The Ultimate Self-Hug
Back-lying, learning to use the feet – and later, the arms in a self-hug position – to roll the body and reach to the sides. Setting up later lessons in this collection through developing suppleness of the torso and integration of the feet and eyes as they relate to smooth weight-shifting. "Walking" the hips and shoulders along the floor. Recorded in a series of classes about posture, balance, and grace.
61m
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Hi Nick
I am long time practitioner and I know this lesson and you made so it will look and feel as a different one, always a good sign of feeshness and I loved the way you built it
Thanks
Eytan
Thank you! It’s such a pleasurable one to play with and experiment with little changes.
thank you for this combined ATM, my walk became so easy, I didn’t feel the need to sit down and rest for hours.
More ease ; expanding islands floating in the ocean. A soft flow of my hips as I walk.
A lovely way to end the day. Namaste.
Just one word-“Heaven”!! Thank you!
Discovered a new and more relaxed walk! Thank you.
Hello Nick for me it is not so clear when you talk of “grabbing your shoulders” and yet not crossing arms … Indeed it is feasible when you “stick one hand in the other armpit and keep it there, then wrap the other arm completely over the top of the first” but in the lesson you mention getting hold of your shoulder, and this is getting me confused.
Thank you, this is helpful. I caught the problem too when I just re-explored this lesson last week. I’m mostly careful, but at least once I said “hold your shoulder” when I should have said “hold whatever you can reach.”
I’ve edited the lesson notes a little to try to make the distinction more clear. If you wouldn’t mind helping more, kindly take a look at the bulleted notes above, and let me know what you think. I’m open to suggestions.
And one day, one day…I’ll try to re-record!
Thanks!
-Nick
February 27, 2018
I found the lesson easy to follow, well-paced, and effective in its use of imagery. Despite a tender shoulder I was able to adapt. Felt aligned, relaxed after. Christa
Compliments for very clear instructions. Great feeling afterwards! I hope you will keep on posting new exercises.
THANK YOU!
Andreja
My very first feldenkrais lesson! Noticed the challenge to incorporate both sides of the brain. Thank you for making this work available.
Awesome! You’ll find the lessons are similar in quality of movement and attention, but incredibly diverse in configuration and actions. I hope you can explore more soon!
sometimes I don’t have time to finish a lesson, the end of this one is soo delicious and fun! I thought about it all day… what a lovely WHOLE body lesson.
A wonderful day-after-Christmas treat. The tension is gone, and I enjoyed the changes you’ve made to this lesson. Many thanks!
This was a rich lesson with lots of components. I was glad I had the whole hour available to build to the end movements.
Very innovative way of teaching this lesson – I love creative practitioners!
Hi Im new to this and am finding it so helpful. Amazing that I cannot straighten my legs in the beginning but after the movement I see significant improvement. I am struggling with a very tight psoas , uneven
pelvis, SI issues and faulty gait and I’ve been frustrated with a slow recovery and increasing tightness all over and stress in my hip. Hoping this helps. Thank you. Your an amazing teacher.
It sounds like you’re doing really well in your new discovery of Feldenkrais! And yes, if you keep with the basics (take care of yourself, breathe, and use your curiosity and creativity during lessons) I am sure it will keep helping you.
Wow…I am doing a TTP with Living Somatics and have done the first two segments. I have done the spine lesson as part of the curriculum and also with your recording…it was outstanding but this lesson I must say has an impact which wants me to redo it again and again.
When I have done similar lessons in the past, I have found myself stretching a bit to get my arms into a self hug. Your instructions gave me permission to try less, work less to reach my shoulder blade and relax my arms and upper body. Thus I learned more.
When you come to revise this lesson keep this in mind. I suspect the very precise directions in other lessons I’ve done in this configuration stopped me experimenting. I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
I really found this lesson excellent. Great teaching!
Lovely exploratory session which I felt moved to repeat the next day so that I could play with moving back and forth on my mat. Thank you.
Hilary
I am curious about what people imagined when you invited us to compare this movements to other parts of our life. What do you imagine , Nick?
It took me two sessions of time to do it but I am glad I persisted to experience the end. Thank you!
I find it fascinating to try to detect the effects of my post-lesson somatic state on my seemingly external interactions: what kind of patience can I bring to a troubled kid as I parent? How available am I to read a difficult email and respond more thoughtfully, with less personal disturbance? Can I enjoy this housework more and play with the learnings/feelings of the lesson?
The last 10 min, moving like a worm up and down the mat on our back, was priceless! Permission to be playful.
A wonderful way to end this deep dive series, bringing the different elements together with the self hug variations.
Very joyful and beautifully paced.
Thank you, Nick
Great that you’re seeing your way all the way through the Deep Dive courses! For anyone who doesn’t know what Nigel means, check this lesson out in its context at the end of our Supple Feet, Powerful Legs course.
H Nick. I really enjoyed this one. I did about three quarters and stopped, will continue later. I’m going really slowly. My whole nervous system feels completely relaxed. I plan to take a walk soon with a feeling of confidence. I have a back injury that is gradually healing. Thanks so much.
Glad you enjoyed it! Your timing is perfect to share some good news: I’ve just published another, shorter version of this lesson that you may find even more accessible. It’s called Simple Self-Hug.
Thank you Nick. Sounds like good timing. I’ll definitely do the shorter version. Pauline
I walked with a sort of get on down, bounce which felt delightful .and like a whole new me Lovely session, Thanks Nick
This has been an amazing lesson for me. Later in the day, my shoulders and hips completely relaxed. I walked differently with my feet more flattened on the ground, pelvis tucked under and shoulders down, I felt like another person, relaxed in my body and mind. Thank you!
My Feldenkrais teacher, who unfortunately doesn’t teach anymore, recommended the Feldenkrais Project to me. I’m slowly getting back into practice after a long break. After this class I feel like I am gliding through space and my posture is more aligned. I am also much more aware of the restrictions and pains in my body, the shoulders that won’t let go, the neck and jaw muscles that hold on, the headaches. Before, the tension was more global, a general nervousness and fatigue. Now I’m much calmer and more self-aware. It’s always a miracle to me how easily I learn to let go of unnecessary involvement and do less. I loved the joyful exploration of up and down at the end of the class. I have AuDHD and dyspraxia and TMJ as co-morbidities. Nothing has helped me understand my body like Feldenkrais. It was a game changer for me when I first discovered it. My nervous system always goes into overdrive before my period and in the last few days Feldenkrais has really helped me not to feel overwhelmed by my PMS symptoms. Thank you for being so accessible!
Welcome! Honored to have you here exploring The FP. Your description of learning and self-awareness processes is lovely, detailed, and helpful for others to see. Thank you for taking time to write!