Full Circle - 7 - Baby Step Circles - Big Head, Slippery Feet, Belly In Between
Calligraphy by ThIch Nhat Hahn
Full Circle - 7 - Baby Steps Continued - Big Head, Slippery Feet
Connecting head to feet via a long and breathing spine
Based on “Painting with Your Feet - AY111” with modifications inspired by Dennis Leri
More foot painting - front and back, side-to-side, circles, and then two-footed circles
Over the winter break, I went into a recorded workshop with (now deceased) Feldenkrais master Dennis Leri on what he called “The Primitives,” our very most basic movements, those than can’t be reduced any further: bending and arching in many directions. For me, the lesson was about following - and clearly connecting - the lines of force through the body.
I have been thinking about this for a while, and hearing Dennis articulate these ideas made me hopeful that my growth as a Feldenkrais teacher is on track.
Imagine your head as heavy as it was when you were an infant, and relearn how to
I am particularly curious about how Leri uses the sit bones and 7th cervical vertebra (bottom vertebra of the neck, adjacent to the ‘bump’ at the top of the thoracic spine) to connect the head or pelvis to any part of the body, and, with gentle but persistent pressure, reshape areas to release blocks and allow the free flow of energy through the body.
I’ve been practicing this with a few private students and on myself in the pool with some good results and lots of room for growth.
The next lesson in the full circle series, a continuation of the sliding foot lesson, will integrate some of these very basic concepts. From the simple moves of sliding one - and then the other - standing foot (while supine) toward and away from the body, from side to side and in a small circle, we expand the action to include the spine, the ribs, that oh-so-heavy-baby-head. And the extra piece this week is to connect the feet to the sit bones and the neck (C7).
The test comes when we bring the feet together and try to circle the two feet as one. Any imbalances in the pelvis or spine will show themselves here. Going super slow will allow you to make micro-adjustments to keep the pelvis level, the feet soft and gliding, Optionally rolling to the tummy or side several times during the lesson exposes the hip flexor in an interesting way.
Science Nerd Candy Bowl:
The Heel Slide - Muscle and Motion (0:20)
Articulation of the Hip - Anatomie 3D (1:14)
Set Up for a Supine and Prone or Side-lying lesson:
Lie on floor with support under head or legs as needed to keep the neck and low back long and relaxed, with some optional padding for the prone (belly down) segment or under ear if side-lying
Slippery socks or mat might be helpful for this lesson
Sit on a firm, stable chair with knees and hips level
If you tie your hair in clips, you might want to take them out for this one - lots of head nods, rolls and slides
How you might feel after this lesson: Longer; Open; Breathing deeply; Aware of your back ribs and spine; Hips and low back relaxed; New sensation of a long and elegant neck; New awareness of how the diaphragm, ribs and spine interact in breathing.
“We have to continue to learn. We have to be open. And we have to be ready to release our knowledge in order to come to a higher understanding of reality.”
If you have a Wednesday 9:30 am or 6:30 pm class registration, keep using it. If you were registered for the 12:00 pm Wednesday session, you’ll need to register. Registered, paid students receive the lesson recording link on Thursday. $40/month; $15/single lesson. PayPal or Venmo to jackisue@aol.com. Or check to Jacki Katzman, PO Box 116, Bethlehem, NH 03574
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