A Dynamic “Core” Lengthens the Spine (Patrons)
(Advanced lesson. Be sure to read Comfort & Configuration notes) Back-lying, often knees bent. Using a reference image of the five lines of the body, movements of folding the legs create gentle challenges to awareness and self-regulation as you first let the pelvis move freely, then later dynamically stabilize it. While the "core" reckons with the weight of the legs, you'll explore how to maintain simplicity and length in the spine, easy fullness of breathing, and efficiency of effort.
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I found this lesson very challenging. Having done many ballet and pilates classes I am familiar with the idea of moving a limb while lengthening the spine. It was difficult, though, to do this in a feldenkrais way, without excess effort. I think I will benefit from repeating this lesson with the sole aim of doing less.
Yes, I had a similar experience when I first studied this lesson: I feel at home with the concept, and yet in practice I found I had to be more careful than usual to continually reduce and reduce the effort and size of the movements. The benefits are worth the challenge of doing it truly minimally.
Thanks for commenting, and let us know how it goes next time around!
Doing this lesson a second time, I learned a great deal about how I move and about the options I have to move. When lifting a foot from the floor I observed that I can do this most efficiently at a particular point in the inhale. I realized that lengthening my spine lightens my legs and that this lengthening can share the work of lifting. It is very difficult for me not remember not to use excess effort but it was worth it.
I enjoyed the challenge. Used a lot of Pilates pelvic stabilization knowledge. Harder to refer to “coordination” cues, less familiar to me. It was definitely “ core “ work, very connected with the breath work.
Thank you Nick.
After doing the last three lessons in The Illusion of Isolation, I felt reorganized to move, felt my spine lengthen almost passively as I actively engaged my core. A huge difference in my experience.
A fantastic lesson! I believe, Feldenkrais said something like,”the problem may not be what’s most evident or obvious”. Imagining and attending to the spinal length, the breath, “not disturbing” the pelvis/head and just peeking at the obvious leg movements gave me a deeper understanding of Feldenkrais’ quote and what is meant by “the whole.’ Thank you, Nick.
HeyNick, did Lesson last nite—was challenging and confusing to me—seems like in years of ATM Lessons, there’s always this emphasis on ‘allowing/inviting’ the whole body to move—so when i first began lifting foot i enjoyed sensing the pelvis roll a bit to one side as well as ‘rock up+down’—I’m not understanding why we inhibited that movement in this lesson—?—and my lower back still feels a little tweaky this morning—do i need to do actual ‘ab/core’ exercises ??
Yes, this lesson is very unique in how it eventually inhibits the most common movements that want to happen as you lighten the foot. Instead it’s designed to encourage you to find your length and breath as you minimize the lifting until you can satisfy all these constraints comfortably. Try only lightening slightly if you do this one again, but take a few days off first. Check it out in context in our Illusion of Isolation Deep Dive course for a progression that can make it more accessible and illuminating.
Wonderful sense of length. I love the sequence of floating the pelvis to the ceiling by sending the knees away and then pushing towards the crown to end.