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The Tongue and the Spine (Patrons)

Chair-seated and back-lying. Dive deeper into the many connections between the eyes, jaw, tongue, neck, shoulders, spine, and breath by reviewing and expanding ATM techniques from our previous jaw lessons. See the Context notes for recommended study order for these lessons.

Average Challenge   chair-sitting  back-lying 

60m
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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 – 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 – 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 – 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 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.

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Tech tip: On mobile or tablet? Once you start playing the audio, your device’s native playback controls should work well.

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 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 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 – 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 – 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 – 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!

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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.

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
  • Curiosities
  • Context
  • Related Lessons
  • Source

This lesson has prerequisites. Click Context for recommended study order for our jaw lessons.

For the chair-seated parts of the lesson you’ll need a firm, level, non-rolling chair or stool that allows your hips to be at the height of your knees, or slightly above them.

If you’d like something supporting your head for the back-lying portions of the lesson make sure it’s level, smooth, and minimal: maybe a few folds of a towel, but no more than you need for comfort. Your head should be free to shift, nod, and roll small amounts effortlessly.

There’s no expectation that your tongue will feel or function the same way on both sides of your mouth. Just do what’s easy on each side, even if they’re very different, and each side will begin to improve from its own starting point and on its own terms.

L.E.S.S.S. is more: Light, Easy, Soft, Slow, Smooth movements — with a nice pause in-between each — will create the most pleasant and lasting change for you.

In discussion after this live class several students suggested (and I strongly agree) that this is a great lesson to repeat within a week or so. You will almost certainly find yourself more skillful – and with lots of new things to notice and learn – the second time through.

This lesson is found in Patron Treasures, our collection of lessons exclusively for Feldenkrais Project Patron-level donors. It was recorded on December 14, 2021.

You’ll hear references to earlier lessons. We recommend you study our jaw-focused lessons in the order they appear in our Jaw, Neck, and Shoulders Deep Dive course. This is #4.

Once you’ve completed our four jaw lessons I recommend going through them again, and/or continuing on with the Deep Dive. If you repeat the jaw lessons you will find your experience is different the second time through.

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3 Comments

  1. Sara Firman on September 14, 2022 at 11:17 am

    What an incredible way to mobilize the neck from the inside out! And, yes, my face feels so much more relaxed.

    Reply
  2. Lynne Burson on May 15, 2025 at 2:05 pm

    Thank you Nick. I felt my whole body light up a bit. When my tongue was moving all around my mouth in a clockwise and counterclockwise fashion my head and pelvis were also moving. You did not say the pelvis would move too but it felt correct so I let it happen.I will try this lesson weekly for a while to see if i can get my tongue to move in a more coordinated fashion.

    Reply
    • Nick Strauss-Klein on May 19, 2025 at 10:12 am

      Great that your pelvis is moving. Yes, the rule in Feldenkrais is, unless a body part or direction of movement is specifically constrained, move freely with your whole self in the action your are exploring!

      Reply

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