knee injury, replaced his previous ways of physically
moving with more efficient habits that proved
healthier and more efficient. Also a martial artist and
athlete, Feldenkrais said, “Each one of us speaks,
moves, thinks, and feels in a different way, each
according to the image of himself that he has built
up over the years. In order to change our mode of
action, we must change the image of ourselves that
we carry within us.” He interpreted this self-aware-
ness as a mind-body connection, in that human
beings have complex systems of intelligence and
emotion that govern physical functioning. He
believed that if physical movement (including
breathing) became impaired, psychological and even
other physical problems would result. Touted as
effective for stress-related problems, chronic pain,
headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disor-
der, multiple sclerosis, cerebral vascular accident
(stroke), cerebral palsy, and other ailments, the
Feldenkrais method of bodywork consists of two
components: Awareness Through Movement and
Functional Integration, both terms registered service
marks of the Feldenkrais Guild [P.O. Box 489,
Albany, OR 97321, or (503) 926-0981 or (800) 775-
2118]. Awareness Through Movement involves
gentle, nonaerobic motions, such as sitting and
standing, along with specific movements in 45-
minute to one-hour sessions once a week for four to
six weeks. Sessions may be continued for as long as
preferred by an individual. Feldenkrais practitioners
perform Functional Integration—gentle manipula-
tion of muscles and joints not exceeding one’s nor-
mal range of motion—on an individual who is
standing, sitting, or lying down. There are no reports
of adverse effects of this therapy, which also provides
supportive conditioning for athletes, dancers, and
others who wish to improve their flexibility, balance,
and mobility.
Training in the Feldenkrais method, which
became popular in America during the 1970s, is
available throughout the country and requires 160
training days in the span of four years. Feldenkrais
training is popular among physical therapists, but a
medical or health background is not necessary to
become a practitioner.
feng shui The ancient Eastern art of placement
according to subtle Earth energies and their rela-
tionship and impact on human life. Considered an
environmental science, traditional Chinese feng
shui (a combination of the Chinese words for wind
and water) is employed in many aspects of life
including nutrition, medicine, exercise, the arts,
and interior and exterior design. As a philosophical
system, feng shui and its variations acclimate to
most cultures and societal requirements because of
the general acceptance of the idea that the charac-
teristics of our surroundings affect physical and
mental health. Harmony, the auspicious flow of qi
(ch’i;life force or energy), and creation of a balance
between yin and yang forces (positive and negative,
or the universal opposites, such as Sun-Moon and
cold-heat) are among the goals of feng shui prac-
tices. The Five Elements of wood, fire, earth, metal,
and water provide the basis for different energies,
personalities, and associations. The position of win-
dows, doors, utilities (particularly water-related,
including sinks, toilets, and appliances); furniture,
cabinets, architectural details, and materials; and
accessories, plants and living creatures, colors,
shapes, and textures of objects; lighting; exterior
factors such as roads, bodies of water, mountains,
and trees; Chinese astrology and numerology; and
location are all factors taken into account in feng
shui, which attempts to enhance well-being, har-
ness good ch’i, or counteract negative conditions or
energy. One feng shui approach is based on the
Bagua map, an entire floor plan with each area and
direction (north, south, east, and west) designated
as a symbol of human life—health, family, children,
love and marriage, wealth, work, knowledge, help-
ful people, fame, and reputation. The use of an
indoor water fountain, for example, is thought to
enhance wealth and beneficial energy and richness
of life. Use of the color red is considered stimulating
and dominant and representative of warmth, pros-
perity, anger, and passion; blue may evoke feelings
of contemplation, peacefulness, mystery, patience,
suspicion, and melancholia. Each feng shui concept
is rooted in practicality and the interplay of ele-
ments and may be adapted to individual problems
and needs. As feng shui practice has entered the
mainstream Western art of interior design, it has
also found favor among methods for complemen-
tarily treating physical and mental illness.
See also ch’i; FIVE ELEMENTS; QI; YIN-YANG.feng shui 45