful to:
– Free up tension in chest, shoulders and neck
– Reduce emotional anxiety
– Open chest to lighten depression
– Open nervous system and clear resistance to change in your life

Gather inspiration from the Geese how to hold your head high and move in harmony with others and within your environment.

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Vital Back – Core Connection (4 Lessons)

Learn some of the best self-care tools to connect your core and how to listen to the natural world (and trees) for guidance in healing.  These lessons will help:
– Gentle alignment and toning for your back
– Improve posture for sitting and standing
– Get grounded and calm
– Connect with your “limbs” for balance.

We will also learn from trees and their rooted connection they have with the earth.

These lessons are gleaned from my favorite tools I’ve discovered for working with your back over 35 years of practice and research with clients and my own back injury recovery. Feel more connected to the power in your core with rooted support, flexibility and vitality.

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Vital Breath- Rooted Power (4 Lessons)

My favorite breathing lessons over 35 years of study and to heal my own breathing and sinus issues:

Helps:

– Strengthen vital energy and sense of power
– Strengthen your energetic and immune boundaries
– Deep relaxation
– Grounding.

These simple and powerful mind-body practices come from Feldenkrais, Yoga and Self-massage techniques to clear sinuses and build immune system. Particular helpful for COVID-19 and any illness.  

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Clear Fear- Roots for Vitality (4-Part Series)

Learn many Mind-Body practices with Feldenkrais, Ayurveda and Nature Awareness  are my best tools I’ve found in the past 35 years to work with fear and anxiety.  This series is free on Youtube as a response to COVID-19 to quickly clear fear and anxiety from your body.

This series will help you deeply relax and ground.  Very helpful for strengthening your immune system during illness and any stressful situation.

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How to Speak about Your Work with Feldenkrais®- Marketing

3 Online Workshops in one package: (Marketing Strategies for Feldenkrais Practitioners & Students)

Giving a public talk can be one of the quickest ways to build your practice! These three marking workshops for Feldenkrais practitioners and students in Feldenkrais training programs are designed to boost your confidence and public speaking skills.  The first two workshops address learning how to engage a public audience with an “Introduction to What Is Feldenkrais®” public talk & demonstration.  This popular workshop got so much positive feedback we offered a 2nd one with all new material.  Register and receive access to two 90-minute video workshops including downloadable notes and sample public talk outline.  And for going deeper into marketing,  a third workshop on “How to Speak About Your Unique Feldenkrais® Practice” is 90-minute video  with Annie Thoe, GCFP, Assistant Trainer and Carrie Lafferty, PT, GCFP, Master Qi Gong Teacher   (click here for access to online workshops registration and for more details.)

Retreat: Vitalize in Nature

Annie Thoe, Feldenkrais & Nature Awareness Teacher has offered deep immersion with nature retreats to access transformative tools within your body and the natural world.  Whether it’s healing, growth and life direction you are seeking, a guided retreat in nature is deeply nourishing. Currently no retreats are scheduled, but send an email or sign-up for newsletter to be notified

*Currently Annie’s nature retreat schedule is on hold.  If you’d like to receive information on retreats, please sign up for Annie’s newsletter which will have updates.  For more information on past retreats or if you would like to host a retreat in your area, check out nature retreats:

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Questions?  Contact Annie