Origins of Sensory Awareness

Elsa Gindler and Heinrich Jacoby developed this approach to a more natural way of functioning in

Germany in the 1920’s. With their students they explored possibilities to overcome habitual behavior

and hindrances in order to allow the person’s inner potential to develop. The focus was on reconnecting

with the organism’s innate tendencies to balance, renew and heal. Many students of Gindler and Jacoby

have devoted their lives to this work, teaching in many countries. Thanks to Charlotte Selver it has

become an important daily life practice for many people. She decided to call it “Sensory Awareness”.

Through her work Charlotte was an important factor in the development of the Human Potential

Movement and Humanistic Psychology.

People like Eric Fromm, Alan Watts, Fritz Perls and Ida Rolf studied with her.

Text by Stefan Laeng-Gilliatt