Reaching, Twisting, and Gazing Smoothly (Patrons)

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

It also appears in our Deep Dive course called Shoulder Cloak, Rib Basket, Sliding Sternum.

This lesson was recorded in a workshop I called Free Your Spine. More context in the Curiosities tab.

This lesson was recorded in a short workshop called Free Your Spine, which included a lot of newcomers to Feldenkrais. As you settle into the back-lying rest after the lesson begins in standing, you’ll hear a reference about coming into the world of sensations after an intellectual discussion. Since there’s a few references to that discussion, here’s a summary:

I first explained that the Feldenkrais Method is about learning to learn, and that while we were in a group exercise studio where usually our bodies and muscle fibers are challenged so that they improve (as in cardio, strength, or stretch training), we were instead about to challenge our attention so we could better learn from our experience.

I then asked the students what the prerequisites or ingredients of learning are. Here’s the list they developed:

• ease
• curiosity
• interest
• attention
• being present
• safety

We focused on curiosity and said we have to generate an interest, an attention, an honest curiosity about the present moment if we’re going to fully experience it, and give it a chance to wire our brains differently.

We talked about conditions for curiosity and said they included safety, comfort and ease, and an effortlessness, almost child-like quality of exploring the self and the environment.

We talked about how in most classes in the group exercise studio we were in, and many other situations in life, we feel rewarded for our effort, for a sense of trying hard. We may even feel like the reward is about the effort, or like we’re being watched (or watching ourselves) to see if we look like we’re trying hard enough.

Instead, we said, we’d see what would happen if we cultivated a lazy, effortless sense of exploration during our hour together.

In the initial standing steps, when asked about your eye movements, “How do they cross the horizon?” may be unclear for some. What I mean is, how do your eyes travel along the horizon, looking around yourself, surveying the horizon.

When lying on your side, the floor side arm is always resting, extended out in front of you at the height of your shoulder, palm facing the ceiling. There are no movement instructions given for this arm.

• This lesson begins in standing.
• Make sure the floor surface you’ll lie down on is soft enough for your hips and shoulders to be comfortable in side-lying.
• Have a large bath towel nearby to fold for head support if needed. Consider unique folded thicknesses that work well for you depending on the situation: back-lying, side-lying, or rolling. You may find you enjoy less or no head support as the lesson progresses.