Feldenkrais & Emotional Habits

05 November

Highlights

1. Announcements:

• A Tour of Brussels’ Ultimate Space for Body-Mind Learning

2. Thought of the Week:

• Why Dreaming of Change Can Feel So Daunting

3. Book of the Week

• Applying Feldenkrais Principles to Emotional Habits

Beyond Feldenkrais: A Tour of Brussels’ Ultimate Space for Body-Mind Learning

Last week, we shared tales from Cantal, and the week before, we toured Paris. So now, let’s talk about Brussels

When the first Feldenkrais training started in Cantal, there were two eager students—a cinematographer and a choreographer, Nikos and Betza. They quickly caught the Feldenkrais bug (side effects include an obsession with movement and a newfound awareness of muscles you didn’t know you had). Fast forward two years, and these two wanted to organise a training in Brussels, shouldered by Pia and Yvo.

But why stop at just a Feldenkrais training? They decided to create a whole center for somatic education - the Forest Lighthouse.

At Forest Lighthouse, you’ll find everything from science-backed therapies to martial arts, dance, massage—you name it. It’s like the ultimate playground for your body and brain. Just as the method embraces inclusivity, they envisioned creating a center that reflects this value at its core. Classes come in all forms: masterclasses, workshops, weekly sessions, and conferences. If there’s a way to move, think, or feel differently, you’ll probably find it here.

The building itself is a bit like a creativity theme park. Upstairs, people are deep in movement explorations; downstairs, the Lighthouse Lab production studios are buzzing with filmmakers crafting documentaries, short films, and animations.

So, what’s the Feldenkrais Center in Brussels all about? It’s a meeting ground for every kind of disciplines and mindsets you can imagine. Come to Brussels and you might just walk away knowing more about movement—and maybe a bit more about yourself too!

The next training is around the corner: March, 2025.

Thought of the week

The Fear of Hope: Why Dreaming of Change Can Feel So Daunting

In our last newsletter, we explored “Ten Reasons We Struggle to Change” (Even When We Really Want To). You might have recognized some of the reasons yourself. One of the reasons was « the fear of Hope », or maybe better « the fear of any kind of projection » . What did the author Ross Ellenhorn mean by that ?

The concept refers to the emotional and psychological risk involved in hoping for, or projecting, a better future or personal change. It highlights that projecting something — like a better version of yourself or a different life outcome — can be daunting because it forces you to confront two difficult things:

-Awareness of what is missing or lacking : This projection inherently points to something you feel you don’t have, like self-fulfillment, self-actualization or happiness. To project this change to a near or farther future means acknowledging that something in your current life is not as it should be, which can trigger discomfort.

-The risk of disappointment : Acting on projection or hope raises the possibility of failure. When you project or hope for change and take steps toward it, there’s always a chance you might not succeed, and that failure can reinforce feelings of inadequacy or loss. For many, this risk feels so overwhelming that staying the same — avoiding any kind of projection — seems safer.

This Fear thus becomes a protective mechanism, allowing people to avoid the pain of potential failure or disappointment, but it also blocks progress and keeps them stuck in their current patterns. Overcoming this fear requires accepting that hope, projection and risk are inseparable, and that growth involves embracing the vulnerability that comes with striving for change.

Book of the week

Moving Beyond Codependency: Applying Feldenkrais Principles to Emotional Habits

In the Feldenkrais Method, we often talk about becoming aware of habitual movement patterns. This awareness enables us to choose new ways of moving that serve us better, reduce pain or and promote functional freedom. But we also might become aware of our emotional, social and relational patterns.

The book *Codependent No More* of Melody Beattie talks more specifically about that process and encourages readers to become aware of habitual emotional and relational patterns. The book points out how many people—especially those entangled with loved ones who struggle with addiction, compulsion, or other challenges—fall into “automatic” ways of relating, sometimes neglecting their own needs and well-being. This can lead to burnout, anxiety, and a sense of disconnection from one’s authentic self.

Beattie’s approach to recovery echoes Feldenkrais’ emphasis on mindful change. She encourages readers to observe emotional and mental patterns, recognize the impulse to “fix” others, and redirect that energy toward self-nurturance and autonomy. She draws on principles from the Twelve Steps (originally developed by Alcoholics Anonymous AA) to introduce ideas of detachment, setting boundaries, and focusing on one’s own life. These practices foster a sense of self-alignment and personal responsibility, aligning with the Feldenkrais view that meaningful, lasting change happens from within.

“Codependent No More” offers a thoughtful invitation to explore the parallels between physical and emotional habits. Both paths ultimately guide us back to a profound and liberating awareness of self. By integrating Beattie’s insights with the principles of the Feldenkrais Method, students can deepen their practice even more—not only releasing outdated physical patterns but also letting go of relational patterns that limit their potential. In embracing both, we create space for a richer, more connected experience of ourselves and the world around us.

Quote of the week

“Every time man makes a new experiment he always learns more. He cannot learn less.”
— Buckminster Fuller