There are some lovely breathing explorations in the last part of the lesson, intended to be done very mildly, smoothly, and gently. If you’re unfamiliar with Feldenkrais “paradoxical” or “seesaw” breathing, first explore Freeing Your Breath and Spine (16m or 37m), then come back here.
If you’re unfamiliar with belly-lying lessons, or the position tends to be uncomfortable, read the following carefully:
Have a soft clean hand towel to put your face on, something you won’t mind touching with your mouth or nose. While you’re on your belly, you’re often invited to turn your head and rest it facing to the side. Moderate how turned your head is based on your comfort – you might wish to turn your head far less to one side than the other, which may push your nose or mouth into your towel. That’s great! Please only do what’s comfortable.
If you struggle with a sore lower back when you lie on your belly there’s an option discussed about halfway through the lesson that can be used from the beginning: you may find that folding a bath towel a few times and laying it across your mat at the height of your iliac crests (the bones you touch when you put your “hands on your hips”) creates more ease.
Additionally you can experiment with other props as needed: a small soft pillow under a shoulder, a cushion or folded towel under your lower ribs to make room for your breasts, etc.
When you lie on your belly with knees bent 90 degrees and you begin to tilt your feet to the side, the intended quality is the same as when you tilted your knees while lying on your back: only tilt as far as you’re able if one goal is to reverse the movement smoothly and pleasantly, without any strain. The range where that quality is available may be very small at first, and will likely grow larger throughout the lesson.
I’ve chosen not to edit out a reference to our “Rest and Recharge” Zoom lessons in December, 2020. Here’s my blog post about the vitality of rest.
This lesson is found in our Freeing the Spine, Chest, Shoulders, and Neck collection. Like most of our lessons, this one can be studied out of context, but you may find additional learning value by approaching it in the order of the collection it’s in.
And there’s another study context available for our Patron-level donors: We’ve created three Feldenkrais Project lessons, including this one, out of recordings of a sequence of classes taught in Jan-Feb 2021 called “Embracing Our Differences”. They appear in order in our Deep Dive called The Illusion of Isolation, in the blue box. This is #2.
Click here to read about the “Embracing Our Differences” somatic metaphor.
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Please share your experience in this lesson or ask a question below!
This lesson is great for my back, as ,by McKenzie method, I am favoring” extension” moves and position.
Also, my cranky neck felt better , more mobility and ease.
I can rest easy in prone, but of course I go for variety in all different positions.
Thank you Nick for your wonderful work. I am already a big fan !!
Dislocated jaw, sore neck, sore eyes and my usual freely subluxating [usually] shoulders. Carriage of the head yesterday, twisting on the belly today. Carriage of the head saved me from taking meclizine for dizziness several years ago [no, I do not recommend that, but the dizziness seemed vestibular and I was afraid of the usual movements to fix it at home and locum drs…you know…drugs – when my doctor returned he listened to what I’d done, snickered. and said, come let me check that you are ok?]. So carriage and then twisting – my cervical arch is much shallower, my neck is easier, no knots behind my jaw but it is still chancy where my jaw will be at any time. I LOVE PRONE LESSONS. At the end of twisting, I was not paying attention and was moving both legs together while arcing my head from over one shoulder, down, and over the other shoulder – I think that is another lesson. Thanks.
And a belated sweet new year.
Glad to hear it. I’ve been thinking of creating a “Tummy Time” miniseries…I’ll take your all caps sentence as a vote in that direction!
Difficult for neck which is always somewhat stiff. And upper thorax on R. But going gently and end result felt great. Head free on neck. Shoulders and hips moving freely. Not a fav to perform but a great result.
The first time I did this lesson two days ago I was aware – lying on my belly – of how wooden and stiff my movements felt. The pelvis, spine, neck and legs expressing minimal communication. Today, on the other hand, everything felt looser -my belly lying movements more fluid – everything working together. I could stay with the lesson (moving from back to belly) nearly the whole way through whereas the first time around I managed close to 3/4 of the lesson. EnJOYable! We’ll see what happens when I repeat this lesson in a few days. Thanks, Nick.