“I’m blown away by my experiences in your classes!
The thing that I remember hearing about Feldenkrais and your classes was that the movements are very subtle and small. At the time, I did not associate subtle, small movements with profound effects, so I did not take the time to check out your classes for the first few years you offered them. I was also deep in work and family mode, and often didn’t leave work till 6pm when I was expected to be home for a family dinner. So, making a 5:30 class on a weekday seemed like too much of a stretch.
Then one day, I decided to join a class….even after the first class I started to notice that I hold a lot of tension in my body, even when doing the most menial tasks. I remember brushing my teeth after my first class with you and being shocked at how much tension I held in my head, neck, shoulders, and arm. I was able to clearly feel all the extra work my muscles were doing and relax into all the places that didn’t need to be contracting in order to get the job done. I’ve since noticed this in other simple, daily actions like driving, writing, and typing.
Class is great, but what I really like best is how I feel after class. For the rest of the day. Whether I’m driving home, putting away dishes, or putting on music to dance, my body moves with fluid, balanced, and graceful rhythms.
This is the physical reality I want to always live in.
My life has become a lot easier since I started attending your classes. Much of this I attribute to life changes such as an empty nest, moving to a house with modern conveniences, and hiring employees who have taken over some of my work responsibilities. The lessons that I’ve learned in your classes have inspired and encouraged me to find the easiest ways to navigate through these big life changes with grace and ease.
I used to have a hard time “turning off” and relaxing, and I would keep pushing on until I crashed. Now I am developing the ability to listen to my body and attend to my needs, and this is helping me create a more fulfilling life.
I’m finally feeling like I can find a balance of a successful career, while also nourishing my own physical and emotional needs AND being available for my family. I’m beginning to feel like my cup is full, and I have extra energy to be engaged in my community and give back to others. And I’m really enjoying that!
I would definitely recommend Astra’s classes to anyone who is interested in learning to listen to their body. She’ll help you to discover where you hold unnecessary tension so that you can ultimately release it. Learning to do this within our physical bodies is one huge benefit, BUT then we can take this lesson of doing less while being more efficient and joyful into our daily lives. And who doesn’t want that?
Your classes are helping me understand a Taoist teaching that I’ve always been intrigued by, but never quite comprehended until now: do less and less until nothing remains undone. Bringing this reality into the busy, overwhelming, and labor-intensive life I’d created for myself has been incredibly transformative. I’m now able to listen to my body and nurture my needs, which has given me the energy to engage more deeply in my community.”
- Whitney Brasington, CFO/Owner of Mountain Electronic, Inc.
