Thoughtful
Movements
Improving ourselves through exploring the relationships between thinking, feeling and doing.
Joseph Webster
My Thoughts on Movement
During the early stages of life there isn't a split second where we are not engaged in the learning process, the biggest part of that process is learning to coordinate ourselves in relation to our environment, or in other words: Movement. During this period our movement is monitored and accessed for it's efficiency and effectiveness. But what happens as we get older is that our intellectual learning starts to take a primary role instead of our movement, and in some ways our physical learning is lost.
The ability to pick up this learning process at any stage in life is what Neuroscience is calling Neuroplasticity, or in simple terms: Our ability to change.
Thoughtful Movement is a way of using our attention that creates the right conditions for learning. By actively using our attention as we move, we gain access to our ability to learn about ourselves, and we can begin to develop greater choice in our behaviour. In this sense thoughtful movement is synonymous with improvement; and improving the way we move is a genuine route to being able to live a more comfortable, enjoyable life.
In the different methods that I teach, the thoughtful use of our attention is emphasised as a way to grow our self-awareness; with an overall goal of helping us become the person that we would like to be.
My hope is that this message is carried past my work, informing how we live, how we relate to ourselves and how we relate to each other. In other words reaching a wider sphere than movement, but in many ways movement provides the perfect starting point. It allows for instant feedback between what you are trying to do and what you are doing, this gives you a clear measure of whether your action meets your intention.
I have written in greater detail about some of the influences behind Thoughtful Movements in my blog, and I have my class schedule and my contact details further down the page.
Testimonials
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Having both experienced and witnessed what Joe does in his sessions I can say that it is incredibly powerful work.
He is able to facilitate a process which enables each person to understand how their body works in a particular way – the practice is mindful, holistic and supports greater awareness and improved balance and brain to body connection.
Eileen Egerton
St Mungo's
Recovery College
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I'm a Tai Chi and Qigong practitioner and over the years have noticed that I have a tendency to get stuck in certain movement patterns. At best this limits my flexibility and ability to develop in these fields, at worst it manifests as pain.
Joe has helped me identify some of these physical patterns and some of their deeper psychological and emotional roots.
By working with my body gently and compassionately I have felt safe to explore these areas, and have seen changes on all levels.
“
Joe certainly lives up to the ‘thoughtful’ part of this website, while still being cheerfully in the world. He has studied movement in many of its manifestations over a long time; he continually surprises me with the extent of his investigations and the experience he derives from them. His work is sensitive, respectful, friendly -- the complete package!
Scott Clark
Trainer & Organiser, London Feldenkrais Training
Nicola Van Dyke
Senior Director
Willis Towers Watson
“
Joe’s classes are brilliant! My wife and I both experience deep relaxation and a sense of peace after every lesson and much pain relief along with very exciting new awareness of posture and movement possibilities. Also, added bonus : Joe's sense of humor 😂. Highly recommend joining his international class to anyone interested in developing a stronger sense of security generated from within yourself and an increases awareness of the possibility to respond to the world around you from that inner sense of security rather than reacting from insecurity.
“
I can’t recommend Joe’s classes enough! Feldenkrais is a wonderfully crazy good experience thus far for both how my body and how my brain feel during and afterwards (and Joe is very good at delivering the material).
For someone who has trouble calming my mind for meditation this does the trick! An hour long class goes by in what seems like 15 minutes as the focus on the small movements make it easy peasy to be present and the calming effects feel really integrated into my daily experience.
Roger
Aikido Practitioner
Stephanie
Head Hunter
BIO
I have spent much of my time over the last 20 years training in Taiji Quan (Tai Chi), Meditation (various systems) and a form of Qi Gong called Taiji Wuxigong, all of which are rooted in the spiritual philosophies of the east (Buddhism and Taoism) and work towards achieving a balance with body and mind.
I have also trained in Ju-Jitsu, Judo and Karate over the years which has given me a solid understanding on the martial arts side of movement practises.
However, it was through my continuous engagement with balancing the effects of my daily working life, and through searching for ways to improve my Taiji Quan and Qi Gong practise/teaching that I came across a movement method that adds to all aspects of my life, and provided a way to begin unwinding my personal movement habits and improve the quality of my life.
This practise is known as The Feldenkrais Method, as developed by Moshe Feldenkrais.
The method is a mind-body practice that directs you through various movement sequences, combined with guided attention, in order to effect profound changes in our physical self organisation and mental health.
I immediately enjoyed the inquisitive approach of this method which uses awareness and movement to begin to look at ourselves on a deeper level. It was amazing to me to see a philosophy that was so aligned with some of my thoughts on self-improvement and educating oneself through kindness rather than through force or pushing.
I have now finished the forth year of training in this method and have begun teaching classes as a qualified Feldenkrais Practioner. If you would like to know more about these classes or my Qi Gong classes please get in contact via the web form below.
I am passionate about sharing these practices, which I have found hugely beneficial in my own life, and I would like to pass on some of the knowledge I have learned over the last 20 years.
My aim is to empower people to feel personal agency with their own state of body and mind, and provide them the tools to help make changes and improve as they wish.
CONTACT
For any inquiries please get in contact via email:
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