à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Perfectionism
Of Feldenkrais and Furniture
“Each of us has our own mental furniture” – Dennis Leri, Feldenkrais Trainer After returning to Boulder from my second segment of Feldenkrais Training, an impulse arose to host a gathering of fellow “Feldies”. Having moved into a new and relatively spacious apartment just before my training resumed, and having progressively winnowed my possessions in the preceding years, … Continue reading
Feldenkrais: Are You Willing to Suck?
On Monday I began a Feldenkrais Training Program in New Mexico, directed by Alan Questel. I’m here, in part, to attempt to unravel my longstanding habit of prioritizing achievement and results over the process of learning itself. Consistent with this desire to privilege the journey instead of the outcome, at this moment I am not “committing” to completing the … Continue reading
Flipping the Bird at Perfectionism
Sometimes a message only gets across when delivered at the right time. Last Tuesday was one of the more hectic days of my life. I had a red eye flight to catch that evening. Before then, I had to finish packing, clean my living space since I was moving out, drive straggling items to my storage … Continue reading
The Vagina Monologues as Spiritual Bootcamp
In December, I heeded an inner Yes! and auditioned for The Vagina Monologues (VM) at Boulder’s Naropa University. I wasn’t sure what, exactly, my Yes! had been about until I received my lines. That I wasn’t assigned very many caused my big fat Yes! to shrink to a more flaccid “Hmm…OK.” Perhaps the Yes! had … Continue reading
Leave No Trace: Cleaning as Spiritual Practice
When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself. – Shunryu Suzuki Visitors to wilderness areas heed a principle called “leave no trace”. Conscientious hikers carry out used toilet paper, feminine products, food scraps, wrappers and anything else that does not belong. In certain remote places … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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