Anat Baniel - Move into Life: The Nine Essentials for Lifelong Vitality

T he Anat Baniel Method, which is an important evolution of the work of her late teacher, Dr. Feldenkrais, is a must know. I have observed Anat's work over a period of more than two decades and have witnessed transformations that are simply stunning. Over the years, Anat explained to me the premises of her work, and I have become a lifelong enthusiast.

I attended several training and teaching sessions organized by Anat and spent many hours discussing her work with her and others. For years I pressed her to share her knowledge with the public by writing a book. I strongly feel that Anat's work deserves to have the greatest possible audience.

This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to enhance their physical and mental performance and vitality. Based on sound science, the Nine Essentials are not only easy to incorporate into daily life, they are pleasurable, highly effective, and invigorating. Following a lecture and a demonstration by Anat Baniel, I was persuaded to try a few simple exercises for myself. In just a few minutes, I felt a positive difference in my body as muscles I had not used for years were reawakened.

The Anat Baniel Method is for everyone, but it is also highly effective with the elderly, those with physical or neurological disabilities that do not respond to a satisfactory degree to traditional medical treatments, and for parents of children with such disabilities. I have seen the effect of Anat's work on children with special needs where traditional medicine gave up on any chance of a normal life, including a neurologically disabled baby who, within minutes of her first session, began to move limbs that never moved before. Anat's approach is a valuable supplement to traditional medical treatments or physician-prescribed medications; it doesn't interfere with them.

The need for this groundbreaking method has never been greater, and I know that people everywhere will benefit from this excellent book.

D ANIEL G RAUPE , P H .D., professor of biomedical engineering and of electrical and computer engineering, and adjunct professor of neurology and rehabilitation medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois

T his book is about the possibility for anyone to have greater vitality, no matter their age or condition. My passion, over the past thirty years, has been to help people move more fully into their lives by helping them make the impossible possible. I count my life very fortunate since in my work I witness the creative potentials of the human brain every day. Whether teaching a trauma victim to trust life again, or an athlete to achieve his personal best, or a small child with serious neurological challenges to gain fuller use of her body and mind, or helping a man or woman of any age gain in physical, mental, and emotional flexibility and strength, it is always through the miracles of the human brain that I see their vitality emerge.

My approach has evolved from my background in clinical psychology, the sciences, dance, the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkraisa physicist and pioneer in the mind-body fieldand thirty years of a thriving practice working with thousands of people from five days old to ninety years of age; from high-performance athletes, businesspeople, scientists, and musicians to people worn down by daily stress or aches and pains, to those seeking greater freedom, fulfillment, and joy in their life.

Until recently, it was believed that our vitality peaks in our early twenties, and from there on the only way is down and that there is little we can do about it. It was also believed that the brain stops growing and evolving after the first few years of life and can only change for the worse as we move through life. However, my experience in my own life and with my students has repeatedly and consistently proved this belief to be wrong. Many of my students, especially in the earlier years of my career, came to me after being told by their doctors, therapists, teachers, and others what was not possible for them. I knew that if I could somehow find a way to communicate with their brains, and get their brains to resume growing, creating, and inventing new solutions, then the possibilities would be endless and often surprising. Recent scientific research demonstrates that indeed our brains can continue to grow, develop, and change throughout life. What I didn't expect was that each time I worked with my students, their vitality emerged and grew. It has been my privilege and ongoing delight to observe my students, during private sessions, workshops, and training programs, become stronger and freer in body, mind, emotion, and spirit, shedding limitations, becoming more energetic, their thinking getting clearer and more creative as they live their lives more fully.

The consistency of the results my students have gotten from this work has led me to search, and eventually define, key requirementsthe Nine Essentials for Vitalityfor our brains to wake up, grow beyond past limitation, and thrive, rewarding us with greater flexibility in body and mind, with enhanced strength, intelligence, well-being, and ability to relate to others. Once defined, anyone can benefit from the Nine Essentials.

In Move into Life, you will learn what the essentials are and how you can easily apply them in your daily life. The essentials are not a list of what you should do, or not do. They are the underpinnings, the conditions you can provide for your brain to be a better-working brain in whatever you do, and for you to thrive. They are easy to grasp, almost obvious, once you learn what they are. For each essential there is a vitality quotient questionnaire that will let you know how well you are doing with that essential. You can begin applying the essentials as you read about them and begin experiencing changes right away.

This book will help you discover what is possible for you. You don't need to have a problem or experience limitation to obtain great benefit from the Nine Essentials. Life's inevitable stresses and challenges bring wear and tear on everyone's vitality. If you feel stuck, bored, low on energy, or resigned or hopeless in any area of your life, or if you have an injury or illness, your brain needs extra help to move you out of your rut and into life. Your brain can move to higher levels of functioning and infuse you with greater delight, energy, creativity, and success. My hope is for you to pick up this book, read it, and begin applying the essentials right away. My certainty is that when you do, your life will become richer, more interesting and fulfilling, and you will be rewarded with the vitality and joy that you seek.