You Have the Power to Feel Good in Your Body Again
It Used to Be So Easy
You’ve always loved moving your body, but lately, you’re not feeling so good.
Throughout your life, you’ve enjoyed all kinds of activities: walking, running, playing sports, martial arts, yoga, dancing, gardening, cooking, hiking, horseback riding, golfing, pilates, working out in a gym. You appreciate your body for what it allows you to do every day, so it’s very challenging to find yourself in pain, to feel out of touch with your body, and not able to move comfortably and freely.
Or, you may not have pain, but you know your body isn’t working quite right. You seem to be falling a lot or feeling off balance. You are unsteady on your feet. You can tell your walk is stiff and tentative. Your body isn’t moving as smoothly as it did before.
You can no longer walk for more than 15 minutes without back pain, so you’re reluctant to go for a walk with your spouse or friends or kids. You are feeling apprehensive about hiking, not knowing how your body is going to react later. You are finding Yoga practice not as comfortable and enjoyable as it did before, and it doesn’t feel quite right for your body. You have stopped working out in a gym because you fear that you might injure yourself and you don’t know what is too much, what’s good and what’s bad for your body. You are feeling dragging to get yourself to do gardening because your back doesn’t allow you to do gardening comfortably.
When Your Body Doesn't Feel Right, Nothing Does
Physical challenges aren't just physical. They seep into every part of your life, affecting your mood, your relationships, and even your sense of self. You might find yourself more irritable, anxious, or even sad because you're not moving as freely as you once did.
You’ve Tried Everything... But Nothing Works
You’ve tried physical therapy/physiotherapy only to get prescribed stretching and strengthening exercises that were not only hard for your body but also very uncomfortable and even painful. You followed through with the prescribed exercises for some time, but you got very little improvement, sometimes you got even worse. You were given so many exercises, but they never explained to you why you needed to do those exercises, and how they can help you improve your conditions.
You’ve had injections to your hip that lasted only for a few months if you were lucky. You’ve tried physical therapy for your lower back and were told to strengthen your core muscles and work on your posture. So you did what they told you to do for weeks and months, but that didn’t really change your experience much. When physical therapy didn’t work for you, your doctor suggested a spinal fusion.
The only thing your doctor is suggesting is pain pills, injections, and/or surgery (hip replacement, knee replacement, spinal fusion, bunion surgery, etc). Your doctor keeps suggesting surgery; physical therapy doesn’t seem to relieve that lower back pain. You know it’s not sustainable to keep popping pain killers. Everything you have tried only addressed the surface but never addressed the root problem and never addressed your body, you as a whole.
You’ve tried everything—yet nothing seems to bring lasting relief. These approaches might provide temporary relief, but nothing has helped you to a point where you can get back to what you love to do and get back to the YOU who is very active, finds joy and pleasure moving his/her body. They treat your body in parts, not as the connected whole you intuitively know it is.
You Sense Your Body is a Whole Not Parts
Those exercises only focused on the isolated parts but never addressed the whole body. Nothing you’ve tried has given you the awareness of your body and has taught you to notice your body. You searched for information on the internet and asked your friends for information only to learn that there’s an overwhelming amount of information and that left you feeling more overwhelmed and confused.
Even though you don’t know what’s underneath the surface, you intuitively know that all parts of your body are connected (body parts, body, mind, nervous system), so you need to work with your body holistically, and you know that your body and nervous system have innate ability and wisdom. You really want to take full ownership of your body and improve your body as a whole in a natural way. You are actually really ready to put your time and energy into changing this experience.
The traditional methods you’ve tried haven’t given you the awareness or tools to truly connect with your body. Even though you don’t know what’s underneath the surface, you intuitively know that your body is more than just a collection of parts—it’s an interconnected whole. You want to take ownership of your body and improve it naturally and holistically. You are actually really ready to put your time and energy into changing this experience, but you’re unsure where to start.
Your Dream of Feeling Good in Your Body Again
You might be wondering if this is how it is, If you need to accept these physical limitations. Or just go ahead and get the surgery even though you’re hoping there is another way.
You dream of moving freely and confidently, without the constant worry of pain or discomfort. You long to get back to being active, joyful, and connected with your body. But you're overwhelmed by the endless options and unsure which path to take.
My Journey Back to Loving Moving Again
Like you, I was once deeply connected to my body. As a kid, I loved nothing more than moving—riding my bike, practicing martial arts, or running through the woods on any given day.
When I grew up, I wanted to learn more about and study the body, so I got my degrees in exercise science, kinesiology, and physical rehabilitation. Bit by bit, though, I seemed to lose my love and joy of moving.
I was a competitive rugby player for over 17 years and had many injuries (broken fingers, wrist, ankles, shoulder ligament tear, multiple concussions, ACL tear, surgery, MCL tear, meniscal tear, hip labral tear, central herniation of cervical discs, lumbar disc herniations, and more). It’s not surprising that I had suffered constant pain in my body.
As I became a movement coach and therapist, I applied what I learned to my body. All movements and exercises I learned felt quite awkward, uncomfortable, unnatural, and even wrong for my body even though they were supposed to be correct according to the research and experts. I couldn’t quite understand why I felt that way, but I intuitively knew something wasn’t right.
It wasn’t until I discovered Feldenkrais method that I started to get back to that childlike joy . I realized that I had become more of an outside observer for my body and I had forgotten how to be in my body, and learn about my body from the inside. I was so pleasantly surprised to have been reminded that this is exactly how I used to learn about my body and movement, just like when I learned how to ride a bicycle for the very first time. It was such an eye opening realization that my body is unique, how my body wants to move is also unique, and so is my experience in my body.
Once I reconnected with my body and started to sense my body and observe my body and movement from the inside, I started to understand how my body wanted to move, how I could move more naturally, easily, and comfortably. It felt so great. It sparked the joy in my body that I had forgotten for a long time. I felt like a kid who discovered a treasure map in a forest. Although I always loved moving my body, I never enjoyed lifting weights, running on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, doing repetitive mechanical exercises. I did those things because I had to for what I was doing at that time (sports). For the same reason, I always hated running for the sake of exercising and training.
Now, I very much enjoy walking and jogging because I feel the joy of movement and I love feeling the connection with my body, and enjoy exploring different ways of moving my body, discovering ways of moving that gives me more ease, comfort, and joy! I find a pleasure connecting with my body, exploring my body and movement, getting to know my body, myself more each day through my practice.
That’s the feeling I want for you.
A New Way to Think About Your Body
You may think the problem is your knee (or your back or your foot), but actually it’s not. What appears on the surface (the ache, the twinge, the stiffness) is what you notice, so you think of that as the problem. What you may not realize is what is underneath the surface: the relationship/connection between your problem area(s) and other parts of your body. When you realize your problem is connected to the whole, then you can start to experience your body as an interconnected whole clearly and experience more ease and comfort with your movement in your body.
Pain Can Be An Invitation to Connect with Your Body
When you realize that your body is unique and how your body wants to move may be different from anyone else, then you can start to connect with your own body and own sensory experience to know what feels right and what doesn’t. That is not decided by others, but by you based on your own experience, and you can feel more natural and authentic.
When you realize that it’s not about finding an expert to fix you, but becoming the expert in your body, then you start to focus more on how you sense your body and how you move from the inside, and start to learn about your body and how you move from the inside.
Become the Expert in How Your Body Wants to Move
The more you know about your body, and the more trust you have in your body, the more confidence you will have in your body, and the more secure you will feel.
We are culturally trained to push ourselves and work harder in order to overcome our challenges, so as you discover your habitual patterns, you will likely work harder to change your patterns with more physical effort, which actually works against you. Changing your movement patterns doesn’t actually mean working harder; it actually means becoming more curious and creative about how you move and discovering different ways of moving.
While you may think that your limitations are in your body and your body’s functions naturally decline as you age, the truth is that your nervous system and body have the ability to change and improve regardless of your conditions, age, circumstance.
What you believe is a body limitation is actually not just a body limitation because your body and nervous system are neurologically connected. How you move and use your body is a reflection of how your nervous system interacts with your body.
You forget all the ways you learned as a kid to stand, walk, skip, and run. You forget that you can still learn how to move by playing, and exploring, and experimenting. You don’t realize that your mindset about your body is keeping you stuck in your old patterns.
Retrain Your Nervous System instead of “Fixing” Your Body Problems
Your nervous system is keeping you stuck in your patterns. When you shift your mindset from “fixing/correcting your body” to playing, exploring, and experimenting (when you shift your nervous system), then you will begin to discover new ways of moving, and you will be more connected to your body. You will then discover ways you can move and use your body comfortably and easily.
Through exploration, you might discover that you are putting your weight on your toes when you walk, and it actually feels better when your weight is further back on your foot. You might discover that you are habitually sitting on your tailbone, and your back and neck feel much more comfortable when you sit clearly on your sitbones. You start to shift your body weight from hip to hip to discover which placement feels the best, when you walk, you notice how your hips move, and you have fun trying different ways of moving.
You Can Feel Like a Kid Again
When you learn how to connect with your body and learn to sense your body and movement from the inside, you start to move more organically and feel how all your body parts are connected. You realize how you can move as a whole, and you start to feel more authentic.
You feel like a kid again in some ways, moving through the world with more ease and enjoying the sensation of moving freely. You start to have the confidence that you can not only feel better now but also take care of your body for your lifetime, exploring, adjusting, and changing as your body changes.
The Skills You Learn Will Help You Navigate a Lifetime of Body Changes
Even when you slip back into your old habitual patterns and experience a sciatic nerve attack or back spasm, you have the tools, skills, and resources within yourself and know-how to get yourself back to a pain-free life, enjoying your life, and trusting your body.
Life is unpredictable and presents you with all kinds of challenges, but that confidence in your body and the trust you have in your own process translate into how you present and carry yourself in the world with confidence. You know that you have faith in your ability to overcome challenges and limitations of all kinds. The ease in your body translates into ease in your life, influencing how you navigate through your life and fostering ease in your relationships with others and your environment. Freedom in your body and movement allows you to move effortlessly in your life. Finally, for the first time in a very long time, you will feel at home in your body, like children at home in themselves, discovering ease, joy, pleasure, and comfortable ways to move. You are no longer limited by age, condition, or circumstance to the smaller and less comfortable life you had accepted as normal.
That’s Why I Created the Understanding How YOUR BODY Moves Method Course
This course is designed to guide you through seven essential elements that will help you become the best expert in your body. By exploring the full map of your body systematically, you’ll gain the confidence to overcome challenges and limitations, and the knowledge to keep growing for a lifetime.
A Story of Transformation: David Lambson
“After what felt like an endless journey through hundreds of sessions spanning physical therapy, Bikram Yoga, chiropractic treatments, and Gyrotonics, I stumbled upon something—or rather someone—truly remarkable. That someone is Taro, my Feldenkrais teacher.
For years, I grappled with the aftermath of a torn ACL, an injury that ultimately led to a knee replacement. It was a challenging path, one filled with adjustments and compensations. But then I met Taro. His approach through Feldenkrais was the first that didn't just band-aid the symptoms but delved into the root of my issues, teaching me not just what to fix, but how.
Each session with Taro brought new revelations, those "a-ha" moments that anyone who has struggled with chronic pain or physical limitations dreams of. It's not just about the exercises or the movements; it's about relearning how your body can and should move, and Taro is a master at guiding this journey.
I'm not alone in my experience. I've joined a growing list of individuals who have had their lives transformed by Taro's expertise and the Feldenkrais method. It's not an overstatement to say that working with Taro has been life-changing. The path to recovery is often long and winding, but with Taro's guidance, it's a journey marked by profound learning and genuine improvement.
To anyone considering Feldenkrais or seeking a way out of chronic pain and limited mobility, I cannot recommend Taro enough. His knowledge, patience, and ability to connect with his students are unparalleled. Thank you, Taro, for opening a door to healing and mobility that I thought was permanently closed.”
How This Course Will Change How You Feel in Your Body
In this training, I guide you through seven key elements that will help you become the best expert of your body, allowing you to move more easily and joyfully through the world.
Retrain Your Nervous System Through Movement Exploration Fixing your body mechanically won't address the root of your problem because your nervous system maintains old patterns. By embracing curiosity, creativity, and flexibility in your movements, you'll retrain your movement patterns and discover more optimal ways of moving. Through movement exploration, you'll rewire your nervous system, create new neural pathways, and establish a new relationship with your body.
Trust Yourself Over Outside Experts You learn about your body by feeling and sensing it. Your experience is unique, and only you can truly connect with it. In a world saturated with information, it's easy to get overwhelmed by external opinions. But the real answers lie within you. Trust your own process because the resources you need to overcome challenges are already within you.
Focus on What Feels Good When You Move How smoothly, comfortably, and effortlessly you move matters more than adhering to external standards. Western culture often emphasizes structural correction, but your body's experience is what truly counts. By focusing on what feels good, you'll reconnect with your body and move with greater ease and pleasure.
Notice the Range of Sensations in Your Body Daily Connecting with your body requires regular practice. As you become more attuned to your body, you'll notice subtle sensations and become more aware of how you move. This awareness allows you to discover new, more optimal ways of moving. Take this practice into your daily life to truly change your habitual patterns.
Understand That Your Body Functions as a Whole Modern culture often compartmentalizes the body, but in reality, all parts of your body and mind are interconnected. By recognizing that your body functions as a whole, you'll approach movement and well-being with a more holistic perspective.
Embrace Your Unique Way of Moving Your body is unique, and so is the way it wants to move. Don't let external experts dictate what's right for you. By embracing your body's natural inclinations, you'll become the best expert in your body.
Recognize That Your Body is Always Changing The body is constantly changing, and so is what feels good. By understanding this, you'll learn to adapt and move with these changes, continuously improving the quality of your movement and life.
How the Understanding How YOUR BODY Moves Course Works
In the "Understanding How Your Body Moves Method" course, you’ll learn these seven principles through guided explorations of your body and movements and apply them systematically throughout your body. By working directly with your body, you’ll retrain your nervous system and movement patterns, allowing these principles to come to life.
Module 1: Introduction to Key Concepts and Principles
Module 2: Building the Foundations for YOUR Optimal Movement
Module 3: Exploring Optimal Hip & Low Back Movements (Straight Plane)
Module 4: Exploring Optimal Hip & Low Back Movements (Rotational Plane)
Module 5: Exploring Optimal Hip & Low Back Movements (Diagonal Plane)
Module 6: Applying Optimal Hip & Low Back Movements to Walking
Module 7: Integrating Neck & Shoulders with Torso, Hips, and Pelvis
Module 8: Integrating Knees & Ankles with Torso, Hips, and Pelvis
Module 9: Integrating Breath with Movement for Optimal Posture and Functions
Module 10: Now What? Continuing Your Journey
Here’s How You’ll Work Through the Course:
Daily Practice: Watch and practice the module lessons daily (~15 minutes).
Practical Application: Apply the principles and new movement patterns to your daily activities.
Learning Journal: Write down daily observations and reflections in a learning journal. Email me your journal, and share your insights with other students in the private Facebook community.
Zoom Sessions: We’ll meet on Zoom 5 times over the course of 10-12 weeks for coaching and mentoring.
Ongoing Support: You'll have lifetime access to me via Zoom, email, and the private Facebook community for coaching and mentoring whenever you need it.
What You Get From Taking Understanding How Your Body Moves
A deeper understanding of your body based on your lived experience.
A stronger connection to your body and heightened body awareness.
The ability to recognize movements that are beneficial or harmful to YOUR body.
Increased confidence and authenticity in your body.
Easier, more comfortable, and joyful movement.
The skills to explore and continue improving your movement throughout life.
A Story of Transformation: Lydia Hwang
"I unequivocally recommend Taro’s “Understanding How YOUR BODY Moves Method” program for anyone looking for a full and enriching experience of one’s body. Taro’s gentle, caring, whole, and thoughtful approach to the body and movement have been invaluable to me in the past few months.
The online course oriented my awareness to the optimal movement principles, and during the Zoom calls, Taro consistently guided me to find answers from within. Within a week of applying Taro’s optimal movement principles, I no longer had lower back pain after walking or sitting for a period of time. My tennis game has improved quite a bit, and I now fully flex my left knee after a high-grade LCL sprain.
Most profoundly, as I worked with Taro, I slowly became aware of a deep sense of “unsafety” in my body. Taro held a deeply present and compassionate space as I cried out the dread. In the weeks that followed, I began to feel safe in my body, possibly for the first time. I now experience my body with ease and freedom, which has also translated to greater ease in my relationships.
On the whole, my experience of my body is qualitatively and fundamentally different after the awareness and approach Taro has shared. Taro’s presence, awareness, knowledge, and wisdom are a gift! I would highly recommend his program!"
Get Started Today Feeling Better in Your Body
The "Understanding How YOUR BODY Moves Method" will help you transform your experience of living and moving in YOUR body. It teaches you the tools and skills to keep your body feeling good for a lifetime.
This course is application-only, as I can only work with a limited number of people at a time. I want to ensure that this course is truly a good fit for you, so we’ll meet on Zoom to discuss your needs and goals before you can enroll.
Investment in Your Health & Well-being
Why This Investment in Yourself Makes Sense:
Even with insurance, you might pay nearly $1,000 for a series of physical therapy sessions that may not provide lasting relief.
You could be out thousands of dollars for surgery that may not offer lasting relief and could keep you out of work for weeks.
Regular acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic treatments can easily cost hundreds of dollars a month without addressing the root cause of your pain.
Living with pain or discomfort can cost you time with loved ones, career opportunities, and the full enjoyment of life.
For a $2,200 investment in your health and wellness, you gain lifetime access to the "Understanding How YOUR BODY Moves Method" course.
This course offers immediate change in how you feel and teaches you lifelong skills for enjoying your body and your life. Over eight weeks, or longer, you’ll learn skills that will bring immediate change in how you feel and help you enjoy life in your body for a lifetime.
If you are tired of spending money on approaches that aren’t working, you’ll want to sign up and take the "Understanding How YOUR BODY Moves Method" course.
Take the Next Step: Book a Conversation with Me
During our conversation, we’ll discuss:
Your Journey: What you’ve tried, what’s helped, and where you want to go.
Course Details: Learn more about the "Understanding How YOUR BODY Moves Method."
Fit: Determine if this course is right for you.
No hard sell—just a genuine exploration of whether this course is right for you.
*If no slots are available, please email me from the “Contact” page, and I will add you to the waiting list.