Spinal Support and a Powerful Pelvis (35 min)
Back-lying, often tilting one bent knee. Improve the comfort, awareness, and organization of your hip joints, pelvis, back, chest, shoulders, neck, and head. Starts with a "body scan," an awareness technique used at the beginning of most lessons.
35m
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Nice to have option of a shorter lesson for times when the hour isn’t possible. I wouldn’t want to switch to only 30 minute lessons since I can feel it doesn’t go as deep, but it’s long enough that I definitely notice the benefit. After this lesson I can feel a pleasure in twisting, my body noticing different, more fluid options for moving in this way.
I think the 30 minute option will make these lessons seem approachable for people who have difficulty finding the hour to devote, as well as will be a great ‘reminder’ lesson for people who have done longer lessons in the past.
Thanks!
Yes, I like the option of a shorter lesson occasionally when I have less time. I found on this one , I kept going as I did not want to stop. Thankyou .
What does it mean when your head doesn’t feel like it wants to turn when the leg moves?
Nothing to worry about, follow that instinct and don’t force it to move. Just attend to your comfort, and reduce the size, effort, and speed of the leg movements to be very quiet, smooth and almost meditative in their quality. Breathe freely, and attend to the detailed sensations of your back, chest and shoulders, and the back of your head resting where they are. Over time you’ll probably notice that there are at least some internal sensations of movement, if not movement against the floor. This may be most obvious lower first (in your back or ribs), but eventually you’ll likely find sensations things moving in relationship to the leg movements higher in your body. No performance goals about this, just experiments. Let us know how it goes!
My shoulder is sort of frozen so When you say to stretch out the arms, on the left side I can either put a cushion under it and sort of mimic the position or leave that arm down where there isn’t pain. The other arm is fine but then they are at either different positions or different levels. Is there a preferred way? I’m guessing the suggestion won’t be to move into the pain of that arm? 🙂
That’s right, always choose more comfort over following the directions literally and finding more pain. This whole lesson can be done with the arm wherever it is most comfortable. You may even find that those options expand as you go along through the lesson, even though you’re not directly working with the arm.
My lower back seized up this morning (it rarely does that!) so I knew I needed to stop everything and do an ATM. I could barely get myself to the floor without wincing in discomfort and…35 minutes later…I feel so much better! I know it’s not magic but it can feel that way.
Great lesson! I’m new here, on my third lesson and thrilled about the pleasure in sensing all the nuances in my body as I have never before while moving. Thanks!
I have just had my first feldenkrais lesson and I thank you for this opportunity at a time when I deeply need to learn how to move with awareness. I was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis and sacral insufficiency fractures in addition to an L4 # and I believe a long standing L4 spondolythesis (sp?). Ialso had a Total Lt Knee replacement just over a year ago which I’ve felt made changes to how my body hangs. (straigtening the less bowed leg, with a more bowed leg on the rt side). When I had a first time acute sciatica episode just over 4 months ago, I sensed that this may be connected to the body’s attempt (as yet not found I sense) to find it’s natural easy alignment. This first lesson felt good. I was no able to lie comfortably with my legs straight out, however at the end when I attempted this it there was more ease, but not completely easy. Thank you thank you so much
That’s a nice change for a first lesson! Welcome, I’m glad you’re exploring these lessons! Please proceed lightly through Getting Oriented, repeating lessons you enjoy as you wish and minimizing movements in lessons where it’s harder to get comfortable.
I am new to Feldenkrais through the summit. Tonight is the third time I have done this lesson and think I am beginning to understand what this ATM idea is. Your voice and approach Nick are very appealing and precise in such a relaxed way. I have done yoga and types of movement for years but recently have been struggling with some mobility issues. I am hopeful this will help me get back on track.
Thank you
You’re welcome, and I am sure it will help! Sounds like you’re understanding that Feldenkrais is you learning from you, and that we take a “no pain, MORE gain” approach that’s different than many other modalities. Remember that we’re not asking you for mastery of one lesson at a time. Feel free to go on to other lessons, especially if/when repeating a lesson dulls its interest for you (you can always return to it later). Thanks for your comment and please feel free to ask questions. Happy studies!
How safe is feldenkrais for hypermobile people? I ask because since we are always told to move as long as there is no pain, I (Ms. Hypermobile) can move a lot because I don’t feel pain until *ouch* something goes out of place. Are there any modifications that a hypermobile person should make in feldenkrais?
This is a great question. Like all Feldenkrais students (but perhaps more so for you) you’ll want to focus on the quality of the movement over the quantity. Know that that familiar cueing you hear (“only as far as is easy”) is meant for people for whom not very far is easy, and imagine instead your own self-limiting language, maybe something like “I’ll do half as much as I could”. You can get all the benefits of the lessons by moving in only a fraction of your available range, since most of the neuromusculoskeletal organization we’re training happens before and near the beginning of the movements. To put it another way: Feldenkrais lessons are sensation generators, and you can feel the sensations your brain needs to improve and change far before you’re near the end of your range.
Lovely, relaxing, focusing attention on each movement, discovering things I wasn’t aware of in my body even though I have done yoga for many years.
As always, thanks to Nick Strauss-Klein for another wonderful experience with Feldenkrais Project! My shoulders, neck and chest feel great.
As a very beginner Feldenkrais practicer, I have done this Lesson two days in a row. I think I’ll do it again tomorrow. I noticed so much improvement from the first time to the second, and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens tomorrow. Love it. Also, I do agree with the comment below, a 30 minute lesson is a nice option if an hour doesn’t feel quite possible.
I have done many lessons on the Feldenkrais Project and I decided to do the shorter 35 minutes lesson. The magic of Feldenkrais Method taught by a very good teacher such as Nick Stauss is that the length of the lesson is not important. In a simple lesson like this one you have a chance to really learn to do less. You dont get distracted by more complex variations. A big change for me was the invitation to enjoy returning back to neutral after turning hip to the side. So many changes happened in this pleasant letting go. Another one was to pause and feel the breath at one point. Reducing the stimulus was a very important point in Moshe Feldenkrais own teaching.
Also, as english is my second language ( after French) I specially enjoy listening Nick unbelievably rich vocabulary. The fun images, descriptions of sensations, guiding of sensing and feeling the body. Keep up the great work!
Nick, you’re an excellent teacher! I have been diagnosed with Level 1 spondylolisthesis plus, I suffered a severe bicycle accident 5 years ago that injured my right shoulder. I’ve spent thousands of dollars on physical therapy, including dry needling and, going to a chiropractor, didn’t help at all. All offered temporary relief. In a nutshell, if it weren’t for the Feldenkrais Method movements that I need to practice on a daily basis, I’d be in a ton more pain and less flexible! I continue to bicycle and walk; I can no longer run – but maybe someday . . . I highly recommend Feldenkrais movement to my family, friends and clients whether or not they are injured.
Because of disconfort I ended up side-lying, imagining a floor behind me and moving accordingly. Until the end of the lesson I was able to do a little of the back lying movement as well. Thank you for your work.
Wonderful adaptation! Especially if you’re at the beginning of Feldenkrais study you are more than welcome to avoid lessons in uncomfortable configurations until they get easier (though it sounds like you made something great out of this one!). Lessons #2, #3, and #4 in Getting Oriented are all not in back-lying.
Wow Nick again everytime is different!! Since my left side is ” constricked It was not as easy doing left movements.. but most were noticably ease -ier after with lifting.
I haev a proceedural question. I have been through the Getting started exercises for a while now and wonder where i could start the next set? I could do the first from each section or go sequnctional through 1 section only..
Any guidance there? I really appreciate your responses. Feels connected
Thanks for your question. Your own curiosity and interest is the best guide to what to study next, assuming you’re following your comfort (which is always rule #1!). It sounds like you’d like to explore more lessons. The collections on our homepage (the big art buttons) are roughly in a good order to work through, so a good option would be to start on Lessons for Standing, Walking, and Running. Lessons for Easier Sitting are also very accessible.
Alternatively, since you’re a Member, click on the Related Lessons tab (like the one above) in each Getting Oriented lesson that you particularly like or find useful, and follow any learning thread that you’re interested in. If ever you find a lesson that feels too difficult for now, just minimize it or do it in your imagination, or skip it and try something else.
Thanks Nick. Doing this ⅔ way through. Noticed specifically, I have constriction “sensation” almost always ..mid thoracic. I started right leg standing. As I started the outside rolling right, I feel gentle ish sensation almost exactly where usual “pain” is. I’m assuming since it’s not severe or sharp, that this gentle rolling is a gentle stretch or massage of the area that needs a little care.. hopefully this makes sense to you!
I appreciate your insight and gentle coaching! BB
Sounds pretty safe and healthy, but please do continue carefully. We’re all familiar with “sweet” pain, like when a sore muscle is rubbed pleasantly for example. If it’s that kind of thing, with no sharpness or threat to it, it’s usually ok, especially if you’re noticing pain dissipating over time. You are in charge of you: trust your instincts but err on the side of caution. The overall guideline to remember is: Feldenkrais movements aren’t gentle just to be nice, or just to be safe (though those things are both essential). We move gently because if there’s any sense of threat or increasing pain your nervous system will organize in defensive mode, instead of learning mode. We literally can’t change and improve ourselves in an effective, healthy, sustainable way under duress. It’s a feature of our nervous system.
Thank you! This is serving as a wonderful and gentle introduction to Feldenkrais for me.
Is it ok to have a thin contoured neck pillow under the neck when doing this? It makes it much more comfortable for me.
Yes, definitely! Adapting lessons to suit your comfort isn’t only encouraged, it’s essential. Over time, as you study more and experience changes, most students find themselves experimenting with what they need in the moment of each lesson.
Thank you for this lesson Nick! The shorter time allows me more time..to explore, listen and breathe. I discovered so much about where I was “unconsciously holding” by repeating the lesson immediately. I think sometimes as a fellow teacher I feel the need to teach “busier” lessons to keep my students engaged. This lesson has reminded me that we can do less and less….and even less to discover so much more. Thank you
I love this session! I loved it right away and started doing it every morning, to help with tightness in my hip muscles. After doing all the sessions in the getting oriented section as well as many others in the sitting and standing sections, this class is still my favourite. Thank you so much for all the work you’ve made available, its a treasure trove.
My neck is less stiff!! Wonderful. Such a restful way to move. A breath of fresh air in the world of exercise. Thank you.
Hi Nick. Thank you for the lesson. I love the concept. When incorporating the head movements, I had a lot of nausea though no discomfort in the neck. I was surprised because, while I am prone to motion sickness, I’ve never experienced it lying down. Taking your advice to remain comfortable I did not do this movement, but then I felt I was missing the twist aspect of the lesson. Is there a modification you think would be helpful? Thank you.
You did the right thing. Nausea turns off the learning process in our brains, so had you continued the movements that generated it you would have diminished the value of all the parts of the lesson you could do. We’re not looking to “perform” lessons the “right” way. Rather they’re like a playground: experiment with what’s safe and interesting to you and you’ll generate the conditions for change and improvement automatically.
Lots of the twist comes from the legs and hips, too, so the head movements aren’t essential. And even simply rolling your head in the same direction but less than the pelvis, or keeping it quietly in the middle, or shifting it a fraction of an inch one way while your pelvis rolls the other creates a relative twist that your body and brain can learn from.
Thank you!
I really enjoyed this and will be trying some more classes. Feeling more relaxed and had a good laugh while I was doing it it a bit more release of patterns held from childhood! Thank you so much for sharing this- truly a gift! Xxx
Fantastic exercise and guiding!
So gentle, yet I felt two vertebrae click into the right position!
I am looking forward to continue.
Lol with my left knee starting to tilt my entire body suddenly jumped upward into the air, wasn’t painful or anything but felt pulling sensations all along left side of rib cage, inside lower left abdomen, under armpit.
Felt like something is pinched or superglued inside or something, range on left much lower than on right. I think my left side even started sweating a little bit.
I wonder if this is more than just muscle stiffness, maybe I have a tendon issue around there?
Like 10 years ago I remember having an painful tearing feeling injury on lower left abdomen, maybe it healed all messed up or I just learned a very protective way of using my musculature there.
Anyways the range did slightly improve, from almost nothing to 2 inches or so tilting left knee.
I was thinking maybe to do the left side in imagination after doing the right since the range is so much greater on the right that using it as mental feeling reference would probably be super powerful.
Sure! You’ve probably encountered that lesson/learning strategy before: develop the “easy” side movements first. Then rest. Try maybe 1-2 movements on the “hard” side just to get a reference sense of it. Rest and imagine, in great detail, many repetitions on the “hard” side, imagining this side’s own versions of the sensations, movements, and relationships you remember from the “easy” side. Then actually try the “hard” side, without judgment or expectation. There’s often some magic in that moment!
Yup, thanks ????
Re spinal support and a powerful pelvis. Hi Nick I’ve got a t10 thoracic fracture that has healed. The main problem is stiffness that makes it difficult to walk. I’m 70 years old and have used Feldenkrais on and off over the years and found it to be the only solution that helps with mobility and pain management. I’m wondering if the above lesson is appropriate for my condition. I d greatly appreciate your help. I plan to get back to feldenkrais again as it has always helped with my posture and mobility. Thanks so much for the great work you do. Warm regards Pauline Donohoe
Hi Pauline. It’s hard to say from afar, but the answer is…probably! If the movements are comfortable for you, then go ahead slowly, gently, and minimally, and see how the lesson develops. Note that the initial movement of lifting the whole pelvis is only a reference movement. If you don’t like it, don’t do it. Just feel yourself organize for it and imagine the rest. Then once you get to pushing with one foot and rolling your pelvis you’ll have a better idea if this is a good lesson for you right now. As always, simply skip the whole lesson and go on to the next one if you can’t get comfortable, then try this one again later, maybe after completing the other Getting Oriented lessons.
Thank you Nick for your helpful reply. I’ll take it really slowly and gently. Thank you to yourself and any others involved for this wonderful service.
Hi. I’m highly pregnant and was just introduced to the feldenkrais method. I would love to try it. Question is if its safe to do these classes in pregnancy?
Generally yes, but you’ll want to take extra care to self-limit to stay well within your comfort. If you follow that guideline Feldenkrais study can be very helpful during pregnancy! One general consideration with late pregnancy is that side-lying and chair-seated lessons may be more accessible than back-lying. (And I imagine front-lying is out completely by now!) Check our other Getting Oriented lessons for their positions. It’s fine to skip around instead of going through them in order. Every lesson on our website names its general body position in its description, so feel free to click around our collections.
Antes de empezar la primer lección leí una serie de textos introductorios y escuché un audio de la página web fendelkrais project. La página está en inglés y los audios también. Me gustaría poder traducirlos para latinoamérica y en especial para mi madre.
Bien. Acabo de terminar la sesión. Casi me duermo. Me sentí muy somnoliento, pero muy. Casi me duermo. Cuando me puse de pie al final de la sesión mi visión estaba parpadeante. Tardé en sacarme el sopor de encima. Sin embargo, yo tenía un dolor en el hombro antes de la sesión, hombro izquierdo y ya se fue. Mi pie izquierdo, el cual muchas veces sentí acortado, esta vez está estable y apoya bien. Mi pelvis la siento relajada y disponible. Durante la sesión encontré que la piel del lado izquierdo pellizcaba el suelo o algo así. Era una sensación más que algo que ocurriera efectivamente. Al menos me refiero a que la razón creería que es interior. Levantar y bajar la pelvis me resultó engorroso. Girarla me pareció mucho más accesible.
Me costó mucho entender algunas partes de la sesión, porque entre el sueño y el idioma me perdí algunas órdenes y retomé después. Mi atención estuvo difusa. Me gustaría repetir esta sesión.
[Google Translate’s English version follows. -Nick]
Before starting the first lesson I read a series of introductory texts and listened to an audio from the fendelkrais project website. The page is in English and the audios too. I would like to be able to translate them for Latin America and especially for my mother. Good. I just finished the session. I almost fell asleep. I felt very sleepy, but very. I almost fell slept. When I stood up at the end of the session my vision was flickering. It took me a while to shake off my torpor. However, I had pain in my shoulder before the session, left shoulder, and it’s gone. My left foot, which many times felt shortened, this time is stable and supports well. My pelvis feels relaxed and available. During the session I found that the skin on the left side was pinching the ground or something. It was a sensation rather than something actually happening. At least I mean that reason would believe that it is internal. Raising and lowering the pelvis was cumbersome for me. Turning it seemed much more accessible to me. It was very difficult for me to understand some parts of the session, because between the dream and the language I missed some orders and I went back to it later. My attention was diffused. I would like to repeat this session.
It’s great to repeat Feldenkrais lessons. You can do so as often as you like. The only limit is your own curiosity: if it starts to be rote or boring to you, it’s time to do another lesson. Another option is to work through all 10 lessons in this series, then begin again.
Discovering and improving one’s own sense of healthy movement from audio instructions is a challenge for everyone. If English isn’t your first language that makes it harder of course, but please know that it’s normal for everyone to miss some steps, to not understand, and to “drift off” in a dreamy state from time to time. I generally repeat my instructions in different ways and it’s usually better to just “rejoin” the lesson’s instructions when you’re ready than to rewind.
I can grant you permission to informally translate, in the spirit of spreading the benefits of Feldenkrais study as widely as possible (that’s our vision).
ALWAYS name The Feldenkrais Project as your source, provide a LINK to the lesson audio player page for the lesson you translate and/or transcribe, and please recommend that anyone who accesses your translation donate to The Feldenkrais Project when possible.
I do NOT give permission for transcriptions or direct translations (or my original audio) to be used to teach a group class. All Feldenkrais Project lessons are copyright by me, offered for personal use only.
Thanks for your interest and understanding!
Wow! My first lesson since I found you. I found that my pelvis tilts forward on the right side (or possibly the left twists backwards): it is twisted. Both sides do not lay symmetrically on the floor. I found the same to be true of my scapula. My right is protracted forward and possibly elevated. What a wonderful exercise. I know I have a slight scoliosis, which is likely causing these problem. I also noticed that my right leg feels longer than the left. I’ve never been so ‘in touch’ with my body before. I’m 62! I hit the gym three times a week and I wonder if I’m creating more problems. Feldenkrais will allow me to notice my body more over time. Will Feldenkrais help correct these imperfections? Thank you for all you do. I couldn’t afford this had you not offered it for free. What a blessing you are to so many.
Happy to help! Regarding your question, “Will Feldenkrais help correct these imperfections?”, you started the answer on your own: “Feldenkrais will allow me to notice my body more over time.” It definitely will, but rather than “correcting these imperfections” we might instead think of learning to live more skillfully, effectively, and satisfyingly with what we’ve got. When we stay in that healthy process, over time patterns and even structures do change, as our form adapts to our better function. But know that even the most skillful movers aren’t perfectly symmetrical! We are all full of differences between our two sides, and we can learn to function beautifully with them, even as we do often see them even out somewhat with lots of Feldenkrais study.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I look forward to studying Feldenkrais with your program. Again, thank you for offering this program to us for free. Best to you and your program.
Well, hello. So many positive comments and that is great. Even my therapist is excited about Feldenkrais (therefore he recommended it to me). But what about the few people (including me) who just don’t feel or see any progress or excitement after first few attempts? Is there the common advice as well? Give it time (months, years), keep on going! Stick with it…
I would keep exploring different ATM’s until you find one that really engages you and you forget about making progress and just enjoy the interesting experience.
I’m very glad you asked this question. I am sure others have it, but amongst all the positivity folks may be afraid to ask! I’d probably have to learn more about you to address your experience more specifically (feel free to email me; use the Info & Contact menu above), but in general I would ask if you’ve tried a wide variety of lessons, and what you feel during and after them? Have you explored all the way through the Getting Oriented series?
Feldenkrais is usually an odd new practice in people’s lives. To do so little, so lightly, lands differently at first with different folks. Eventually most people find a flood of change, but it shouldn’t be months or years until then. Sometimes the sense of expecting change (perhaps after reading others’ comments!) is inhibiting actually feeling the subtle things that are changing at first, which are sometimes quite different than what folks expect or hope for.
Feel free to write back, or email me!
Hello Nick and Boris. Thank you both for your answers.
I have tried only Getting Oriented Series.
1) I know that I prefer lying positions to sitting or standing ones. I can hardly find a relaxed position while standing or sitting.
2) I doubt every single connection to my body except pain. Even my therapist was surprised how disconnected from my body I can be. Especially when I try to focus and feel something.
3) I struggle with instructions like “do anything and anyhow, it doesn’t matter”.
4) I feel frustration when I don’t feel “anything” during or after excercises…
Have you considered getting functional integration sessions?
That’s when a certified practitioner works with you hands on.
Some are better than others though, and it’s obviously more pricey. You’d have to do some research or maybe Nick can recommend someone.
Hello, Boris.
Thank you for your support. I have tried many different things such as craniosacral therapy, bioenergetics therapy (A. Lowen), biosynthesis therapy… I have also tried The very best thing so far was a ketamine experience and a week in the darkness. They both provided me more than 10 years of talking therapies before… One of my therapists has been preparing me for EMDR for 10 months now. She says I need to find and establish some core resources before we can start, because it can do even more harm without that…
Also what you’re describing is a natural part of the process, I go through it as well, things like doubts, frustration, all these things, you’re not alone. Some of us are luckier than others with what we have to deal with.
This stuff is the way though for sure, one day at a time.
Or even finding a live zoom class can be helpful, that’s what I’ve been doing as part of my training, and my teacher provided lots of helpful feedback and guidance.
JK, just wanted to acknowledge your comments and process. We’ll discuss more offline, but I can also give a big thumbs up to everything Boris has said.
When I lifted my sacrum my right leg cramped and I couldn’t relieve the cramp. I can’t move my pelvis without exacerbating the cramp. I thought I could do this exercise
. Is there something less advanced?
The pelvis lifting is just a reference movement and you could skip it entirely. Or, try the next lesson in our Getting Oriented collection instead. You will find the movements in all of these lessons different, and you can even read their descriptions and follow your curiosity instead of doing them in order. If any lesson makes you uncomfortable, skip it for now and work through the rest of Getting Oriented. Then you might try it again.
I have definitely learned in getting started with this that it’s necessary to close the cats out of the room where I am working! I was about 20 minutes into lesson 2 and getting into the flow of things when my cat became extremely curious about what I was doing. He wanted to climb on my chest, or brace himself against my hip with his little claws.
I will come back to it when I’m alone!
Adorable! I’m a cat owner too, very familiar with cats interested in me during lessons. And when I teach on Zoom I see a lot of cats climbing on people!
I see videos of yoga with cats, dogs, and even goats, so why not Feldenkrais! I do grounding/earthing too and my cats are fond of my mat.
I’m glad my friend Conni St. Pierre kept telling me about Feldenkrais…my acupuncturist recommended it right before Covid and I’d even made contact with a practitioner…but then none of us wanted to be around strangers and I drifted off.