Episode 81: Full Body Grounding: Connections from Feet to Head
Episode 81:
This class is a grounding practice that gives you effective learning tools for nervous system care, pain management, and finding ease while the body is in a stress response. The episode uses a rocking motion often associated with self soothing and we continue our look at neck care by zooming out to the whole system.
This Feldenkrais® approach to Neck Care connects the ankles, the pelvis, and the whole self to how the neck moves. It might seem like your ankles or feet would have nothing to do with your neck tension. So, let’s find out! If there is tension or a lot of pain in the neck, focusing only there and bringing more and more of your attention to the place that hurts may not always be a wise idea! For today’s class you will not need any props, unless, when you lie on your back you prefer to have a small lift under you head.
If you are trying all of the neck classes in this series, take note of which approach you are finding most helpful and supportive for you, and then return to those episodes.
If you resonate with TODAY’s approach or are finding that your neck pain may be linked to jaw tension, for an even deeper study of this topic from a Feldenkrais lens, you can check out the:
Sensing Subtlety and Satisfaction Jaw Series, and
Unraveling Body Anxiety Feldenkrais Series.
To access all the neck care resources, you can of course check out the previous podcast episodes on Neck CARE.
Sample video class that works with these similar concepts, register to watch the class here.
Episode 77 - Neck Care Part 1: Awareness
Episode 78 - Neck Care Part 2: Strength
Episode 79 - Neck Care Part 3: Mobility
Episode 80 - Neck and Shoulder Relationships - Feldenkrais
Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement reminders:
Remember to please avoid any discomfort or pain. The idea is to find new and BETTER ways of coordinating yourself. Your interest is in your comfort and your ease. This is not an exercise in any kind of a traditional sense.
It is not about repetitive movement - we are interested in using movement to communicate with our brain. The most important thing to understand is that the resources, the capacity of your brain is on your side. Your brain is interested to make your life better, more comfortable. The habit of the stress response that you might feel as tension in your neck or elsewhere is taking place in the brain. And by accessing our brain (our nervous system), we have a very effective way to communicate.
As we proceed with the lesson, I encourage you to do the movements very slowly and very small. The size of the movement has nothing to do with the improvement. A few movements done very slowly and small will produce a much more beneficial result than movements done quickly and repetitively. It is the slowness of the movement that allows the time for the movement to communicate with your brain.
Sarah Baumert has been teaching movement and creating Sarah B Yoga podcast classes since 2006. She is a certified yoga teacher, yoga therapist and Feldenkrais® practitioner. This podcast is an intersection of her yoga teaching and training in the Feldenkrais® method. Classes include sensory rich movement experiences for a more resilient and healthy nervous system to help you feel a greater sense of ease and comfort in yourself. Each podcast is an originally crafted class taught by Sarah Baumert. Sarah's teaching is alignment based, unhurried, and rich with somatic inquiries. The cueing is effective, easy to follow, and uses visualizations of postures to allow for unexpected growth and depth. You will find live unplugged versions of her classes from yoga studios, as well as classes that are specifically produced for the podcast medium.
Find more teachings like this class on the Body Matter website, including:
Live online classes
Self-paced courses &
The Body Matter Membership Library
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