To get the most benefit:
Please dress comfortably so you can breathe without restriction and remove your shoes. If you wear glasses, you may wish to remove them, at least from time to time. Some lessons are done seated in a chair with a firm seat, feet on the floor underneath your knees. Others take place on the floor on a mat or blanket. Have a towel or small support handy in case you need it for under your head.
In each lesson:
- please move slowly and within a small range, at least initially.
- if you experience discomfort, make the movement smaller or slower, and if discomfort persists, please continue your exploration only in your imagination or simply listen to the lesson.
- rest when you like — before getting tired is ideal. Pause the recording if needed. Certainly rest if you find your attention can no longer stay on the movement practice as directed.
Each movement practice is short — for more in-depth exploration, please check my listing of classes or contact me.
Moving the Breath to Increase Flexibility and Balance
Lying on your back (or bed), begin to expand your understanding of the nuances of your breathing. Using intention and the feedback of your hands, invite more expansive movement of your rib case in many directions. Discover greater flexibility to enable a sense of balance and security in your movements.
Ankle Flexibility
Ankle flexibility decreases naturally as we age, especially for women. Luckily, ankles are very amenable to re-gaining movement especially when we approach with curiosity, moving within a comfortable range. We are not stretching — we are learning!
Influence of the Feet and Ankles
Please sit forward on a chair with your feet resting on the floor under your knees. You. may need to adjust the placement of a foot to find the optimal movement. Pay attention to how our hip joints, pelvis, spine and head relate to the movement of your ankles.
Lowering Your Center of Gravity
Engaging the ribs and spine, particularly the less mobile area between the shoulder blades, can make it easier to fold down toward the floor. Engaging the network of sphincter muscles can provide further assistance.
Connecting the Shoulders to the Feet
Movement of the shoulder blades, spine and ribs are essential to our balance, as well as our comfort and ease in walking. This short seated movement practice is drawn from Dr. Ruthy Alon’s Walk for Life® program, based on the Feldenkrais Method.