Dynamic Balance: Stability Through Suppleness (Patrons)

Framed by brief explorations in standing, this mostly side-lying lesson presents gently de-stabilizing movements of the head and legs to help you explore and improve your balance in a supple, whole-self way.

Before you begin read this for practical tips and your responsibilities, and check out Comfort & Configuration below.

Recorded live in a Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement (ATM) class, this lesson is copyright Nick Strauss-Klein, for personal use only.

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Tip – Pause the recording

Study tip: If you’re really enjoying a movement and want to explore longer, or you just need a break for a while, pause the recording!

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Tip – Complete the Movement

Study tip: Complete one movement before beginning the next. You’ll improve faster if there’s enough time between movements that you feel fully at rest.

Tip – Directions are Relative

Study tip: Directions are always relative to your body. For example, if you’re lying on your back “up” is toward your head, and “forward” is toward the ceiling.

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Tip – LESSS is more

LESSS is more: Light, Easy, Small, Slow, & Smooth movements will ease pains and improve your underlying neuromuscular habits faster than any other kind of movement, no matter who you are or what your training is!

Tip – Rewinding

Study tip: Many instructions are repeated. If you get a little lost, rest and listen. You’ll often find your way. Or use the rewind button on the page or your mobile device.

Tip 1 – Interrupted?

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Tip – skip a lesson

Study tip: If you can’t find a comfortable way to do the initial movements or configuration of a lesson, it’s ok to skip it for now and go on to another lesson.

Tip 3 – Head Support

Study tip: It helps to have a large bath towel nearby when you start a lesson. You can fold it differently for comfortable head support in any configuration.

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Tip 4 – Padding

Study tip: Comfort first! Carpeted floors usually work well, but it’s great to have an extra mat or blanket nearby in case you need a softer surface in some configurations.

Tip 5 – Discomfort

Study tip: If a configuration or movement causes any increase in discomfort, or you feel you just don’t want to do it, don’t! Make it smaller and slower, adapt it, or rest and imagine.

Tip – Technical Difficulties

Tech tip: If you have any trouble with the audio player, reboot your browser. That solves most issues. If not, please contact Nick.

We offer over 50 free lessons, but this one's just for our Patron-level donors. You can learn about it in the free lesson notes and comments below, but to access the audio you’ll need to join The FP as a Patron. Learn more

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When you’re side-lying…

  • the floor-side leg is always bent comfortably in front of you to help you balance, even when you straighten the ceiling-side leg downward in line with your spine.
  • when supporting or lifting your head with your ceiling-side hand, always let your arm and shoulder do the work, not your neck muscles.
  • rest on your back as frequently as you wish, even when resting in side-lying is suggested (just remember which side you were on).

This lesson works well on its own but “last week” is mentioned at the start. That recording also became a Feldenkrais Project lesson, and it’s also related to balance. It is Sensing Stability: The Sacral Clock (Patrons).

Both lessons can be found in our Better Balance Deep Dive.

This lesson is found in Patrons Monthly, our collection of lessons exclusively for Feldenkrais Project Patron-level donors, with one or more new lessons added every month. It was recorded in a live Zoom class on Nov 17, 2020 then edited for flow and clarity.

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Members and Patrons. Learn more or login:

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1 Comment

  1. Sara Firman on September 3, 2023 at 12:21 pm

    I enjoyed how this really woke up my back in a pleasant gently pendulating way – now the entire back area feels warm and lively.

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