Awareness Through Movement #192

Heels #2 Weight between the big toe and second toe - WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

Marianne Rivington brings us tonight’s lesson, with a preclude.. and her (in my opinion) gorgeous drawings:

“Most of the time, I prefer to listen to a recorded lesson. My experience with this one was different. I found I needed time… my own time… to explore and settle into the starting positions and movements… to find out where each part-hand/foot, knee/elbow, shoulder/hip, head/spine/pelvis, eye gaze/mouth/tongue/jaw, breathing… needed to be meticulously placed to align myself for the movement.

I could feel my balance and the potential for lengthen my lower leg and feet muscles and tendons being challenged in a way that my brain responded …
“THIS IS SO HARD”
then… “YES, I want to do this… I want to find my way though this heavy, blocked feeling…and find out what’s beyond.”

My legs and eyes came to life… climbing stairs I could feel my left leg/side rather than its familiar tendency to collapse… magically springing me up and forward to the next step. Also, I found myself spontaneously, joyously “running on the spot”

I made notes/cheat sheet… and practiced this movement for 10-20 minutes a few times during the day… Moshe’s words came to life…

“it is enough if it progresses a little at a time. If you want to improve everything at once there is a Hebrew proverb that says “you catch a lot, you did not catch”, “grasp all, lose all”, “to overreach is to under-gain” - Moshe Feldenkrais

Marianne’s imagery illustrates the positions you’ll be invited to ‘stand’ in

1. Half-kneel stand** right foot standing, toes of left foot as if for running.
   Turn left heel right and left…gradually bring left foot closer to knee.
   Place both hands on floor… lift left knee from floor…
   lower and lift left heel..
   lean on space between big toe and second toe…
   then move left knee backward and forward
   (it’s completely ok to put right knee on the floor if can do movement easier this way)

2. Repeat with left foot standing… lean on right toes bent as if for running

3. Lying on back… knees bent feet standing.. lift pelvis hold right ankle… stand on toes…flex/extend ankle

4. Repeat holding left ankle

5. Position right leg to right heel touching or close to right ischial tuberosity/sitting bone.. circle heel/knee

6. Left heel under left ischial tuberosity… (we also call them sitz/sit bones) move ankle/knee forward /back… right/left… circle

   

7. Stand on knees(Kneel stand**), lean on toes… (within your comfort and safety) reach back towards right heel… left heel… progress to both heels.. protrude belly… move heels together and apart

8. Lying on back.. knees bent feet standing… pull right heel under body…shift pelvis right a d left… (inside and outside of heel)… then move right knee ford and back

9. Repeat on left… left heel between buttocks… move pelvis right and left so left buttock shifts to left and right side of heel… left knee closer to and away from floor

10. Stand on knees, toes standing (4 point kneel**)… heels together… knees apart… hands on floor… lift knees towards sitting on heels.. lower head… pelvis back… progress towards sitting on heels.. knees together apart… circle in one direction, then other.

11. Lying on back heels together, under pelvis hold ankles.. open knees and circle…change direction of circle

“Leave this and get up. Walk around on the legs. See if they did not improve, despite the pain” Moshe Feldenkrais

As I have been working with this lesson, I have developed a new level of appreciation for the KI1 (yongquan point) “bubbling spring point” or “well-spring of life”

I have a question for you… what if you direct your attention first to the space between the head of the 1st and second metatarsal bones (the metatarsal head is near the toes)… and then to the KI 1 (first point on kidney meridian)… and as you press your foot (toes positioned as if for running) follow the transmission of the movement from this initial aligning.

You may wish to clarify these points by gently moving the toe articulations… and gently massaging the KI1 point… and then check in with this sensory awareness while doing the lesson… put on your favourite playlist, walk in place… dance like no one is watching!

My experience was that I was effectively creating a massaging effect on the KI 1 point, the movement transmitted clearly from one bone to the next through the skeleton… and a revival of sensation of springiness and power in the muscles and function of my entire leg.

As always, I am most interested to hear about your experience…

I will be checking the comments… hoping to read your words.

Thank you,
Marianne.”

Tonight you can be with Marianne as she brings to life more of her wisdom in this classic Feldenkrais lesson, link below…