Lesson #109 Lowering the pelvis to sitting

Here is a lesson that seems to be built around the same idea as lesson 22 (Sitting on the floor with the help of your hands). This lesson also continues with one of the themes that has been running off-and-on through the last several lessons—lengthening the back. There are also elements that we saw in lesson 93 (Softening the hip joints to side sitting…). This is a great example (one of many) of how Dr. Feldenkrais sometimes used the same component parts in different combinations to assemble lessons that address different functions. This lesson begins as lesson 22, standing, then putting the hands on the floor and lowering and lifting the pelvis; then, sitting on the heels the student lowers the pelvis to the floor, first to one side and then the other (lesson 93) and finally, there is a very satisfying move from lying on the back with knees bent, pushing up to a squat with the help of the hands and then up to standing. The back needs to get very long to do this without effort. For those who are looking to improve their ability to squat, this lesson is perfect. The lesson is somewhat advanced and definitely not for anyone in pain or who is at all immobilized as these is a lot of active movement. If you’re doing well physically, it’s a lot of fun.

Lesson #110 On the back; twisting the spine with the head fixed

Perfect title: with the head turned to first one side and then the other and fixed in place by the weight of the hands, the spine is turned first by standing one foot and lifting the pelvis by pushing through the bent leg. In the next section with the head still fixed to the side, one long leg is raised toward the ceiling and lowered across the body toward the floor. Finally, still with the head fixed to the side, with one leg bent the opposite heel is lengthened away from the head which keeps a turn in the upper spine and adds an interesting bending through the lower spine. After the lesson, I found my entire torso “activated” in a very satisfying way.

AY #107 Bending on the stomach

We're in a group of lessons many of which are interestingly interrelated. The way this lesson starts out seems very similar to lesson 103 (Bending sideways on the back) but done on the stomach. For the first third of the lesson, the student is encouraged to seriously side-bend but then there's a section done in sitting which focuses on hip-opening. Finally, the lesson moves to side-lying, moving the top arm back onto the floor into a twist (that very familiar move) the doing of which, of course, is aided by the side-bending done at the beginning of the lesson. Then everything is brought together as the foot of the lower leg is moved back (opening the hip joint) so the foot can be taken by the hand on the floor behind and from there everything that's been done before becomes clearly related. It's a brilliant "whole-body" lesson (but then, they all are, right?) that's probably not for absolute beginners but can be done by most anyone who's done at least a few lessons and knows how to take care of themselves so as not to over-do. I loved it.

AY #108 A full circle with the leg swing

This one could be called break-dancing 101. Starting from a seated position with the legs to the side, the student learns to elegantly move both legs in a complete circle around the pelvis. The end result looks a little like a simple break-dancing move. Maybe down the road we'll come upon a lesson that teaches us how to spin on one shoulder. And surprise, surprise, everything that was learned in lesson 107 helps to make this lesson easier. These two would make a great end to a series that included a couple of more basic side-bending and twisting lessons to start out. Again, it's not for rank beginners and it is one of those lessons that doesn't have many helpful auxiliary moves built into it. It seems to count on those who are taking this lesson having taken some related previous lessons. On the other hand, this lesson is not so difficult that students who are in relatively good physical shape wouldn't be able to accomplish what's asked for in the lesson. This one is really fun to do.