Awareness Through Movement #73

Twisting Pelvis in Relation to Shoulders - read by Megan Hopley

I always think of kangaroo’s when I think of Megan, she’s often out and about learning what she can from the original Australians. She goes out bush and loses herself amongst the teachings of our elders, returning to share that space through her presence. And, as I type this I notice how I am more selective of the words I use when I think of Megan, she’s never returning because she never really leaves.

This lesson is yet another Feldenkrais classic where we differentiate two areas of our bodies, you might have guessed those areas by the title - the shoulders and pelvis. Two rounded shapes that have curved, bowl-like structures… one flat and long fruit-bowlish, the other more like a Tom-cha bowl to keep all the noodles in.

If you’ve ever had a Functional Integration session with a practitioner, you might begin to see what they/we see… those two handles at the top as a beautiful way to steer your whole body!!

When we let these two major areas of the torso move like bowls (as you see in the image…. without those flat circular surfaces on the bottom that specifically stop the bowls from rolling off the table) then you can imagine the contents can roll in a circular spiral inside the ceramic, or boney edges. If you place your hands on your hips you’ll notice the curves at the front that connect down at the pubic bone which is connected by cartilage. The back of the pelvis is also rounded and separated by the sacrum, so when lying on your back, it is an unusually shaped bowl in that there are two sides connected at the front and at the back. I admit, it does take some imagination to get the picture when you’re lying on your back.. maybe if you think the tomCha bowl flowing into the fruit bowl… what happens if you think of them as really soft, gentle, yet masterfully woven together baskets… rested on the floor… allowing you to roll side to side relative to the hands when they are lying long next to your torso… and the same the two bowls connected as one unit can roll up and down relative to your shoulders and feet. In this lesson you might like to explore some of those different angles. Rolling on a carpeted table with a yoga mat underneath you to reduce any damage of breaking the bowls.

Do the lesson whichever way you choose, it’s yours to explore the way you most feel connected, with your Self, your environment.. and Megan’s voice.

Lesson below: