the feldenkrais method with lynette reid
We’re finishing up this series—this is the fourth last class perhaps for the next year—with some classic lessons. Whatever a “classic” lesson means! It’s surprising how much of a voyage of discovery a familiar lesson can be. Side-sitting, your explore how combining different coordinations of your eyes, shoulders, head—and everything that supports all that, down to your toes—expands your possibilities for action.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This is a change of pace from recent lessons. A little learning about spirals, changing planes, getting from the floor to standing in a beautifully efficient way.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The “dead bird” is a classic lesson. The image refers to the way you hang the arm in front of the face, at eye level or a little lower–with the wrist limp, like a dead bird’s wing. I was listening to Moshe teaching it at Amherst. He says, maybe it’s an intelligent bird’s wing. Not a bird mindlessly using energy or effort to hold the wrist stiff…
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Do the previous lesson (From crawling to sitting) first! This is just an experimental add-on, a little trial of some ideas, an exploration to see what happens, tacked on at the end of the lesson for those who would stay.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
A little bit of this with the hands, a little bit of that with the feet… yes, shoulders and hips. But can we put it all together into something functional? For a baby at least? Find spiral transitions and stealth twistings of the long axes of the arms and legs?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
You have habits of how you interlace your hands….but your toes? How can you have a habit of how you interlace your toes? Have you ever done this before? Since you were 2 years old?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Zooming in on the hips, but within a context where everything has to play along–the weight shifting on the pelvis, the shoulder lengthening instead of clutching, the head willing to go anywhere, the chest and spine flexible.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Kicking off our first fall 2011 series with a lesson differentiating the eyes.
WARNING: I was playing with a non-standard interpretation of the arm/hand position. Don’t bother–it creates strain and doesn’t contribute to learning. Use the “normal” dead bird position (arm lifted forward and bent in the elbow, hand hanging loose in front of the face, so you look at or just over the back of the hand).
If you’re a seasoned Feldenkrais person, I’m curious what you think about the arm position as I teach it here. Looking back at the lesson in the ATM book, it’s ambiguous between starting with the arm long and bending as you turn, and starting with it bent. I’m curious what you think about trying it this way. Discussion at Feldy Notebook: http://feldynotebook.wikispaces.com/Movement+of+the+Eyes+Organizes+the+Movement+of+the+Body
You’ll also notice that I actually mess up the instructions for eye-head differentiation. Mea culpa. See above outline at Feldy Notebook (or the ATM book itself) for the right variations.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This “classic” lesson (we call the theme the “dead bird” lesson) works in sitting, and shows the surprising power of the eyes to organize movement–or, perhaps better, your willingness and availability to move.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download