Gathering the Spine, Stepping Down

Recorded live in a Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement (ATM) class, this audio lesson is copyright Nick Strauss-Klein, for personal use only. This and all our lessons are 100% donor-supported.

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• Check out Comfort & Configuration for this lesson, below. Click the other blue headings if you’re curious.

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Back-lying, side-lying, and transitioning into side-lying, refining and harnessing your image of your spine's bias and action as it relates to (and powers) the stepping down of your feet. All toward reorganizing your gait.

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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.

Study tip: Wear loose, comfortable clothes that are warm enough for quiet movement. Remove or avoid anything restrictive like belts or glasses.

Study tip: Interrupted or don’t have an hour? You can return to the lesson later today or tomorrow. Read how best to continue your learning on our FAQ page.

Project tip: Leave a lesson comment below! It’s a great way to give feedback or ask a question, and it helps google find us so we can achieve The Feldenkrais Project’s vision!

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.

Tech tip: On mobile? Depending on screen size, the audio player appears differently. Try landscape mode or start playback then use your phone’s audio controls.

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!

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.

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

Study tip: Many instructions are repeated. If you get a little lost, rest and listen. You’ll often find your way. If you need it, use the 10 seconds back button.

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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.

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.

Comfort & Configuration
Curiosities
Context
Download
Source
Related Lessons

For a variety of reasons this lesson is a bit more challenging than most other Feldenkrais Project lessons. It’s fine for all who have at least a little ATM experience, so be sure you’ve explored your way through earlier lessons in this collection, and earlier collections.
Early in the lesson you’re asked to extend your arm “overhead,” and “overhead on the floor.” As always in my ATMs, these directions are relative to YOU. Since you’re lying on your back at the time, overhead means on the floor, not extended into the air toward the ceiling (which is in front of you, not overhead). If this isn’t comfortable for your arm it can be on the floor out to the side as much as is necessary for it to be restful, rather than straight upwards on the floor.

Here at the end of our collection called Learning the Limbs, from the Center, we directly explore how our most proximal, central structure (the spine) powers our legs and gait.

Learning to sense and use your primary spinal bias to your advantage in day-to-day movements is profoundly important work that can lead to significant quality of life improvements.

This bias is introduced and explored more thoroughly in our collection called Lessons for Freeing the Spine, Chest, Shoulders, and Neck.

This lesson is found in the collection called Learning the Limbs, from the Center.

Like most of our lessons, this one can be studied out of context, but you may find additional learning value by approaching it in the order of the collection it’s in.

Members and Patrons only. Please login or join the Project to download this lesson’s MP3 file.

Members and Patrons only. Please login or join the Project to view Nick’s comments about sources he used while developing this lesson.

Members and Patrons only. Please login or join the Project to view related lesson titles and links.

Comfort & Configuration

For a variety of reasons this lesson is a bit more challenging than most other Feldenkrais Project lessons. It’s fine for all who have at least a little ATM experience, so be sure you’ve explored your way through earlier lessons in this collection, and earlier collections.
Early in the lesson you’re asked to extend your arm “overhead,” and “overhead on the floor.” As always in my ATMs, these directions are relative to YOU. Since you’re lying on your back at the time, overhead means on the floor, not extended into the air toward the ceiling (which is in front of you, not overhead). If this isn’t comfortable for your arm it can be on the floor out to the side as much as is necessary for it to be restful, rather than straight upwards on the floor.

Curiosities

Here at the end of our collection called Learning the Limbs, from the Center, we directly explore how our most proximal, central structure (the spine) powers our legs and gait.

Learning to sense and use your primary spinal bias to your advantage in day-to-day movements is profoundly important work that can lead to significant quality of life improvements.

This bias is introduced and explored more thoroughly in our collection called Lessons for Freeing the Spine, Chest, Shoulders, and Neck.

Context

This lesson is found in the collection called Learning the Limbs, from the Center.

Like most of our lessons, this one can be studied out of context, but you may find additional learning value by approaching it in the order of the collection it’s in.

Download