AY #121: Extending the arms and twisting to the back

This one is done on the back sometimes with the arms extended straight overhead with the hands interlaced and sometimes with one or both hands tucked under the back, palms down. Once in those positions the student is asked to roll, sometimes just toward one side, sometimes back and forth. In his comments Dr. Feldenkrais asks that students pay attention to the movement of the clavicles, the shoulder blades and the base of the cervical spine. For me, during the lesson it was all about the shoulder blades; after the lesson I can actually feel my clavicles, a very unusual sensation. This is not a lesson for those with shoulder injuries unless they are in the very last stages of recovery. Other than that, I think most people could do the lesson although I'd classify it as "lower intermediate" in the difficulty scale (you know, the difficulty scale that I just made up). If you can lie on your back, interlace your fingers and put your arms and elbows on the floor above your head, you'll be fine.

AY #120: The feet

We interlace our fingers all the time. Have you ever wanted to interlace your toes? If so, this lesson is for you. Try this: stand in bare feet; pick a foot, any foot. Leave the big toe on the floor and lift the four smaller toes. Now leave the four smaller toes on the floor and lift only the big toe. If you can do that (really do it, not sort of do it, but really do it), you might as well skip this lesson, but if you found it difficult (or as I did, utterly impossible) this is most definitely the lesson for you. The lesson can be done by anyone except maybe those with foot pain or injury. It's an excellent demonstration that what we do is work with the brain. It became completely obvious that the reason I couldn't differentiate the lifting of my toes had nothing to do with any muscular or skeletal problem. My brain simply couldn't figure out how to make it happen. I'm looking forward to doing this one several more times.

Lesson #119 Twisting and bending in sitting

This is a great companion lesson to #116, "Spreading the legs and erecting the back." So much so that it almost feels like a continuation of that lesson although it is not noted as such. Certainly, one could use elements from both lessons and pick and choose to come up with a single lesson that was tailored for whatever a particular group of students seemed to need. Here again, the majority of the lesson is done sitting on the floor with the legs long in front. Easier sitting in this configuration seems to be the goal; this time the familiar movements of lowering and erecting the head are complimented with some twisting and circling of the spine that I've never come across before. There are some fascinating constraints introduced that had me circling the spine in a way that I found very tricky at first and ultimately extremely satisfying. This is an intermdiate lesson that requires the ability to sit unsupported by the hands with the legs long and spread in front. Also, the benefits of the somewhat extreme twisting that is encouraged will be better realized (at least in my opinion) by students who already have found at least a fair amount of flexibility in the spine and ribs. If you liked #116, you'll love this one.