Practicing Intentional Acts of Kindness

Testimonials

Here are some things people are saying about Alan...

"Alan has a marvelous way of bringing The FELDENKRAIS METHOD® alive. Alan is a masterful teacher whose depth of knowledge, clarity, and brilliant delivery makes learning easy and fun. Thank you, Alan. Learning from you marked a profound and positive turning point for me in the FELDENKRAIS METHOD®.” Lindagail Campbell, NLP Trainer and FELDENKRAIS® Trainee.

"I always participate in advanced trainings, supervisions or public workshops with Alan Questel and I am very happy that he is starting a new training here in Sweden in 2008. Hopefully there will be more opportunities to meet with him. With a warm, kind and openhearted attitude, he creates an atmosphere where its easy to be yourself, learn and actually grow as a human being. He has a special sense of humor which shouldn’t be underestimated in a learning process. Every question seems important to Alan and as a good teacher, he answers in many different ways and always with respect. So its easy, with Alan to ask ‘stupid’ questions. He is a great representative of the FELDENKRAIS METHOD®, as he never stops being curious and inventive. The things I have learned from Alan are practical and I use them all a lot. His thinking and how he utilizes the FELDENKRAIS METHOD® really works in an outstanding way!” Harriet Persson, Physical Therapist and FELDENKRAIS® Practitioner.

"Working with Alan is always a transformative experience. He is able to communicate his deep understanding of the human condition with clarity while always creating an enjoyable, supportive, and inviting environment to explore and change in. Learning with Alan is a joy and a gift.” Phyllis Friedman, Guild Certified FELDENKRAIS® Practioner® and Coordinator and Mentor of the FELDENKRAIS Program® for Disabled Students at the College of Marin.

"Alan Questel is an inspiring and engaging teacher. His approach is systematic and creative, his persona warm and caring and his humor makes the whole thing even more fun!" Yvan Joly, FELDENKRAIS® Trainer.

"Alan's passion for learning and his profound grasp of FELDENKRAIS® principles have inspired me for the last 15 years. He is patient and supportive, with a famous sense of humor and a fresh approach to the training process that remains faithful to Moshe's original intention - to fulfill our avowed and unavowed dreams. If you haven't had a chance to study with him - what are you waiting for?" Lavinia Plonka, GCFP, Author of What Are You Afraid Of? and Walking Your Talk.

"The nature of the FELDENKRAIS METHOD® can be elusive and the benefits similarly complex to articulate. Alan Questel has the facility to convey the intricacies of the Method to people in a way that is eminently "get-able". It is a rare gift to make the complex simple without diminishing it in any way. Alan performs this role with and for his audience - no matter what their background - so that people experience the nature and benefits in a way that feels individually tailored for them. the fact that he does this with great fun is the added bonus!" Susan Hillier PhD

"I had a great time training with Alan. Not only is he a fun (and funny) guy, but he has a knack for explaining things in a non-threatening way and creates a great learning environment. Recommended!". Bob Strahinjevich

It was a great experience to be in the Feldenkrais Training in Malmö with Alan Questel as our main teacher. The way he is teaching leaves respectfully space for personal development and growing. With warm and professional way he was guiding us through to Awareness through movements, a wonderful way of getting to know myself better. Sandra Brotschi

Alan’s gentle and humorous way of teaching helped me feel comfortable and confident in my learning during the Training. I also found his more philosophical moments deeply satisfying for my own interest of connecting movement to our inner world. His dynamic with the group as a whole was consistently kind, while still professionally managing aspects such as timing, difficulties and individual needs. Brigit Cosgrove

I felt so blessed having Alan Questel as the Educational Director in my Feldenkrais training. He made the entire experience a real joy for me. He created a truly safe space where we could all learn deeply about ourselves and grow. I always felt able to discuss anything with him, and to receive support, understanding and empathy from someone who was really present and deeply listening. Alan's style of teachin is fun and creative. He encouraged us to question everything, allowing us to be the director of our own learning experience. I came out of the training feeling extremely confident about my abilities as a Feldenkrais Practitioner due to the way Alan ran the training. Don't be fooled but the fact that Alan can keep you in fits of laughter, Alan is a very deep-thinking, wise, awake man, has true mastery of the Feldenkrais Method, and always has the highest learning of his students at heart. Tahnee Wolf BA/LLB, BCL (Oxon)

My Feldenkrais Training in Malmö, Sweden gave me more than I expected! A much better self-image, a second profession, a richer life and a strong will to share this with others. Alan Questel, the educational director, is not just a good professional in teaching the Feldenkrais Method. He always tried to make the best out of our training for every student. His choice of trainers, assistant trainers and the training program were other wonderful examples for his will to make highly advanced Feldenkrais practitioners out of each of us. Modern brain research tells us that it's much easier to learn something new when we are having fun…Alan Questel is does that right away! Christian Hüls, clinical chemist, Feldenkrais practitioner and improv dancer

I found Alan's presence and leadership during my Feldenkrais practitioner training to be inspiring and life-changing. His commitment to fun and learning pervades his super-friendly teaching style and deeply considered methods. I always felt supported and relevant and so did every class. The engagement of all students was a sight to behold. I think I've never seen such complete involvement of an entire group before his sessions. I learnt deeply because I was deeply involved in what Alan presented, far beyond any linear education formula. Pete Cohen

Alan's inclusive teaching style and his genuine care for all his students created a very supportive learning environment throughout the training. The training brought profound changes in my life and inevitable challenges. I felt able to approach Alan with any issues and his depth of experience, warmth and humour are a valuable and integral part of his teaching. Nicola Ohly-Smith

My Feldenkrais training was a life changing experience. I learned how to learn. Alan's teaching is easy to absorb, fun and with such a wealth of experience to draw from I really felt I was in good hands. After breaking both my legs in a motorcycle accident I thought I'd healed ok. Through the training I discovered that my level of self awareness through movement could be vastly expanded and the untapped potential that lay waiting for me was and is incredibly inspiring. Thanks Alan, Dan Evans

The most important change that I’ve noticed in myself is a remarkable transformation of my skeletal posture and movement. This is reflected in a more comfortable walking as well as in my thoughts: they flow more easily, and I am less judgmental of the things that come to my mind, no longer thinking in terms of what I “like” and what I “dislike”. I feel like honey. My patients and my friends feel more comfortable with me. I feel that I have much more happiness in my life and this definitely has an impact on the people around me. I am more vital and more creative, so much, that the words that I write in this very moment come out in colors. I feel a lot of internal peace, I think that every day my eyes are more open, I see with more clarity, and I like the route that my life has taken. I am now able to say NO without feeling guilty. No, because I need to rest; no, because I do not wish to do that; no, because I prefer this other thing. I am choosing what my organism requires from me (rest, quietness, no rush). It is wonderful to be able to teach my patients some movements and sense their response, especially in the back, the shoulders, the hips and the pelvis. -Rosmery Naranjo, physiotherapist, Medellín, Colombia

I feel that I have changed a lot and that the process of change is continuous. Now I tolerate the changes that used to cause me difficulty and anguish, I can see things from a new perspective. Once again, thank you for this project, thank you for sharing so much wisdom and experience, and thank you for your support in this process of personal transformation. -Diana Sánchez, physiotherapist. Bogotá, Colombia

I was trained in theater, first as an actress, then as a director, and maybe this is why I feel a sort of complicity with Alan, because he also traveled the same path. I feel confidence in him, because I know that he can understand my language, my doubts, and even my mistakes. When you take the path of art, it is important to find the appropriate teacher. I have had some teachers that I idealized, some others I idolized, some I loved, some I hated, teachers I did not understand, teachers I did not believe in, and some others I feared. But with Alan it is different, he does not only know deeply the method and the thinking of Moshe Feldenkrais, he also has the gift of teaching a knowledge that in no way resembles the formal education that is imposed upon us, an education that, in relation with the body, is very limiting and does not give us tools to hear our own body. For me, Alan Questel is defined by the most authentic generosity I have found in a teacher. He is always available to listen and he has a great sense of respect for the processes of each person. He is a teacher you can allow even into your darkest places, the disagreeable parts that you want to hide from the rest of the world, and you can do that with the certainty that you are in a safe place with him. He is a teacher that does not lose his compass, and who knows how to lead the students in this process of learning how to learn, of navigating our own geography with all its accidents. I think that all I have left to say is that I feel fortunate and thankful. -Elizabeth Ramírez Suárez, theater professor. Bogotá, Colombia

The Feldenkrais training has become an oasis in my life, a light of hope to recover my own sensitivity and the understanding of my processes, and to leave aside the search for a “perfect” state of well-being that I had wrongly embarked upon. Alan is an amazing teacher and director. Thank you. -Yadira Porras, musician. Cali, Colombia

A Feldenkrais training is something wonderful, and it becomes an even more enriching experience with Alan transmitting security, conviction and his great sense of humor. Feldenkrais is recovering your mobility, being aware of your body, of your skeleton, of how you move, re-learning, changing bad habits and realizing that you are capable of doing many things. Feldenkrais is feeling at ease with yourself and with your life, knowing that you can help others. Feldenkrais is waking up in the morning full of enthusiasm and with the desire to practice the movements. What else can I say? That I feel fortunate of knowing this method, that my teachers are very special human beings and that I am just beginning this process. I hope that Alan can share his wonderful gift with many more people. Cecilia Madriñan. Cali, Colombia

I think that Alan has a great capacity as director and trainer, because he really understands the dynamics of the experience that each one of his students is going through. With this in mind, Alan guides the students through the physical, mental and emotional processes in a personalized way, making each one of us to feel supported and creating a fun environment where we acquire an enriching learning that can be applied in all the aspects of our lives. Alan is a person that not only has a “traditional” knowledge, but who also enriches his teaching with new options, adapting to the needs of the contemporary human beings in a rapidly changing world. Also, he sets a rhythm that is appropriate for recognizing the changes that occur in the students during the training. In my personal experience, and after many experiences and many teachers, I feel very proud and comforted for having found a persona like Alan to support me and guide me in my process. For me, he is an excellent guarantee certificate of experience for my learning of the Feldenkrais Method. -Rómulo Jaramillo, psychologist . Cali, Colombia

The best thing a person interested in the Feldenkrais Method can do is studying with Alan Questel: they will be confronted with their own experiences, they will grow, and they will acquire knowledge from different sources, because the trainers and the team he puts together are as wonderful as he is. How to make the difficult easy? How to become an autonomous and aware individual? These are big questions that require an equally big patience and dedication. And when you study under Alan’s direction you can be sure that you are in the right path for this. Alan is with you both during the segments and in between them, with hospitality, openness and joy. What else can you ask for? We have read about the inclusive character of the Feldenkrais work, of the utter respect of the method for the person’s individuality. But it is one thing to read or to hear about it, and it is a very different thing to live it, to experience it and to learn it. With Alan, you go step by step, little by little, with pleasure, with love, in a gratifying process that leads you to understand more of your individuality and your universality, more of life itself. -Verónica Garat. Argentina.

As a yoga teacher for more than ten years, I am convinced that a teacher who guides me through a path of learning is even more important than the technique or the knowledge itself. In Alan I have found an authentic teacher, one of my best teachers: he is joyful, kind and he has a way with people; he has great technical skills and a deep knowledge of the Feldenkrais Method. All of this has allowed me to apprehend my somatic learning in a way that is more human, agreeable and effective than I could have expected. Alan’s bright sense of humor reminds me of the authentic wisdom of the great teachers, who use humor as a vehicle for sharing knowledge. -Carlos Holguin, Yoga professor. Cali, Colombia

“Alan, Thank you very much for teaching us with a lot of enthusiasm, sincerity and warmth. I was touched with your attitude in teaching. I felt you tired to tell us every essence of the Feldenkrais Method. Sometimes you showed us your weaknesses openly and you always encouraged us in various ways. I also greatly enjoyed your jokes. Your warmth and sense of humor made the atmosphere of this training room comfortable. I hope you keep transmitting your warmth and kindness to the people around you through this method.” -Nouko Onuki, Feldenkrais Practitioner, Japan

Practicing Intentional Acts of Kindness Book

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