Find this lesson here: On the belly, twisting movements to free the head and neck | Heather (Danso) Emanuel GCFP on Patreon

A lesson of movements lying on the abdomen (mostly) letting legs fall right and left, while softly letting go of usual co-contraction along the spine, in the ribs, and in the whole self. When you practice using movement to help lower your habitual level of tension, you find an alternative way of holding yourself, better breathing, easier carriage of the head over your shoulders, and also greater freedom in your shoulder blades. What this means is you'll have more room to feel more like yourself. ​

A flexor lesson, try to see how much you can use your bones, and the pressure into the floor to lighten your head. You'll definitely use the power of your core in this lesson, but it isn't meant as a workout! Work so you feel the best of yourself, and not your compulsion to succeed!

​www.patreon.com/posts/scratch-pocket-78965228

This is a blended lesson that can help to unwind scoliosis, change the relationship of the head, spine, thorax, and pelvis. Some of the movements are offer particular insights for the thoracic spine, this area where the relationship of ribs, spine, organs, diaphragm, and the way we orient our head forward (like for computer use, or even simple daily use of the eyes) often leads to stiffness and even difficulty breathing. See what you notice as you stand at the end. Is your head on a little differently? Do you sense your breathing more easily and simply? How free are you in your chest, neck and head? How can you carry some of these changes into your daily life?

Free on my patreon for the next month www.patreon.com/posts/towards-longer-79644844

Publicly available: Opening the arm - Neck & Spine freedom | Heather Danso Emanuel GCFP on Patreon
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A lesson drawn from multiple sources. Take it easy, and remember, in the rolling part, to keep your arms long, so that the legthening of the leg passively brings you up as you round and soften your chest. Don't worry if you aren't sure about something! See if you can use your confusion to find a way.

This class will be available on my Patreon Page patreon.com/heatherdanso

Work to clarify the connection of the center of the trunk, with the movement of the head, pelvis, and legs. A fascinating and sometimes challenging lesson: remember less is more, but also consider that the weight of the leg may be easier to hold when the leg is higher, than when it is lower. Try this also with the head. Experiment, and remember, smaller circles until clarity happens, and then if you want to make them larger, you can. 

This class is available on my Patreon Page patreon.com/heatherdanso

One of my all-time favorite lessons for resetting, helping with back and neck pain, and more. Enjoy! It's fairly straight-forward for following audio only. 

​Available on Patreon patreon.com/heatherdanso

This can be one of those lessons where you try something, take a break, try it again, take a break. Remember to decrease the amount of effort as you become comfortable/oriented to a movement. One of the signs of using a lot of effort is your breathing (or lack there-of). Another sign might be using your upper body to lift your pelvis, or pinning your head in the center during rolling movements. Remember, the movements are here for you to learn about yourself: in themselves, the movements aren't the point. So more/larger isn't better. Small, and clear is more helpful. Feel what you do. Feel the trajectory of movement. Listen for ease in your breath, hands, jaw, and eyes as you go.

Available on Patreon ​patreon.com/heatherdanso

Wednesday and Sunday this week, we'll work with the spine. This is a lesson designed to balance the flexors (muscles that pull you into a ball) and extensors (muscles that arch your spine, help you look up). We accomplish this balancing, and really a re-allocation of tension, by using twisting. Twisting incorporates all the movements that we make: to twist, there is an element of side-bending (lengthening one side and shortening the other), an element of folding, and an element of extending. The puzzles in this lesson are a wonderful way to find more space between your vertebrae, and people often are measurably taller after this lesson. 
patreon.com/heatherdanso

A very quiet and slow class today. Please do less than you think you should, and remain committed to including your core, center, ribs, and whole self in the movements, even when the instructions do not say this!

Lessons that focus on the pelvis are always beneficial for everything below and above. When the hips move well, the knees are able to stick to their job: hinge. When hips don't move well, then we often find knee pain, some times ankle disorganization, and often issues with the jaw, and spine. The pelvis is at the root of much. My trainer, Richard, used to say "you are where your pelvis is" -- try moving around and see. If you put your head in a room, for example, are you really there? What about if you step in? 

Available on Patreon: ​patreon.com/heatherdanso