Online Feldenkrais series with Mary Spire:
Optimal Moves: Effortless Use of the Arms and Hands
These innovative and potent Feldenkrais lessons focus on how to use the powerful, strong muscles of the lower back and pelvis to free the neck and shoulders, thus reducing the strain in the arms, fingers, and wrists. These lessons are especially beneficial for musicians, for people who work at computer keyboards and for anyone who wishes to improve the use of their arms and hands. By improving posture, breathing, coordination and thinking as you learn to move in new ways, you can prevent injury and improve your performance skills.
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8 Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement lessons. Access to video recordings.
1. Lengthening The Spine
2. Increasing The Mobility Of The Chest
3. Rolling Fists
4. Flying Lesson #1
5. Flying Lesson #2
6. Flying Lesson #3
7. Flying Lesson #4
8. Dominant Hand -
"Very nice. I noticed a significant change in my hips and legs as well as more flexibility in my chest and shoulders. Thanks."
"This lesson was dynamite! I feel so much more mobility in my spine and chest, my breath is fuller in usually hard to fill places. Also feel stronger, taller. Thank you!"
"Wow, so much learning. All tension is gone from my body and I feel like a wrung out towel on the floor (in a good way!) My five lines are doing things I've never experienced before - I have the sensation that my leg lines go all the way up to ears and my arm lines meet up there too."
"5 Star Review! This Lesson gave me the freedom of movement from my pelvis to my neck. By the end of the lesson my shoulders felt so fluid I swear I could do a shoulder clock!Afterwards, my arms felt as if I were a rag doll, swinging around 360 degrees absolutely weightless."
"I think this is the first lesson I have done which focused on shoulders and arms and I really enjoyed paying attention to this part of my body. I appreciated the reminder to focus on the shoulder movement while turning the arms. I rested a lot since my arms got quite tired being held up and, in certain positions, could only twist a little. This was another good opportunity to take care of myself by doing only what was easy.” -Maureen"
"What a wonderful little lesson! My hands feel free of all tension, wide and relaxed! In fact, my whole self feels better! I've been doing tons of work at the computer lately and was starting to sense myself all scrunched up in a little ball - now, I'm wide and flying! YAY!!"
"Fantastic! So great to notice differences between right and left hands, arms, and shoulder blades and feel my dominant side very loud and big after a day of physical labor and my nondominant side quieter and saying I'm here too. Because of the way my joints are arranged, and thus the way my arms lie on the floor, I didn't have access to the lifting of the arms but I loved being able to feel muscles working in my mid back and the fascia in my face. Lifting the fingers individually brought so much awareness - some are quite challenging and I noticed tensing way down in my calves and quads and was then able to reduce the effort to see if I could lift the fingers without that tensing. So cool."
"It sure does feel good to walk after that. My five lines are in brisk and pleasureable collaboration. I hadn't done a lesson that isolated the upper thoracic spine before so this was a great exploration as that area is always partially obscured in my sensation or asymmetrical or aching. I am glad to have this lesson to come back to and I am looking forward to the rest of this series as I head into spring planting season."
About Mary Spire
Mary Spire is an experienced teacher and trainer of the Feldenkrais Method ®. A Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner, she has been actively teaching since graduating in 1987 from the Feldenkrais Foundation Training and, for the last 18 years, has served as a trainer in Feldenkrais® Professional Training Programs worldwide. She is the Educational Director and Principal Trainer of the Optimal Moves LLC Feldenkrais Teacher Training Program in Marin County, CA. Her passion is sharing her knowledge and expertise with others; she loves helping others to improve their lives and functioning and, in the words of Dr. Feldenkrais, to realize their “avowed and un-avowed dreams.”