5 minute morning wake-up...
Get-up and feel great
-
While still in bed, move whatever moves.
-
Gently at first, a toe, an elbow, then wiggle a bit faster, all the time
doing it in a way that feels good.
-
Roll to sit on the side of the bed.
-
Do this by extending your lower legs over the edge and swinging your feet
to the floor by pushing up on your elbow.
-
Move the upper body to the right and to the left.
-
Sitting on the side of the bed, leaning hands on bed. Gradually continue
without bending the elbows, letting the waist do the movement.
-
Rock forwards and backwards.
-
Same way as previous movement, letting first the shoulders, then the waist
move.
-
Slide the RIGHT hand down the outside of the Right leg towards the floor.
-
Turn to look to the LEFT as you slide the hand down. Allow hand to discover
texture of calf muscle. Enjoy. Make the movement soft and easy. Notice
any areas of strain and organize yourself to avoid effort. Repeat the movement
4 times slowly, resting each time you come up.
-
Repeat the same sequence on the LEFT side, looking to the RIGHT as you
go down.
-
Alternate, once to the right, once to the left.
-
Slide both hands down.
-
Slide both hands down sides of legs, same quality of lightness. Rest in
this position if comfortable.
-
Keeping L hand on floor, swing R arm towards ceiling.
-
Repeat on other side. Easily, intelligently, avoiding strain.
-
Lean forearms across thighs, move the shoulders right and left.
-
Spread your knees and feet apart, lean your elbows on your thighs just
above the knees, clasp the fingers together. As you go to the right, look
over your right shoulder at your right hip, as you move to the left, look
at your left hip. Reverse this, when to left, look at right hip and so
on.
-
Rock forwards and backwards.
-
Still leaning the elbows on the knees: as you become more adept (ie flexible),
notice that the lower back and the pelvis rock in an interesting and differentiated
way. When this happens, the lower back moves in and out.
-
STAND.
-
Let the arms drop, look up, let yourself lean forward almost falling to
trigger the reflex to stand effortlessly.
Remember, these are NOT exercises! These are movement sequences
designed to develop your sensitivity, and increase your feeling of vitality
by awakening unused areas of yourself. Recovering flexibility and full
use of the body is like unravelling a tangle of knots. When trying to release
a single thread, you gain nothing by forceful pulling. Blind obedience
to prescribed exercise without creative exploration will only leave you
in an endless struggle.
Copyright 1996 by Philippe Leblond, all rights reserved
Revised March 20th,1996 / -960716
The term Awareness Through Movement is a registered service mark
of the Feldenkrais Guild.