Introduction
DECO is a 4-part series focusing on four artful skills of mindfulness. The word mindfulness is being thrown around a lot these days. It can be defined a little differently in different settings. I define it as a state of being where you are conscious and aware of the present moment. An awareness that is infused with non-judgment, openness, an expansiveness that allows the space for acceptance of what is. In the mindfulness state, rather than approaching with judgment, you feel a curiosity and interest for what is in the moment, and you feel connected to the moment.
Recently, I have discovered ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), the mindfulness-based program for reducing stress, overcoming fear, and creating a rich and meaningful life. I am impressed with the work and with it’s correlation to Feldenkrais. It is not the same as Feldenkrais, but some of the concepts behind the program I find to be in tandem with the concepts in Feldenkrais. In Russ Harris’s book, The Happiness Trap, Harris writes about several skills to mindfulness. In this series, I chose four skills of mindfulness as outlined in Harris’s book, and through the four ATM (Awareness Through Movement) lessons in the series am exploring with you how Feldenkrais can be one way to help learn and hone these skills. Like learning to play a sport or to play an instrument, we learn from practice. One advantage of Feldenkrais is that it is so enjoyable while you practice!
In the DECO series, each section below is represented by a mindfulness skill, and there is one ATM lesson for each section. You may find it interesting to do the lessons in order, or you may choose to do any lesson. There are also two talks, in Sections 2 and 4.
“How you do one thing is how you do everything.” – A Zen saying
I hope you enjoy the series!
