I once asked my mom if she knew she had ribs before she did Feldenkrais. She said, "Yes, but only in the front."

What is your self-image of your rib cage? When you look for the answer to that question do you go to image or sensation, or words? Is your experience of your rib cage (or rib basket as it is called in German) informed by images you've seen?

If you have a moment right now

or maybe later, spend a little time sensing, imagining, experiencing your chest/ ribcage/ thoracic spine. You can touch with your own hands and move a little bit in any way that will help your feel how your ribs are intimately connected with many other parts of you. All of you.

The shapes of your thoughts and feelings are expressed in the chest and abdomen, the way you breathe and move through the world.

How does observing yourself in this way impact your experience of yourself? What will you find if you learn to experience your chest as a soft and flexible basket rather than a rigid cage? If you want to explore more check out these Flexible Chest mp3s downloads by Feldenkrais Trainer, Arlyn Zones.

What people are saying about Arlyn's Flexible Chest Audio lessons:
"Simply some of the most profound and useful Feldenkrais lessons you'll ever do, they greatly enhance both flexibility and breathing. I've also taught these lessons successfully to students in my Feldenkrais classes over the past 20 years". -Jodie Krantz, Feldenkrais Practitioner & physiotherapist, Perth

"Arlyn's A Flexible Chest series is one of the most popular set of CD's offered through our clinic. Her exquisite pacing, engaging content, and clarity make it both a patient and staff favorite!" -Mindy Marantz MSPT, GCFP Director/owner Healthwell Physical Therapy Group San Francisco, Ca