This third lesson in the fingers-to-spine series continues to play with the independence of each finger (second lesson–but the recording didn’t work)–in relation now to extension, across the shoulders. This is a rare lesson: we do “both sides at once” from about a third of the way in.
March 2013: Updated file to right sample size.
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Hi Lynette, just wanted to say thanks for the wonderful resource you’ve created here. I’ve worked my way through several of your series and found them all useful. I like your delivery of the lessons in particular and your insights into the different aspects of learning.
This lesson is of particular interest to me – I’m a pianist and have had pain while playing. Things are much better now (I’ve done some work with a practitioner who’s also a pianist). He told me that one of my problems is that I have very little connection from my fingers down to my pelvis.
I thought this lesson would be great because it seems to be dealing with that connection, but it seems that connection is so lacking in my self image that I currently find it impossible.
I was wondering if you can remember what the missing lesson from this series was so I can work up to this one? Or perhaps recommend a lesson dealing with similar movements?
Thanks in advance,
Nick
Sorry for the delay. Work immersion. I’m coming up for air. I can’t recall what the lesson was!
Some thoughts–there are lessons that are specifically about feeling the connection of the fingers to the spine and pelvis, and there are lessons that are like house-keeping–dusting out the cobwebs up and down your spine so less gets in the way when you then do go to use your hands. And then there are lessons that detach your shoulders from your neck/head so they can settled down to use the support from your pelvis and chest (and ultimately the ground of course), rather than hanging and clinging to your head.
Connecting directly: “twisting the pelvis with a long arm,” “arm around in lying,” “lengthening heels and arms,” “lengthening and turning arms by the fingers,” “clock hands,” and parts of, in general, “a clock”
Detaching shoulders from the head: “elbows and crooks,” “violin arms,” “on the side, bending and twisting the chest and spine,” and “on the side, sternum becoming flexible.”
Housekeeping: “Continuing the bridge, pressure waves,” “oscillating jello pudding,” “skewering the spine in the chest,” …any pelvic clock!
Also, I would recommend a series I haven’t recorded yet that I’d like to some day. The lessons around AY 333, involving the subtle movement of the spine backwards as you take your limbs forwards.
Those suggestions are fairly, I don’t know how to put it, anatomical as opposed to developmental. Working on hands and knees, in crawling, sitting and leaning on hands or leaning on elbow (rolling over elbow) organize the arms in connection to the pelvis more developmentally.
Hope this helps!
-Lynette
Thanks for the comprehensive answer Lynette, I’ll spend some time over the next few weeks working through your suggestions.
Thanks again,
Nick
Very good excercise for someone like me who sits in front of the computer all day long.
Thank you Lynette.