Pelvis Lifting and Rotating on Its Axis, Part 1 (Patrons)

Part 1 works well as a standalone lesson, or you can continue on to Part 2 after at least a short break.

Unlock profound ease for your chest, spine, and hips in this challenging and rewarding Moshe Feldenkrais original. To develop an image for the unusual movements of your pelvis you'll first get to know the difference between rolling and rotating your head. Framed by brief reference movements in floor- or chair-seated as spatial presence is explored.

More Challenging  back-lying 

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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.

Tip – Rewinding

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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 – 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 – 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 – 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 – Technical Difficulties

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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.

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.

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 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 – 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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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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  • Comfort & Configuration
  • Clarifications
  • Context
  • Related Lessons
  • Source

Mentioned in the recording but worth repeating: whenever one or both knees are bent they should be quite bent, so that your foot or feet are relatively near your buttocks, if comfort allows. In this position the foot or feet are always about the same distance from your midline as your hips.

“Thoracic” refers to the body region of your ribs. Your thoracic spine is the 12 vertebrae below your neck and above your lower back. Each thoracic vertebra has a pair of ribs attached to it.

When lifting your pelvis, take care to enjoy the full support of the soles of your feet, not just the heel or toes. This may require special care later in the lesson when you lift your pelvis with the support of only one foot. Additionally, during those final one-knee-bent variations, be sure to keep your knee pointed at the ceiling, not leaning inward, as you lift your pelvis asymmetrically.

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

It was recorded in The FP Weekly Pay-What-You-Can Class on April 8, 2025, in a sequence of lessons emphasizing the role of Presence in learning. The live recording has been edited to improve flow, clarity, and audio quality.

Part 2, recorded a week later, can be found here.

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