The One Shoulder Lesson (19 min, Patrons)

Side-lying. A brief, asymmetrical exploration of movements of one arm and shoulder in relationship with the whole self, intended to leave you curious about and learning from the differences created between the two sides of your body.

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 – 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.

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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 – 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 – 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 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 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 – 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!

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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.

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.

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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Once you’re lying on your chosen side you’re invited to rest your head on your arm or a folded towel. Please choose according to your comfort, and perhaps try both as the lesson progresses.

Lying on your side, all the movements of this lesson are done with the ceiling side arm extended directly toward the ceiling, standing up plumb in gravity. Please lower it for rest any time you wish, and even pause the recording and rest on your back at any time (just be sure to return to lying on the same side).

On a subsequent listening, if you’re reasonably comfortable lying on your non-preferred side it’s of course great to try this asymmetrical lesson in the other possible side-lying choice, with the other arm and shoulder doing the movements of the lesson.

This lesson is found in Patrons Monthly, our growing collection of new lessons (one or more added every month) for Feldenkrais Project Patron-level donors.

Like most of our lessons, this one can be studied out of context, but it also appears in our Deep Dive course called Shoulder Cloak, Rib Basket, Sliding Sternum.

It was recorded as the second lesson in my Twin Cities Feldenkrais 10 Year Celebration workshop. Patrons also have access to the full uncut workshop recording here.

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2 Comments

  1. Ann Thomson on September 9, 2021 at 1:30 pm

    At the end of this lesson, selecting my left shoulder,I had an overwhelming wish to come to standing from my left side. It seemed quite remarkable that this short lesson changed my long established habitual right side preference .I am 84yrs old.
    Ann

    • Nick Strauss-Klein on September 10, 2021 at 10:56 am

      Thanks for sharing! After more than 20 years of Feldenkrais I myself am still surprised by personal discoveries asymmetrical study can lead to.

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