A Feldenkrais Lesson for the Beginner Scientist: Professor Dorit Aharonov at TEDxJaffa

Professor Dorit Aharonov will talk about how principles she had learned in her practice of body-mind methods, and the Feldenkrais method in particular, can be useful in an entirely different realm: doing scientific and mathematical research. By combining body study and movement with her own experience in scientific research, she suggests ways to overcome an obstacle with less force.

Dorit was born in Washington D.C and grew up in Haifa, Israel. She did her BSc in Physics and Mathematics summa cum laude in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where she continued to do her PhD (after a break of one year at the Weizmann Institute), jointly in the Computer science and Physics departments.

In her PhD she discovered ways to make quantum computers noise tolerant. After a one year postdoc in the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton and one year in UC Berkeley, she joined the Hebrew University computer science department where she is now a full professor, and together with her group of students studies quantum computational processes. More generally, she is fascinated by mathematical beauty and its connection to the physical world.

She received several awards for her research work. Her other passion is body-mind processes, and in particular, martial arts. For the past 18 years she has been practicing and studying Tai-Chi, Yoga and Kung-Fu, and in addition has recently become a teacher in the Feldenkrais method of self improvement and awareness through movement. Other interests of hers include human rights, art, literature, being outdoors, hiking, inspiring human stories and human potential in general.

[bonniele]

Truly thanks to the professor. Wonderful illustration.

[laviniaplonka]

What a great way of showing the practical applications of Feldenkrais to life. Thank you!

[Kobe]

That child learned an entire new way of moving without losing any bit of the fun he was having playing with bricks! Staggering demonstration of the intelligence that remains unexplored in the human body! This brilliant teacher is clairvoyant! She manages to instruct without once disturbing the child's comfort or concentration, rather cooperating with it. My first time seeing Kahneman's System one passively activated and co-opted into kinesthetic learning! Excellent talk!

[meganmoses]

Absolutely wonderful! The principles themselves, the way you explained them, the example of practical application, and a ray of hope for all humans who, like me, keep trying to solve some “issue”, that damn “issue” that i want solved so urgently yet have not been able to solve for years, precisely because my urgency prevents play and creativity and that micro-shift in viewpoint that suddenly illuminates the pathway out. Fascinating subject delivered in an intelligent and memorable way. Thank you so much.

[ethellerabinovich]

Very interesting. She clearly makes very pertinent and insightful analogies between physical and mental movement, which is one of the main foundations of Feldenkrais.

[heidihoglan]

That was fascinating!! Thank you so much, I will be pondering this for a long time!

[gravelson]

Thank you, Dorit. I truly enjoyed your presentation and learned a lot. Thank you again.

[philipperathe]

You are so inspiring! Thank you Dorit!

[TheGoodfella]

The points made in this talk are top notch; very informative

[deborahlotus]

Brilliant! so interesting that she took Feldenkrais back where he started....mathematics...

[aloysiuslim]

That's a beautiful message in life. thank you Dorit :)

[sunalibar]

Woman when I heard you say the kick example I remembered people who helped me achieve what I achieved until know. Like my elementary school teachers, the other ones for example and friends whom I shared memories with. Back when I was a kid, I didn't realize how much time is required to reach where I am and the struggles I will be facing and overcoming or even run away from. Did I even pay attention to my mental energy? Now I am thinking from the other side of he the ongoing journey about what values I should have maintained and I could recover. And what mistakes I should have avoided or done for a greater sake.

[GS-fyyo]

Thank you I enjoyed the talk very much and it really inspired me

[dancing]

a great and an ispiring motivating presentation . Thank you. Rikki Tel Aviv

[nitsanalazerus]

WOW DORIT> EIZEH YOFI ! A great way to show an approach to life. I was inspired. I would lie to see more of your work in the field. NEHEDAR!

[dancewomyn]

This is so interesting because the approach is an extremely "heady" one, unlike the much more physical approach I am accustomed to in Feldenkrais work....I suppose it makes sense for a person who is coming from the standpoint of quantum computation, but for me, a dancer/movement person this is almost other worldly! I'm having the hardest time making the physical connection.

[TheDigiDojo]

Nice overlap with Vygotski's Zone of Proximal Development Theory.

[hekrishna]

Wah! Most inspiring and my one hour spent on computer on your talks is so valuable. If I need to ask questions, what email should be used? Pl guide me. May Lord Bless you to continue to deliver useful lectures

[baileyj]

Thank you for posting this helpful video! Is there a version with accurate captions or could you edit the autocaptions? The autocaptions are inaccurate in many places. I would like to recommend this to colleagues who have hearing impairments or auditory processing difficulties, but it would need accurate captions.

[dianatsering]

very poor example with a riddle... no any clear explanation... since the beginning we don't know what numbers are written on each side... i'm a feldenkrais practitioner myself and it's so sad to see that noone presents this methode simply and efficiently...