Long Neck, Heavy Head - 13 - Stack the Spine, Circle C7 continued even more
Long Neck, Heavy Head - 13 - Stack the Spine, Circle C7 continued continued
Stacking and grounding for elegance and reach
Based on “Skewering the Spine” from “And the Head is Free” as taught by Arlyn Zones, GCFT® and “Oscillations Around C7” by Moshe Feldenkrais (Amherst)
The heat, the heat. As I was pulling at weeds on the rock wall, I could feel the crease of my neck getting angry and hot. And a moment’s realization: I’m lifting my chin to see the weeds, NOT elongating my neck and spine, and finding the bend from my pelvis. Walk the walk, girl.
A longer neck gives the no-see-ums a bigger target. But I was awed at the fact that this work - works! And how much I still need to lengthen my neck and use my pelvis to not only look better bit also reach further and avoid heat rashes.
Thus, the stack the spine, rock on C7 lesson continues to awe me in its simplicity and complexity.
As we’ve been exploring this series, I have developed a better understanding of Dr. Feldenkrais’ ‘oscillation.’ Remember, Moshe was on the team that developed sonar for the WWII British Navy. Wikipedia defines oscillation as: the repetitive or periodic variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states. Familiar examples of oscillation include a swinging pendulum and alternating current.
As I understand Moshe’s intent in these oscillation lessons, the spine is the ‘line’ that moves from pole to pole. In other words, we imagine the spine as a single force from knee to pelvis to crown of the head vibrating from head to toes to head to toes. The important aspect that I’m understanding more fully as I work with these lessons as a more advanced student, is the stacked alignment of the spine.
This lesson starts with the lifted, stacked spine in full contact with the floor. Gradually, lifting the pelvis, the contact point with the floor moves up the spine. So first, the lumbar and full spine are resting. After loosening the spine from below by arching the back, the contact point moves up into the lower ribs. Softening the shoulders helps bring the contact point event further up the thoracic spine so that the point rests between the shoulder blades. And so on until the stacked spine, oscillating in response to action in the feet, contacts the floor at T1/C7. This is the magical node.
From this stacked spine resting on the floor position at T1/C7, or as close to it as your body can rest, we take it to the next level. Pivoting around this essential thoracic to cervical spine nexus, we rock side to side, side bend hip to shoulder, rock head to heel, and eventually circle the joint in both directions.
Sitting up, find the spine uniquely aligned, head nearly floating, shoulders released, breath deep, and a neck as long as Audrey’s.
While the lesson is written for the muscular support of a lifted pelvis, it works just as well if you need support under your pelvis - and even back - to feel the connection without straining knees, low back, or ribs
Science Nerd Candy Bowl:
Spinal Motion Segment: C7-T1 (Cervicothoracic Junction Animation: Veritas Medical (2:111) - animation of how C7 and T1 vertebrae move with and opposite each other
Human Anatomy Explained: The Ultimate Guide of Cervical Spine Movements -@Anatomy.app (1:53) - animation of the front, back, side to side and twisting motion of the cervical spine
Cervical Spine Anatomy Animation: Veritas Health (2:45) Useful descriptions of the unique characteristics of each cervical vertebra
Set Up for a Supine Lesson:
On a mat with padding for head and knees as works for you, so neck and long back have room to open up and flatten. It’s perfectly fine to have support under your sit bones - and even lower ribs - for the lifted pelvis parts; it’s about the alignment of the spine, not how high you can lift and hold it.
OR sitting in a level, stable, armless chair, with knees and hips level
How you might feel after this lesson: Looser all over; Longer; Open; Breathing deeply; Relaxed jaw, shoulders and neck; Upper back massaged; Ribs released; Possible realignment of legs in hip sockets, arms in shoulder sockets; Able to let head be heavy and neck long; Able to support the head from deep in the spine; Spaced out - another trance-inducing lesson.
Wednesday 9:30 am or 6:30 pm class registration, keep using it. If you were registered for the 12:00 pm Wednesday session, you’ll need to register. Registered, paid students receive the lesson recording link on Thursday. $40/month; $15/single lesson. PayPal or Venmo to jackisue@aol.com. Or check to Jacki Katzman, PO Box 116, Bethlehem, NH 03574
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“We do the movements just to test ourselves if we are sleeping or are awake. That means [to distinguish] if we are able to pay attention, to do what we want, or if something inside of us, by itself, does what it wants. In other words, we are trying to stop being machines, but rather to become something closer to being a human that has awareness, knows what he is doing, and does what he wants... ”