Biography of Feldenkrais

Dr Moshe Feldenkrais (1904-1984) was trained in mechanical and electrical engineering. A keen interest in martial arts, and personal knee injury, provided the impetus which led him to a lifetime study of the structure and function of humankind and the relationship between human development, education and movement.

The full and interesting life of Dr Moshé Feldenkrais (1904-1984) was driven by his intellectual interests. A keen soccer player and accomplished martial artist, he studied mechanical and electrical engineering in Paris. A personal knee injury provided the impetus for the development of his Method. For 20 years, Feldenkrais researched, using his own body as a laboratory. In the 1950s he returned to Tel Aviv, where he had migrated from Ukraine as a teenager, coming out of relative anonymity to teach widely with students from all over the world seeking him out. He trained practitioners in Tel Aviv, Europe and the United States to ensure the continuation of his Method. His understanding of human development and learning are being increasingly validated by recent developments in the fields of psychology and neuroscience. Forward thinking and ahead of his time, Moshé Feldenkrais enjoyed respect and acclaim during his lifetime for his contributions to the fields of rehabilitation, athletic and performing arts training. He died peacefully in Tel Aviv at the age of 80.

(Biography obtained from The Australian Feldenkrais Guild).