Free While Constrained: Quiet Head, Twisting Spine (Patrons)

Back-lying. In this lesson you'll explore your options for moving freely while your head is constrained under the gentle weight of your hands. Among other benefits, it's designed to improve everyday movements of the carriage of the head, as well as the coordination and ease of our whole self while we orient our head one way and move our bodies another.

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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.

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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 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 – 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 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 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.

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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.

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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 – 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.

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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 – 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.

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

Once the constrained head configuration begins (around 8 minutes in) if you find you can’t get comfortable perhaps explore Simple Twisting and/or Length Without Effort (36 min) and return to this lesson at a later time.

When you’re asked to “lengthen your left leg” around 38 minutes, these new very small movements are done entirely on the floor: just slide it millimeters longer from its starting position – no lifting.

This lesson is found in Patron Treasures, our exclusive collection of lessons for Feldenkrais Project Patron-level donors. It’s also in our Free While Constrained Deep Dive.

The lessons mentioned in the recording that were taught over “these last three weeks…seeing how you can be whole and free while you’re constrained” are all linked in that Deep Dive.

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Members and Patrons. Learn more or login:

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5 Comments

  1. Joan Oliver Goldsmith on December 5, 2020 at 5:36 pm

    extremely helpful for me in alleviating neck tightness and playing with reducing pain in left side of hip and pelvis.

    Reply
  2. Sara Firman on November 10, 2022 at 1:48 pm

    Added a whole extra distance to my side to side twist in standing at the end with this – I guess it is coming from an increased capacity in the spine rather than neck. Feeling very tall!

    Reply
  3. nicole halfon on June 26, 2023 at 9:23 am

    Have done this lesson several times. Never fails, always works. My forever tight neck finally loosens!

    Reply
  4. Martha on October 28, 2024 at 6:17 pm

    Wow. This has been the perfect exercise for my scoliotic twist. And there are so many different aspects! While lying, my head felt unusually free of my spine. When standing, my torso was more evenly balanced over my pelvis. I gauge this by how my hanging arms touch my sides. Usually (in my daily life) left arms touches but not the right. Also, usually , immediately after any Feldenkrais lesson or a massage, arms do not touch (even) but within a minute the left is touching (collapse). Today the evenness lasted longer. I will do this again. I’m hoping it is reaching the neurological mis-firing that is sustaining the twist. Ah! Even my shoulders are feeling some relief! Great lesson, thank you.

    Reply
  5. Christine Barrington on April 30, 2025 at 10:05 am

    I have been working to unravel some plantar fasciitis and this lesson was revelatory. I could sense how tensed and contracted the muscles were in my left upper shoulder, and as this area was able to release my left heel was relieved as well. I have learned over the years that all Feldenkrais lessons help whatever I am dealing with, so I just do something consistently and trust. I chose this lesson as it popped up in the “lesson of the day” window. It appears that twisting is a key for dealing with the feet. Who knew!

    Reply

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