In today's Feldenkrais lesson.
I'm going to show you a somatic movement sequence that can help you to reduce neck and upper back pain.
And to improve your readmobility.
Before we get into the exercise.
I want to remind you that your own comfort is the most important thing to get a good learning experience.
That means you can always take as many breaks as you like.
And if any positions or movements feel uncomfortable.
Feel free to adjust them by making them smaller or slower.
To increase sensations and self-awareness.
You might want to close your eyelids once in a while.
It will not be necessary to watch the video the whole time.
Just let my voice guide you through the movements.
If you are completely new to the Feldenkrais method,
I also encourage you to read the video description before starting the lesson.
And then.
.
.
Please find yourself a comfortable spot on the floor.
And enjoy.
Please lie down on your back.
Rest with long arms and legs.
And sense the overall contact that you are making with the floor.
In particular,
Sense your back.
Bring your awareness to your low back.
And sense is there a distance between your lower back and the floor.
And then follow your spine upwards with your mind's eye.
And notice where is your back touching the ground again.
This will usually be somewhere in the area of your upper back.
And if she says.
.
.
All of your back.
What percentage of your back surface is in contact with the floor and what percentage does not have any contact?
Just make a guess for yourself.
And now please lift your head away from the ground and look towards your feet and then bring your head back down again.
Do this movement two to three times just to sense how heavy does your head feel and how high can you lift it comfortably.
That you had rest on the floor again and now bring both legs to standing.
So your feet are flat on the floor.
Enemies are pointing towards the ceiling.
Now interlace the fingers of both hands and bring the interlaced hands behind your head,
So your head is resting in your hands.
Make sure it's not your neck resting in your hands,
But it's your head.
And now bring your elbows towards the ceiling.
So the lower arms are touching your head.
And the elbows are pointing straight towards the ceiling and now lift the head away from the floor with the help of your arms.
Then bring the head back down onto the floor again and let your elbows sink to the side.
And then repeat this movement again.
So first of all you bring the elbows towards the ceiling,
Then you lift your head with the help.
Of the arms.
You bring the head back down again and then you let the elbows sink to the side.
Do the movement a few times.
And every time you lift your head,
Make sure that you breathe out.
Allow your belly to go outwards while lifting the head,
This will make it easier.
And when you bring the head back down to the floor again,
Then breathe in.
Allow your elbows to sink to the side every time you bring the head back onto the floor.
Now bring this movement to a stop.
And only leave your right hand behind your head.
Now bring your right knee closer to your chest so you lift the foot away from the floor and you bring the knee closer to your chest and then you bring the left hand onto your right knee.
So the right hand is behind your head.
And the left hand is on your right knee.
Now bring the right elbow towards the ceiling.
Lift the head with the help.
Of thee.
And bring the right knee and the right elbow towards each other.
It's not necessary that they touch.
Then bring your head back down to the floor again,
Let your elbows sink and repeat this movement a few times.
And every time you do the movement,
Breathe out.
Push out your belly if you want to.
So the movement becomes easier.
And every time you bring the head back onto the floor let the elbows sink to the side.
Notice how your ribs can become soft when you breathe out.
When lifting the head you breathe out,
You push the belly outwards,
And you let your ribs become soft,
So they should kind of fold together.
So this will be easier to lift the head then.
The next time you bring your head back onto the floor take a short break.
Bring the foot back onto the floor,
Leave your leg standing.
And also bring.
The right arm back into a comfortable position.
And now please bring the left hand behind your head.
Bring the left knee closer to your chest,
So you lift the left foot away from the floor.
And put the right hand onto the left knee.
So the left hand is now behind your head.
And the right hand is on the left knee.
Move the left elbow so it's pointing towards the ceiling and then lift the head with the help.
Of your arm and bring the left elbow and the left knee closer together.
And when you bring the head back down to the floor again,
Let your elbows sink to the side.
And don't just bring the elbow towards the knee,
Also bring the knee towards the elbow.
So when you lift your head also make sure that you are pulling the knee towards yourself.
So your back can come around.
Breathe out while lifting the head.
Push out your belly when you lift the head.
And allow your ribs to become soft.
Also notice while doing the movement is there any unnecessary effort in your face for example.
So our lips gently touch you.
Are your eyes soft?
Do you have a soft gaze?
And also is in fact free from tension.
The neck muscles are not necessary in this movement because we want to lift the head with the help of the arm.
And the next time you bring your head back down onto the floor again,
Take another short break.
Bring your arms back onto the floor in a comfortable position and if you want to you can lengthen your legs as well.
Now slowly bring both legs to standing again,
So your feet are flat on the floor.
Interlace the fingers of both hands and bring the interlaced hands behind your head.
And now bring both knees towards your chest,
So you lift away the feet from the floor.
You bring the knees towards your chest.
And now you bring both elbows towards the ceiling.
You lift your head.
And the elbows are moving towards the knees and the knees are moving towards the elbows.
And then you bring your head back onto the floor again and let your elbows sink to the side.
Your legs stay in the air.
So you keep your knees.
In the direction of your chest.
And a feature in the end.
And do this movement a few times.
Every time you lift the head,
Breathe out.
And sets your back while doing the movement.
So when you lift the head away from the ground,
Your weight will shift.
Towards the middle of your back.
When you bring the head back onto the ground,
Then your weight will kind of spread a little bit more.
So notice this change in weight shifting.
Every time you do the movement.
And then bring the movement to a stop.
Lengthen your legs,
Bring both arms back onto the floor.
And sense the contact that you are making now.
You might already be able to feel a change.
So your back surface might feel a bit flatter on the ground.
Or the surface that is in contact with the floor might feel a bit bigger.
So since is there a difference compared to the beginning of the lesson?
And now two to three times just to compare this movement.
Lift your head away from the ground.
And remember,
Push out your belly,
Breathe out.
Allow your chest to get soft and then bring the head back onto the floor again.
And see if the hat can be lifted a little bit easier.
Just do it two to three times.
To sense the differences compared to the beginning of the lesson.
And then slowly.
Bring this movement to a stop.
And roll over to one side and come to sitting.
And then in your own time come to standing.
Once you're standing,
Sense yourself.
Do you feel more upright than you usually do?
And then please walk a few steps.
So walk around in your room.
To integrate this experience into your movements.
Feel free to repeat this lesson as often as you like.
If you practice it every day for,
Let's say,
Two weeks,
Then the mobility of your back will dramatically improve.
Thank you.
