à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Awareness
An Apology to Oatmeal
For much of my life I didn’t want to go near oatmeal, the Birkenstocks of food: good for you but an aesthetic disaster. Dull of hue and bland of taste, what was there to love? Oatmeal conjured thoughts of gruel, served to Oliver and his fellow orphans in Dickensian England, or porridge, something thick that … Continue reading
Missed Connections: When a Dream Portends Reality
In a world where talk is cheap and fast, to feel listened to is a precious gift. That is why I have practiced reflective listening for several years via Living Compassion. It’s created a structured program, with clear and precise guidelines for how to participate. Each quarter it assigns reflective listening “buddies”. Last night I … Continue reading
Where to Look When You’re Looking for Feldenkrais
I recently received an e-mail from a medical doctor. He’d been doing a set of recorded Feldenkrais lessons for years at home and now wanted to improve certain functions. He knew himself well enough to be specific in his request. Could I assist him? He offered to pay a consulting fee, which I accepted. I am … Continue reading
When a Transit Annoyance Morphs Into Adventure
When I think about Boston’s MBTA, my soul shrivels. Having enjoyed far more efficient and pleasant transit in other countries, its squeaky trains, delayed buses and cumbersome kiosks grate on me. Yet, in avoiding it I’ve constrained myself. Driving into the city and finding parking is stressful and costly. Using Uber adds up. Since I … Continue reading
Greatest Hits for Moshe Feldenkrais’ Birthday
Moshe Feldenkrais was born on May 6, 1904. To celebrate his extraordinary life, I’ve collected the “greatest hits” from the essays and articles I’ve written about him or the Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education. My selection criteria? A combination of personal fondness, the popularity of the piece, and the emphasis of the article. Dig in, … Continue reading
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