Movement, Love, Mindfulness, day 1--- wake up breathing

move the ribs and you will
wake up breathing

go slowly
breath is in no hurry

add
on the pelvis
attached to the spine
attached to the ribs

more ease
more awakened breathing
more pleasure
more life

good....


So,
lie on your back, on a comfortable floor or a bed or some grass, sand
you figure that out

1. Move your head
gently side to side

feeling what happens in your neck
feeling the difference in feeling in moving the two ways
feeling yourself slow down
and
pay attention

do this many times

1.b. Rest
Just sense yourself
Breathe

2. Move your feet,
side to side
like windshield
wipers

slowly
and here again,
feel the movement,
feel differences side to side
feel yourself paying attention

2.b. rest

3. Now,
in various combinations,
either move the feet and the head the same way,
or opposite ways

take lots of time to explore and enjoy this

3.b. rest

4. take your hands to the opposite armpit
and very very gently move your ribs right and left

feel the movement in the front
and
back of your ribs
feel the movement in your neck and pelvis

enjoy
notice
go slower

4.b. rest

5. Create this interesting combination:
head and feet to the left
as ribs go to the right,
and

head and feet to the right
as ribs go to the left

notice
enjoy
learn
sense yourself

breathe

5.b.
rest

there is lots more involving the pelvis
call for a lesson over the phone,
360-317-4773
or go find a nearby Feldenkrais® or
Anat Baniel Method practitioner

and this is a start

notice
ease and
improvement in your breathing from this

anxiety, and undoing anxiety

we get anxious sometimes
afraid
we want to get smaller
( hide)

curl up in a ball,
clench everything together,

pull in, in,
as if returning to the fetal
curled up
place

we hunch over,
we pull our bellies in
chin down,
clench jaw

all that stuff

we stop breathing

it's not a good feeling after a
short time,

but, what is there to do?

well,
I teach a three level response to
stress/
anxiety/
fear

and let's just play here
with the body path to
transforming this:

here's the deal:

start by making it worse:

pull in tighter,
really

crunch way way in,
tighten everything you can,
hold your breath
and then go the other way,

unfurl

and
don't make the unfurling better,
though it might feel better

sense them both:
the curling in
and the opening up

and what does that mean:

here we go, a movement lesson:


Sit in a chair,
forward, so your back is not leaning back

curl forward
which means,

lower your chin toward your belly
roll your pelvis back and tuck your tailbone under you
slump your sternum

pull in your belly
tighten your jaw, your eyes, your fists,

pull your fists in tight,
toward your belly
tighten your asshole

get all crunched
in

and stay there a bit

sense this shape,
this feeling

then,
go the other way,

let your belly loose and forward
arch your back
raise your sternum

lift your head a little ( not too much)
relax your jaw and fingers

let your hands raise up over your head
let your arms widen a little
let your mouth open a bit
twist a little to the left one time, and then
after crunching again,
twist a little to the right

don't get fast

go slowly

at the most expanded,
hang out there
and sense what that is like

go back and forth through eight or ten crunches

and get more and more into feeling the transition both ways
and feeling deeply the end point

experience your breathing

enjoy the differences

enjoy the shift in your mood
cheers
Chris

Posture, STress release, balance

Anxiety is crunching in
contracting
holding your breath
tightening into a ball, into the fetal position

shitty posture is usually
a lot of the same

so,
let's have some fun

for starters: take off your socks

now,
the beginning refrain,
to test as we go along:

bend your knees and
easily reach down toward the floor
do NOT stretch or effort,
see how far you go with great comfort

stand up, and then...


stand next to a chair,
or in a doorway

use the door jamb or chair, if you need to

stand on your left leg ( if you are right handed,
otherwise, reverse)

with the help of your right hand, bring your right knee toward your chest

do this a number of times,
at least ten

this way
[ slowly
each time different, slightly
looking for the pleasure each time
sensing down to the foot on the floor, and all the vertebrae of your spine, and your breath
smiling, a little or a lot
aware of what you are seeing also

i.e. awake
happy & 
learning]
( this is the how to do the movement chorus--
for each movement I will now insert
[movement chorus]   )

rest

by putting your foot down,
standing comfortably and
noticing any changes

try the bending again:
bend your knees and
easily reach down toward the floor
do NOT stretch or effort,
see how far you go with great comfort

2.  set up as before, holding the right knee toward the chest
and now
bend your chest forward to touch, or almost touch your knee,

when your chest is as close as it can get,
straighten your back, bringing your knee along if you can

then go back and forth:
knee close and upright
knee close and bending forward

[ movement chorus]

rest
[[ rest chorus:
be relaxed,
maybe even walk around
feel your height in standing

bend your knees and
easily reach down toward the floor
do NOT stretch or effort,
see how far you go with great comfort]]

that's the rest chorus

3. stand in the doorway or next to the chair again:
alternate,
knee toward the chest
and
holding your ankle
bringing the foot back
pushing your belly out
arching your back
looking up
and breathing is fully
and
smiling

[movement chorus...
do it at least 10 times]

rest,
[[ rest chorus]]

4. Do all the above with the opposite hand

what?

like this:

on your left foot
right hand on chair or door jamb
( it's good to let go sometimes and play
with balance,
or
do the whole thing without help--
advanced form,
no help,
eyes closed.

ha)

ok,
stand on your left foot
right hand helping with balance if need be

hold your right knee with your left hand
and bring it toward your chest
easily

and then
bring your knee back, so you can catch your
right foot behind you with your left hand
and make this arch,
as above,
belly forward
breathing in,
smiling,
eye up a bit
feeling the arch and lengthening in your spine

[ movement chorus]

rest,
[[rest chorus]]

5 etc
you can switch to the other side,
and
I'd recommend not switching for awhile and taking a walk
slightly lopsided, just to feel the learning.

do recall that all the [[rest choruses]] including trying
out again bending easily to the floor

cheers
and happy
fourth

later, more on the pursuit of happiness

Posture, Golf, Flow ---- Movement Lesson

1.
Stand comfortably in your bare feet
bend your knees a fair amount
and easily
gently
reach down toward the floor

Don't strain
Don't stress

Just see how far you can easily go
and
what it feels like to be you doing this

Good

2. Now
dangle your arms in front of you, parallel
and let yourself round over

You are not leaning down toward the floor,
but more like collapsing into a ball
your hands down about your knees and no farther

Your pelvis rolls in,
as if your sex toward your nose

Your head flops forward with your neck completely released

Your belly is way in

Your back is rounded

This is "the center"

3. From the "center"

Let your arms float up and to the right
staying parallel
with your hands soft and easy

here your back arches
with your belly forward

and you twist up and to the right

you look up toward the right,
your arch your back such that your butt
is lifting back and up toward the back of your head

do this all easily

From here, release, and come back down through the center

In the center, you are rounded and collapsed
everything as described above

and
your job is to feel something new
and
interesting
and
pleasurable

each time

Then keep going to the left and up

arch
belly forward
pelvis again tilted so that the butt and the back of your head are searching for each other

you twist up and to the left,
letting your eyes go that way, too

4.
Do this back and forth 3 or 4 times,
always slowly
always sensing all of yourself
easily
and with enjoyment
the whole way through

5. Now rest, and feel your standing

And then retry the beginning lean down toward the floor

Is it different in feel?
Can you go a little closer?

6,
Now repeat  2, 3, and 4
in this way:

As you go to the right and up,
have your weight on your right foot

As you go to the center,
have your weight on both feet

As you go to the left and up
have your weight on your left foot.

Again, 3-5 times, easily,
with learning and
pleasure

6.b.
Rest as above
Feel standing
Try moving toward the floor and feel differences

7.
Do the movement with your weight on the right foot
the entire time

Take the rest and discovery at the end

8.
Do the movement with your weight on your left foot
the entire time

Again,
rest to feel your standing sensation
re test the leaning toward the floor

9. Do the movement in this interesting way:

When you go up and to the right, have your weight on your left foot

In the center have your weight on both feet

When you go up and to the left, have your weight on your right foot

Do it this complicated way
enough to be able to relax into it and enjoy it

9.b. as usual, after a few movements,
rest in standing and
re test the bending toward the floor

10. end this up, doing the movement
with your weight shifting in any way that
seems easiest and most natural to you

do this with both your eyes open
and 
your eyes closed

do it so it feels almost a movement lullaby for you

and
keep alert enough to discover
new facets
and new
pleasures each time

then stop,
rest,
breathe
smile

enjoy standing and bending at the end
and walk around a bit following your breathing
and enjoying any increased clarity of vision

take some quiet movement or sitting
or even lying down time,
before you head to the next activity
good

Insomnia

The trick with insomnia is this:

Don't fight it

Don't think about it...

Don't worry...

Easier to say than to do,
and
this is your chance to learn to meditate
whether you want to or not

...

this is the secret:
finding something soft and eyes closed
that is more interesting than thinking

a lot more interesting

and guess what:

movement with attention
that is slow
and had variation
and is soft
and had breaks/ rests/ pauses

suits that requirement completely

...
so
here's a good one,
and it helps with necks, backs and shoulders, too.


lie on your side,
in bed
eyes closed,
knees bent comfortably and one hand on top of the other
with your arms straight
in front of you

do things and then rest

1. take your top arm forward ( the direction your nose is pointing is forward)
so that your top hand goes past your bottom hand
do this very slowly

keep this top arm straight and bring the hand and arm back, so the fingers begin to come
up on your lower wrist

go back and forth and feel the movement in your shoulder
and your back

rest

2.
Do all the above and add on breathing
either way:
breathe in as you go forward and out as you come back
or
breathe out as you go forward and breathe in as you come back

do this slowly
about ten times,
seeing if you can feel something new and different and pleasant
in your body each time you do this

rest

3. Do all the above
and start opening your hand like a flower as you roll forward
and bringing all your fingers together like an octopus all legs touching as you come back
go
slow
go
really really slow

feel
the fingers
feel
your breathing
feel your ribs rolling
feel
you shoulder blade moving
feel
the
vertebrae in your spine moving

feel
the pleasure in
feeling/ sensing yourself

at least ten times rest

after those four ,
lie on your back and rest
and imagine the whole sequence in your mind
as you feel rather than do it in your body

then do it again,
but add on:

be aware of your neck
feel how it rolls a little one way and the other

do all four steps
one by one,
nice long rests,
and have your neck as part of this

after those four,
take a big rest


if you want more complicated versions,
come take lessons
or call
and we'll arrange verbal lessons if you aren't in Austin..

but keep doing this
as you get more and more happy
and soft with
fingers
spine
neck
shoulder
ribs
breathing

take lots of rests

do it a bunch on one side
so slowly than you can imagine,
almost like it's sleep movement

take lots of rests

you might fall asleep

that's okay

you might keep enjoying this
and
radically improving your spine neck shoulder and brain and fingers

that's okay, too

smile while you do this
sense your toes
and send happiness to them,
and let them send
happiness to you

good,
cheers
chris

moving up, moving down

in life,
we often let ourselves
slump

that's fine

if
we
know
we
are doing it

if not

let's wake up and smell
the now

slump and slump more
belly in
chin down,
chest/ sternum sinking

rotate the pelvis

this is key
rotate the pelvis

and now,
move the other way

belly forward
head a little up
sternum up
feel your ribs moving apart,
feel your spine lengthening

and

move your pelvis
so you can feel the front edge
of it
pushing into the chair

then relax, and
slump again,

first to your "normal" slump spot

and then,
to
all curled up and nowhere to go

stay there for awhile

let your head shift right and left
feel your neck soft

and then arch on up to lengthening

do this a number of
very slow
times

feel the belly and ribs going forward and back
feel the sternum rising and falling
feel the eyes and head going up and down

and
most of all,

feel your pelvis rocking from the front side
to the back

enjoy this

and
breathe

breathe

yeah, breathe

there are two ways to coordinate the breathing with this

try both
good

skipping

have you tried skipping lately?

did you realize you could skip differently than the
usual two times left foot
two times right foot

play with it

3 right and 2 left
3 left and 2 right
3 each

4 left and 2 right and so on

go slowly
a weird instruction for skipping
but do

and take lots of walking rests

enjoy

eyes necks and backs

This is a snippet of a lesson

Come to table lessons
and this will be a reminder

This work is deep

Quick and amazing,
and you need depth to really come to the fullness that it can bring....




One: Lie on your back
Close your eyes

Feel the right leg
Feel the left leg
Feel your spine

Feel your pelvis and your ribs and your arms

Two:
Bring your feet to standing
and let your knees move to the right

as you do this push out your belly
and breathe out

then bring your knees back to the center

do this at least ten times,
enjoying each time

rest

Three:
Do all that while alternating turning your head to the left
and
your head to the right

Rest

Four:
Put your palms over your eyes and do all the above
with your eyes in the dark
and feeling your pelvis
and
your ankles
and
your neck
and the softness in your eyes as they are covered

rest

Five
Do all the above and let your eyes go in to opposite way that your head goes
Do this slowly
and
softly
at least ten times

enjoy each movement
and relax between each one

rest
lie out long and feel how your body and state of being have changed

rest longer

then
bring your feet to standing
and

imagine doing these steps with your knees come the other way

then do them

rest after each step

rest about ten minutes at the end

then
get
up

and take a walk
outside in the weather is nice
on
uneven ground if you can find any


good

Flexible Brains for Hearts, Bodies and Problem Solving

Flexible Brains, Hearts and Lives.

What are brains for?

Learning.

Learning what?

How to stay out of trouble. Hence habits that we cling to since they once “worked” to avoid some problem.

And, learning how to be happier, or do something better. As early as learning how to roll over, crawl and walk. Our brains learned that. How to get along with others. How to have a good time. How to make friends. Our brains learned that.

And now, what would YOUR brain like to learn?

And how could being flexible in your approach radically accelerate your learning?

Learning is what? Let’s get this amazingly useful concept front and center: 

Learning is the noticing of a difference that makes a difference.

That’s worth repeating: Learning is the noticing of a difference that makes a difference.

Let’s take three kinds of learning that might point toward a better, more enjoyable, more potent life.

Emotional.

I’m sure this doesn’t ever happen to you, but some people are known to have people in their lives who annoy them.

To use a brain to change this around, let’s toy with a central variable in how people perceive others who annoy them.

They think the annoying one is wrong and should change.

Okay, if this were about flexible hearts, we could hint at saintly behavior and loving the annoying ones anyway.

But, let’s use the brain systematically  to try other ways of dealing with this.

One, what if the annoying one is not wrong. Wait, wait, this doesn’t have to be believed. Just tried out.

So, one difference: they aren’t wrong.

Difference two: what if, in some small and almost infinitesimal, we are wrong.

Difference three: what if, again, in some small and almost infinitesimal way, there is some change we might bring into the equation.

( Hint: it’s usually to change in the way we want them to change. But that’s a bigger story. This story, is that letting our brains change the construct around gives us a vastly more free and perhaps congenial way of relating to an “annoying” person.

Movement.

This, of course, is the stock and trade of the Feldenkrais® work. So we need only the slightest example, since all the lessons, thousands of them, require a flexible approach to movement, that results in large improvement, by varying something, often varying something rather small.

So, we want to turn to the left to see better over our left shoulder in a sitting position. This could help driving safety,  say.

The old model, is to yank our neck to the left, and then yank a little more.

One variation that is yank free, would be to put the back of our right hand on our left check, and with the hand there, turn to the left in a way that involves our right shoulder and our ribs.

And the turning is easier.

A second variation.

Push your right hip forward so that your pelvis rotates to the left. Do this as you look to the left. See if that is a difference that makes a difference.

A third, and this is similar to the first, but I like it because it’s so self-friendly. Hug ourselves by holding the opposite armpit with each hand. ( Figure it out. It feels good).

In this hug, rotate our ribs to the left as we look to the left.

Finally. Using the self hug, and our right knee forward at the same time, rotate our face and ribs and pelvis to the left and notice the ease and increase in this movement.

Problem solving.

This is a little trickier, since we don’t have a specific problem, and let’s have flexible brains and play with this too.

One variation:

Think of three ways to make the problem even worse. How could we lock it down and make it more intractable?

Two:

Think of three really silly ideas, that have no merit whatsoever, apparently, but write or doodle them out.( Robbing a bank to make more money, say)

Three:

Come up with three possible new approaches, that go against the first variations, and create any small shift.That is: whatever would make it worse, do less or the opposite and doodle, write, brainstorm them out into the world of though experimentation.

Four:

Find the one of the most promising of these ways and find ways to make even smaller sub changes toward making that happen.

This is perhaps too abstract.

Alas, that is one thing brains are good at : thought experiments. You could use your brain to try out the third example in your own real life and your own real variations.

Or, you could skim on to the next thing.

Flexible brains get to make decisions.

Aware brains, know when the decision is being made.

It’s your brain. Enjoy it.

It’s your awareness. Thrive from it.

Balance Two, for You

Stand near a wall>

Decide which foot is your stable foot,
and which your free foot

Stable is usually right for left handers, and left for right
Free is usually right for right handers, and left for left

Lift one foot

That one's your free foot

Stand a foot and a half or so from the wall,
adjust so that you feel moderately or a lot comfortable
leaning the top of your head into the wall

Use your hands for support if need be

ONE
Bring your free foot behind your stable foot,
so that it is on the opposite side that it usually is
and
both feet are pointing toward the wall

Shift your weight very slowly from right to left
and then back
Many times
Feel the transition as if 10%, 20%, 30% in one foot
as the weight gets more very gradually

Enjoy this
and notice how different it is to have the weight to your left side
on your right foot
and
the weight to your right side
on your left foot

Rest
by gently pushing to upright
and leaving the wall to walk around a bit

TWO
Everything as in One
same foot behind,
and now shift the weight from heels to toes
and back

Many times

Rest with your head on the wall

Now, do a circle of weight distribution:
Left heel, left toes,
Right toes, right heel
Many times,
and
then
reverse the circle

Now the longer rest, standing and walking

THREE:
Put the free foot in front and across to the other side
again, both feel pointing to the wall

and do the three stages from above;

Left and right

Front and back

Around the circle in both directions

Stand and walk for a rest

FOUR:
Take your stable foot behind the standing foot and to the opposite side
and
do all three

then rest and stand and walk

FIVE
Take your stable foot in front of your free foot and to the opposite side
and
do
all three:

Right and left
Front and back
Around the circle in both directions

Rest by walking and stay out of normal actions for awhile

Take a walk outdoor is you can,
though it's cold this time of the year most places

Balance: a movement lesson

This is fun for all
and especially useful for people who are getting older,
who have fallen, or been in an accident,
or had a stroke,
and wish to improve their balance.

There will be one today,
and another tomorrow.


One:
Stand near a wall, about a foot and a half away,
( You can adjust this)
and putting your hands on the wall,
and then
bow a bit forward
so that you can press the top of your head into the wall

Rest here a bit
and feel the weight of you going up from your feet
through your spine
through your skull
into the wall

After you are comfortable,
begin to shit your weight from your right foot
to your left foot
back and forth,

Rest

Now shift your weight left and right
Very slowly
with a lot of pleasure and attention
and

as you shift to the right,
raise your left heel and rotate your left foot to the right
and
rotate your pelvis to the right,
and
rotate your head to the right, so your nose is pointing to the right.

and as you come back
bring your head to the middle
and both feet on the ground

and as you go to the left
raise your right heel
and rotate that foot and hip to the left
and rotate your nose and head to the left

if you can do this with your arms dangling down,
fine

if you need to keep your hands on the wall steadying you
that's fine too

many times,
at least 12
as many as you like

go for each time feeling slightly different
and each time more awareness of a new part of
yourself
and each time
a deeper sense of ease and pleasure

rest, but slowly using your hands to stand upright,
and walking around a bit


TWO;
You are going to do everything you did in the more
complicated version,
except that your head is going to go
the opposite way of the rotation of your hips
that is happening from the weight shift
and raising your heel

so:
rotate your pelvis to the left
by raising your right heel
and rotating your hip and leg to the left,
and
as you do this
(slow, slow, slow, slowly, slowly)
take your head and nose to the right

and easily slowly gently reversing this
so that as your pelvis goes to the right
with your left heel raising, and your left leg and hip rotating,
your head goes to the left

this won't be easy
and
if you go slowly enough
with enough attention,
will profoundly reorganize your nervous system
to balance far better in gravity

rest as above,
coming off the wall and walking around


THREE:

This is a fuller version of the second part of ONE

with your right hand on the wall, and your right hand dangling down,
and the top of your head on the wall,
rotate to the right by lifting your left heel,
rotating your hip,
turning your nose and head to the right,
and this time
the nose and eyes will be following the loose right hand, and arm,
which will rotate up to shoulder height to the right

then reversing down and the other way:
the hand will come down
and up to the left
the right heel will raise
the hips and leg will rotate to the left
as the head and nose and eyes follow your hand

back and forth
many times,
slowly
gently
pleasurably
with ease and
breathing
and discovery
and grace

rest as before by walking around

FOUR:
The same as above with the other arm
as the pendulum that goes side to side
followed by your eyes and nose

enjoy this,
really
slowly
completely
easily
slowly
gently

breathe
breathe
breathe

Take it easy for 10-30 minutes after and let this integrate

Naps and walks are the best integration
Good

Movement for back, hips, neck and brain---cat and cow

CAT AND COW
IN SITTING ON A CHAIR
Come to the front of the chair
Both feet on the floor

CAT:
Back is rounded
by
Pulling stomach in
Rolling back on your pelvis
Lowering your sternum
Letting your head slump down

COW
Back is arched
by
Pushing stomach forward
(extra credit, figure out how to do this on the outbreath)
Rolling forward on your pelvis
Raising your sternum
Letting your nose lift up toward the sky (Do not cram your neck way back)


NORMAL DEAL
In sitting
alternate cat and cow

slowly
taking a few turns to mainly notice the pelvis
a few turns
to mainly notice the ribs and arch/ round of the spine
and
a few turns
feeling your head's involvement in this
and
then
a few turns feeling it all together

VARIATION ONE

In this variation your head does the opposite as the "normal" version

So
VARIATION ONE -- CAT
All is the same except for the head:
Back Rounded
by
Belly in
Pelvis rolled back
Sternum down
and
Head goes UP this time

Two ways to notice this:
The head goes back as the back goes back
and
Your head is rotating the same way your pelvis is

VARIATION ONE -- COW
All is the same except for the head
Back Arched
by
Belly forward
Pelvis rolling forward
Sternum up
and
Your HEAD goes DOWN this time

as before;
Head and belly going forward
and
Your head is rotating the same way your pelvis is

LINK THESE UP:
AND
go slowly
and pay attention
and enjoy the movement
and find something new and delicious
and interesting
each time you do the movement

Go LESS than your full range
Use LESS force
Use MORE attention, ease and pleasure

Enjoy


CAT AND COW AS THEY DO IT IN YOGA

ON YOUR HANDS AND KNEES

NORMAL CAT
Back arched up toward the ceiling
as
Pelvis tucks under
Belly tucks in
Head lowers toward the pelvis
And your sternum moves as if down into your belly

NORMAL COW
Back and ribs come toward the floor
as
Your pelvis rotates so your butt is moving toward the back of your head
The back of your head , as you nose lifts, is moving toward your butt
Your sternum is expanding and coming as if up toward your neck

CAT and COW in Yoga:
Go back and forth between these two

VARIATION TWO
Put your weight on your left hand and knee
Have your right knee free

As you do cat,
Bring your right knee toward your nose

As you do cow
Bring your right foot back and up toward the ceiling

Alternate these two


VARIATION ONE IN THE YOGA VERSION

HANDS AND KNEES VARIATION ONE,      CAT
Your back is up toward the ceiling,
Rounded we call it, though blah blah, it could seem an arch
Think of rounding forward in standing or sitting,
This is rounding, just go along with it

Your back is toward the ceiling
Your pelvis is tucked under , tailbone tucked under, as if toward your head
Your belly is pulled in and up toward the ceiling
and
Your head is looking up toward the ceiling/ sky also

as before:
the back and the head are both toward the sky
and
the pelvis and the head are rotating the same direction

HANDS AND KNEES VARIATION ONE,    COW
Your back is arched
Meaning ribs are pushed "forward" if forward is the way your chest points
or
Ribs and belly are pushed toward the floor
and your sternum lifts a bit toward your neck
and
Your pelvis rotates as if the point your butt toward your head
and
Your head this time is
Going down toward the floor

as before:
The ribs and mid section is toward the floor and so is your head
and
Your pelvis and your head are rotating in the same direction

Combine these two
Go slowly
Go slower
Stop a lot

Feel it
feel it
feel it

as sensation

it's very relaxing
and
brain expanding

as are
all of these lessons

cheers
Chris

Movement Lesson, for back and neck, in bed, and easy

MOVEMENT ONE: ON THE BACK

1.   Lie on your back, with legs comfortable, and head slightly supported so your neck is a continuation of your spine

Rotate your feet, right and left.
Gently. Easily. Many times.
Feeling this in many places: your ankles, your legs, your hip joints, your pelvis, your spine
Feel this as pleasure, ease, awareness and discovery

Rest
In all rests, scan your body for ease, pleasure and differences from earlier.

2. Bring your left arm across your face so that the crook of your left arm is over your forehead>
Slowly move the left arm right and left so that your head moves left and right, so that your nose rotates left to right.
Feel this as ease and pleasure, and notice as much of yourself as you can.

Do this many times, each time with a slightly different awareness focus.

Rest.

3. Have the left arm as in 2. And move your feet and arm

a. Many times with the head and the feet going the same direction>

Rest

b. Many times with the head and feet going in opposite directions>

Rest

4. Do all the above in 3.b, with the eyes going opposite your head and the same direction as the feet.

Breath . Notice. Enjoy.
Many times.

Rest. Get up and walk around as part of your rest.
And, JUST ENJOY being in your body.
This can be the end of a mini lesson, or, add in the next

5. As much as you wish, do all the above with the right arm.

Remember: no moves that are painful.
less is more.

Good.

Back, toes, spine, pelvis, neck and nose: an easy wake up play

MOVEMENT ONE: ON THE BACK

1.   Lie on your back, with legs comfortable, and head slightly supported so your neck is a continuation of your spine

Rotate your feet, right and left.
Gently. Easily. Many times.
Feeling this in many places: your ankles, your legs, your hip joints, your pelvis, your spine
Feel this as pleasure, ease, awareness and discovery

Rest
In all rests, scan your body for ease, pleasure and differences from earlier.

2. Bring your left arm across your face so that the crook of your left arm is over your forehead>
Slowly move the left arm right and left so that your head moves left and right, so that your nose rotates left to right.
Feel this as ease and pleasure, and notice as much of yourself as you can.

Do this many times, each time with a slightly different awareness focus.

Rest.

3. Have the left arm as in 2. And move your feet and arm

a. Many times with the head and the feet going the same direction>

Rest

b. Many times with the head and feet going in opposite directions>

Rest

4. Do all the above in 3.b, with the eyes going opposite your head and the same direction as the feet.

Breath . Notice. Enjoy.
Many times.

Rest. Get up and walk around as part of your rest.
And, JUST ENJOY being in your body.
This can be the end of a mini lesson, or, add in the next

5. As much as you wish, do all the above with the right arm.

Remember: no moves that are painful.
less is more.

Good.

Side lying, flexion and extension, all in the same game

Lie on your right side, Have a pillow under your head

and a small pillow between your knees.

Have your knees pointing forward

which is the direction your chest is pointing

take it easy

let your left arm be straight out from your shoulder

on the floor

1. Practice flexion,

which is the rounding of your back,

by the contracting of your stomach muscles

Bring your stomach in

and your left elbow down toward

your left knee

which comes up toward it

then come back to the starting position

do this many times

not far

not trying to reach the knee with the elbow

rest

2. Practice flexion with your knee moving forward

so that you bring your knee forward

with your knee coming up toward your face

as it moves forward away from your chest

as you round your back

and pull your stomach in

and push your middle back backward

and then come back

many times

aware

ease

pleasure

rest

Practice flexion with your arm moving forward

and slightly down

forward and down

stomach in

back rounding

and then come back

many times

aware

ease

pleasure

rest

3 Do both together

Knee forward and a bit up

Hand forward and a bit down

stomach in

back rounding

and then come back

many times

aware

ease

pleasure

rest

4. Extension

(always lengthens the body)

As per yesterday,

Move your hand forward and up

arch your back

and pushing out your belly

and then come back

many times

aware

ease

pleasure

rest

And as per two days ago

bring the knee forward and down a bit

push the belly out

and arch the back

and then come back

many times

aware

ease

pleasure

rest

5. Combine these two movements

so the arch of your back is

sending your hand forward and up

and your knee

forward and down

and then come back

many times

aware

ease

pleasure

rest

6. Let's go backward, just in extension

Bring your left shoulder back and up a bit

pushing out your belly

and arching your back

and then come back

many times

aware

ease

pleasure

rest

Now, bring your left hip back and down a bit

pushing out your belly 

and arching your back

and then come back

many times

aware

ease

pleasure

rest

7. Now, a fun project,

both ways are going to be in extension

Move your hand forward and up

push your belly out

and bring your hip back and down

(those are the same, back arching and belly coming forward)arching your back

return to neutral

and then go into extension

and keep going so that 

your shoulder comes back and up

as your belly pushes out

and your knee goes down and forward

as your back arches 

go back and forth,

arching each way

and then relaxing in neutral

and then arching again as the shoulder 

and hip

move in opposite directions

go slowly

if you don't "get it"

go slower

and play around with some variation

you feel in your body

any movement with awareness

is

good

you are 

good

life is good

More Moving, on the Side, Shoulder, Hip, Brain

Redo, if you have time, yesterday's lesson
and then add this on

Lying on your right side,
a bed
a firm floor with a blanket or several layers of yoga mat on it
a lawn

Today
have your left knee on top of your right knee
either put your right hand
or a cushion of some sort between the knees to ease the movement of the top knee

Have your left arm straight forward from your head on the ground/ floor ( we'll call it floor from now on)

1. Move your left arm slowly forward
and as per yesterday,
forward is the direction your chest is pointing

have the shoulder, your shoulder, move slowly forward and back to neutral
feeling this as a rolling in the top part of your spine
go slowly
and enjoy feeling each vertebra as it gets involved

rest

1.b.
Move the left arm forward and a bit down,
say a 45 degree angle
and as you do this
pull in your stomach muscles
and round your back a bit
then return to neutral

do this a number of times

rest

1.c.
Move your left arm forward and up a bit,
again, about 45 degrees,
and
as you move it forward and up,
arch your back
let your back seem to be pushing your arm
away
( it is),
feel the sternum lifting as you do this

return slowly and with awareness to neutral
and then do this many times

rest on your back and notice differences
side to side

return to your right side after a pleasant rest

2. Move your left leg ,
just a little bit,
straight ahead,
as if tipping off the right knee
and then come back

feel this as pure rotation
and feel the vertebrae move one by one

do this many times

rest

2.b.
Move your knee back and down
not a whole lot
but enough to feel how this works
well with push the belly forward
and arching your back

come back to neutral
go
very
slowly
and feel the back hip knee connection

back and forth,
from no arch and the knee on top of the other,
to arch and the knee back and down

rest

2.c.
Move your knee back and up a bit,
as if you were curling in
and bringing your knee toward your chin
and with this pull in your belly and round your back  a little
so the knee is coming back with a feeling of
curling up in the middle

rest on your back
enjoy the sensations
notice the differences:
beginning to now
right and left sides

stay here awhile,
and then
back to your right side

3.
arching

in extension,
in arching,

move your arm up and forward
while your arch your back
and lift your sternum
and
while you
bring your knee back and down a bit

as if you could keep going into a yoga like thing
with the arm toward up and the leg coming behind you

rest

4
rounding,
belly in

rounding,
flexion

this time
bring your arm down and forward
and your belly in
and bring your knee back and down

( the knee back and down is quite odd
go slowly
and figure it out

go very small
and have everything rotating around your movement being led
by your belly coming in

rest

5. Finish off with extension again
it's more natural

arm forward and up
back arched
belly forward
knees back and down

and a general feeling of lengthening

rest

and enjoy

Movement Joy, Hip and Shoulder, three

We've done this before,
and this is slightly "better"

Lie on your right side,
Use a pillow to keep your neck straight with your spine

Bring your left knee slightly in front of your right thigh
Bring your left hand to your sternum in the center of your chest

Be relaxed,
Breathe
Feel yourself in this shape

Rest many times during this

Now

1. Practice arching your back a little
which means:
belly forward
and pelvis rotating to the top of the pelvis goes forward
(forward = the direction your chest is facing)
and the the bottom of the pelvis ( your butt) comes back a little

and then bring the pelvis back.
Do this many times

Rest
in a way that breathing and sensing yourself
is a great joy

2
Do all movement as small as you wish
Much much less
and much slower
and much less force than you are used to

Round your back a number of times
This means
Pull the belly
in
and rotate your pelvis such that the top of your pelvis
( where is meets the spine) goes back with the belly
and
the bottom of your pelvis ( your butt and crotch) come forward
as if towards your nose

Do this many times,
from neutral to rounding and back to neutral

Rest for ease pleasure and enjoyment

3.
Do the arching of your back,
\as you bring your left knee forward
and then pull in your belly a bit to bring it back to neutral

it's as if you are pushing your knee forward with your back

go slow
really slowly

if there's any pain,
make the movement almost microscopic

it's about the brain noticing
differences

many times
with ease
pleasure
awareness

Rest

4
Do the arching of your back as you bring your left shoulder back
and then
simply release to bring everything back to neutral

no stain
all the pulling the shoulders back
is mainly nonsense,
let your back be carrying your shoulder back
easily
slowly
gently
pleasurably

many times
many

Rest

5
Combine the two:
Arch and bring the shoulder back as the left knee goes forward
and then
release back to neutral

many times

rest



EXTRA CREDIT
Do this in sitting

Sit in a chair
upright
most of the weight on the right side of your pelvis

Arch your back and bring your right shoulder back
many times

rest

Arch your back and bring your knee forward
many times
easy
slowly
less
pleasurably

rest

combine the two


EXTRA CREDIT, PART TWO

Do this on your back

Bring your left hip forward by arching the left side of your back
as you press your left
heel into the floor

Bring your left shoulder back with the same
heel pressing
back arching combo

Don't worry to get this right

if it feels good
it's right
good

Movement #6: More Chair Fun. Left and Right, plus...

Sit in in a chair>
Breathe
Notice your relationship to gravity
Mull over how long it has been since you've been aware that you are in gravity all day
Breathe smile
Feel what feels good
Feel what doesn't feel so good
Smile

One:
Lean down between your legs and reach for the floor
Easily
Don't strain
Go as far as easily

Two:
Lean to the left with your head
Come back to the middle
Do this many times
Let your weight come onto the left side of your pelvis
Your left "sit bone" ( Sitz bone as it were, but we'll just call it
the left side of your pelvis)

rest a bit
feel your body and breathing and
relationship to gravity

Three:
Lean to the left again
and
each time you do, take your left hand
down the left side of the chair towards the floor
Come up, slowly, enjoying
the touch on the chair
Do this many times, easily

Rest

Now test how leaning down toward the floor
between your legs feels
easier
further
more pleasurable

how could you make it more pleasurable?

Four:
Again,
lean to the left
and lower your left arm along the chair towards the floor,
and leave it as near as it goes,
don't push it,
and let it come forward and backward
moving your head back and forth as it to follow the arm

Five:
Put your left hand over your head and hold your right ear with your left hand
In this configuration
a) Rock to the right side of your pelvis
b) Let your ribs go to the right
c) Gently pull your head to the left

So this time you are leaning left
but with a shift to the right side
of your pelvis

Do this many times, gently,
feeling the curve in your spine
and
enjoying it

Rest

Try our reaching for the floor again

Six:
As in five,
but now
when you get all the way to the left with your head
do the "cat and cow" we've done in earlier lessons,
that is
( all while curved left and sitting on the right "sitz bone"
have your
belly go out
roll forward on this right side of your pelvis
arch your back and bring
your head back a bit

then
roll back on the right side of your pelvis
pull your belly in
bring your tilting head a little forward

go back and forth like this

rest
test for the floor reaching
rest more

Seven
get up and walk around
notice differences side to side

Eight:
If you want,
do this sequence on the other side

Movement #5: Waking up our back, in a chair

One: Sit comfortably in a chair
Notice what you notice about what it is like to sit in the chair
Your spine
Your ribs
Your head
Your breathing
Smile,

Now
Lean forward as if to reach the floor between your legs
Don't strain
Notice as you lean, how far you can easily go.
Do this twice

Rest:
Which means simply sit and breathe and look around
the room or yard or beach
Find a thought of something you are grateful for

Good

Two:
Put your hands, one over the other on your chest
Let the hands sink as your ribs and sternum go down toward the floor
Then come back to upright, feeling the sternum move
Do this a number of times, paying kind and easy attention to your ribs

Now, to help the hands and sternum go lower
Let your belly come in and
Roll back on your pelvis

Do this combined belly, sternum pelvis motion
a number of times,
Down and back to upright

Make each time easy and interesting
and see if you can notice just a
little bit more than the last movement

Good

Now,  reach down toward the floor as in the beginning
Notice any difference in range AND in ease

Rest

Three:
Hands on sternum again
Begin to lift the sternum with your hands
and come back to neutral
Do this a number of times

Now, to help the lifting,
Roll your pelvis forward in your chair
and let your belly soften and come forward

Sternum
Pelvis
Stomach

All three as you rise in your sternum and come
back to neutral

Good

Smile
Think of a gratitude
Lean down for the floor again,
Looking for ease, range and awareness
and
Pleasure

Rest

Four:
Put your hands under the opposite armpit
Combine both up and down with the ribs,
This time allowing the head to raise and lower
slightly
You'll know which way

So ribs down
Stomach in and back
Pelvis rolling back

and then up
and then

Ribs up
Stomach soft and forward
Pelvis rolling forward

Breathe easy
Do a number of enjoyable times

Smile
Stop
Think of another gratitude

Reach for the floor again
Notice pleasure
ease
range
parts of your back and neck and ribs and pelvis
that participate in this
Smile

Rest

Stand up and walk around, feeling any ease in your movement
and increase in height in your standing

Good

Move as If Your Life Depended on It: Movement #4, toward the floor

This is too hard for you
But it's to show off something for certain people
Don't worry
The lesson below "just" gets your back twice as easy and your brain three times as smart and adds at least half an inch to your height and has you feeling five or ten years younger

That's all


Movement is life

Lean down toward the floor

DO NOT STRETCH
Just reach for the floor
Let your knees bend
This isn't yoga, you aren't trying to be good, this is just reaching down for something on the goddamn floor

It's fun

Try NOT to reach the floor
Just down


Good

2.
Put your hands on your knees
Bend your knees
Have your arms straight

Do the cat and cow,
the most intelligent "pose" in yoga,
since it's not a pose
it's a movement

Goes like this:

Arch your back ( belly forward)
As you tilt your asshole toward the ceiling
As you bring your eyes toward the sky

As if your head were going toward your butt
and your ribs and pushing the other way: forward

That's the cow:
Mooo

It's also the lion:
ROAR

3. Alternate that with the cat
Hiss hiss

Ribs up and back
Middle back toward the sky
Belly in
Head down
Nose toward your crotch
Crotch toward your nose:
Pelvis rotating under

4. Back and forth
Slowly
Deliciously

Do it a couple of times
Simple feeling the pelvis and lower backs'
participation in this

Do it a couple more
noticing the ribs going up
and the ribs going forward

Oh, wait:
Notice and enjoy

Oh, wait
Notice and enjoy and
FIND SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND INTERESTING EACH TIME

Oh, wait:
Go slower
slower than you want to go

And then a couple of times
The neck and your head
Do all the "oh, Wait's" with that

And now the whole back:
Enjoy it
It's you
Alive
In motion

5.
Then stand up straight

Feel how you feel

6. Reach down for the floor again
Notice the difference

Enjoy the difference

7 , Put both hands up in the arm
above your head

Rotate them in a circle

Feel this in your heels
Watch with your eyes
allowing your head to move as it follows
your hands

Feel this in your pelvis
Which goes backward when your hands go forward in the cirlce
and
the other
way around

Stop
Breathe
Do all the "oh, wait's"
And reverse the circle

8.
Hands down
How do you feel

9 Touch the floor again,
No wait,
Reach down toward the floor

Easier?
Farther?
Funner?

10. Stand up and skip around the room or lawn or park or riverside

You are moving
You are using your brain
You are enjoying having more attention

Good