Awareness Through Movement #374

Leaning on the hands and twisting - Marianne Rivington

Marianne writes:

This lesson is done on the stomach… and many of the variations involve the unusual position of hands in a push up position, knees wide and bent, with the inner borders of the feet touching.

We are asked to differentiate movements at the ankles, the knees and then combine the movement so that the forefoot goes towards the floor and heels towards the pelvis. The lesson process to explore differentiation of the head, neck, shoulders, chest… then combines the movements of the upper and lower parts of yourself… and the opportunity to observe improved mobility and comfort when the upper and lower parts cooperate.

I found it took me several repetitions to gain some familiarity with first the position, and second, as I distinguished how my feet were moving.

My observation is that this is a very complex lesson. It took me several repetitions of portions of the lesson to allow my nervous system time to absorb the richness of the learning… and then the lesson guided me to an exquisite precision and staying within my comfort. To assist the way I learned with this lesson, I recorded a separate mini 24 minute lesson and called it “preparation for Leaning on the hands and twisting”. It really helped me prepare for the actual lesson, so I have included it for you and hope it may be of benefit to your experience of this lesson.

Please approach this lesson very gently and delicately, it is preferable to do less and rest as much as you need.

PLEASE NOTE towards the end of the lesson , some of the variations involve the constraint of lying on the stomach with the head turned in one direction and the shoulders and rest of the body in the opposite direction. This configuration offers potential for an unimagined improvement in freedom of neck, as long as you stay within your range of comfort.
Please proceed very gently… or, participate through your imagination.

Here is the 24minute mini lesson I prepared: