Improving Rotation, Embracing Our Differences (Patrons)

See the Context tab for links to recommended prerequisite lessons.

Back-lying, often using the self-hug configuration, as well as front-lying. Learning to better sense, differentiate, and skillfully integrate turning your head, neck, shoulders, chest, spine, and pelvis.

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!

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.

Tip – what to wear

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

Tip – Technical Difficulties

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Tip – Got Questions?

Questions? Am I doing it right? How do I study if I don’t have an hour? How often should I study? I can’t get comfortable – what should I do? See our FAQ!

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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.

Browser/device size and audio player

Tech tip: On mobile or tablet? Once you start playing the audio, your device’s native playback controls should work well.

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 – How to find lessons

How to find lessons and courses: Use the checkboxes and advanced options on our Lesson Search to apply powerful filters. Alternatively, try Searchable User Comments or our Birds Eye View.

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 – 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 – 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 – Join!

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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.

Tip – Comments

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!

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 1 – Interrupted?

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

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We offer over 50 free lessons, but this one's just for Patrons. You can learn about it in the free lesson notes and comments below. To access the audio, join The FP at the Patron level. Learn more

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This lesson assumes you’re an experienced Felden-fan, familiar with back-lying self-hug lessons as well as lessons in front-lying configurations. The Context tab points to two recommended prerequisites.

Whenever you’re resting on your belly feel free to turn your head to one side or the other as suits your comfort.

We’ve created three Feldenkrais Project lessons, including this one, out of recordings of a sequence of classes taught in Jan-Feb 2021 called “Embracing Our Differences”. This is #3.

They appear in order in our Deep Dive called The Illusion of Isolation, in the blue box.

Click here to read about the “Embracing Our Differences” somatic metaphor.

This lesson can also be found in Patron Treasures, our collection of lessons exclusively for Feldenkrais Project Patron-level donors.

It was recorded in a live Zoom class on February 23, 2021 then edited for flow and clarity.

Members and Patrons. Learn more or login:

Members and Patrons. Learn more or login:

Got a question for Nick, or a thought about this lesson?

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2 Comments

  1. Lorraine on October 2, 2021 at 2:29 am

    I found these isolated movements very difficult when I first tried belly dancing and felt a bit of a failure because it was all so difficult for me. I wish I had had access to this lesson then. Anyway I feel much better about myself after this lesson, so more was changed than I expected.

  2. Simon Wacker on July 20, 2025 at 3:24 am

    After the lesson I played with various head rolling and rotating variations overlaying side bending in or against the rolling/rotating direction by gliding. What I found interesting was attempting to transition seamlessly between various options, for example, from rolling with the back of the head while isolating the forehead to rotating in the spinal axis to rolling with the forehead while isolating the back of the head and in reverse.

    Instead of using my hands under my head to roll/rotate/glide on, I also played with having a blanket under and pulling with the hands on the blanket from side to side or up/below or in some other angles. When the pulling is done from the shoulder cloak and rib basket some interesting overlayed movements happen.

    Endless possibilities for further explorations. Thanks for the inspiration.

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