6 classes for easier carriage of your head

1 Lifting the elbow hands on ribs and rolling
2 The sternum becoming flexible - orienting the head
3 Chest arms and head by way of the knee lengthening
4 Hand under your back and legs here and there
5 Crossed knee to the side twisting and reaching
6 Lifting a heavy tray

From the introductory email:
March 22-Apr 26 Theme: Freer head and shoulders by way of a flexible center
Being able to orient our heads and hands towards our goals is elemental. We’ll do this from the ground, where we first played with these ideas as infants. We’ll work to be more dynamic in our ribs and trunk, which will make a difference to your effortless carriage and movement of the head and shoulders.

Consider: In order to be responsive to the floor, we need to be able to adapt ourselves to the shape of the floor, responding at each vertebrae, each rib, and softening our (often) habitually tight abdominal muscles.  This responsiveness can be seen as a metaphor for life – that we need to be able to sense and feel ourselves relative to the environment and people around us, in order to respond skillfully. And, that skillfulness is what allows us to move towards our intention. In a physical sense, that means organizing our eyes, head, hands to match our action to that intention.
I’d like to acknowledge the heroic and wonderful acts small and large that are taking place in response to current events—political postcards, letters, emails, phone calls, protests, advocacy work, being a friend, taking care of family, working, and being who you are in the midst of chaos.

I’m also noticing the beauty of the cherry blossoms, the daffodils, the feeling of buds and plants working their way towards Spring. Some of our blossoms have even survived the snow!
I’m remembering that in order to make a difference, we must do our own work in the world, and the first part of that is being ourselves.

So, come turn your attention towards the places where you can make a difference in yourselves. Feldenkrais is an empowering method, and Awareness Through Movement (ATM) classes can remind you of your innate goodness, your ability to re-regulate when you have become unregulated, all while helping you inhabit your physical body more comfortably. 

You may find some links in these pages to lessons I have taught; most are now on Patreon, many are there for free. 

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
​

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