Thank you for the reminder to let go and relax. We're so conditioned to try to control everything in our lives. Doing this with movement practices has been a challenge for me, but I think I'm starting to get it. 🙂
Isn't that the truth?! Be curious about where you learned to believe that you need to control everything. That may have been the case in your childhood or a past experience. Today is today and it's no longer necessary to control everything; that can actually create more tension! The more you pandiculate the more space you create to change what you believe is true.
Exactly. Doing a practice of Somatic Movement before you work out will make a big difference in the way you work out, how you feel, and how you recover.
We're actually going to be creating a digital course in which ALL of that information is there, guiding you with deeper tips and things to be aware of than can be done in short UA-cam videos. I'm so glad you're getting so much out of this video and want more just like it. It'll happen! Thanks for your input.
Thank you Martha ! This was so helpful! I was keeping my belly contracted , followed your advice and definitely felt a new sensation in my back being long , even my jaw relaxed a bit Looking forward to this series ! I watched the previous video about tight glutes and the arch and flatten ( with your guidelines ) released my right glute too !! Thanks again !
Yes I saw a you tube talking about the connection of the jaw. Funny on the somatic channel I just listened to I just did a great one for the back glutes and I added the shoulders.
You're so welcome, Naveen. I'm so glad you're still doing your practice and moving forward with progress. You are an inspiration. I hope to meet you in person one day!
This is a more complex condition in which you would do best to work one on one with a certified practitioner. Pectus excavatum is a structural issue, yet learning how to release the muscles that tighten in response to it is important. One basic movement is the Flower, which you can find on this channel. I highly recommend finding a skilled practitioner as well. You can go to our practitioner directory and see if there's someone in your area: essentialsomatics.com/clinical-somatics-practitioners/ Come to an in-person class or Fundamentals Course as well. You will gain a lot of information and experience and have a better idea of how to work with the condition that you have. I hope this helps.
You're so welcome. It's amazing how sensory motor amnesia shows up so we think we're doing something "correctly" and to our benefit, but we just don't sense it as accurately as we might. Enjoy your practice.
Hi Paul! You're so welcome! I hope this video is a good reminder of the updated way that we teach Arch and Flatten. What an important and basic movement....
Thank you for this wonderful video. Are you saying we should try not to recruit our abs during the flatten? Also is there such a thing as too slow a release?
You're so welcome! No, you have no choice but to contract and shorten your front (and abs) when you sink and flatten (and the back lets go). It's just when you're releasing out of the arch that you should focus on the releasing of your back muscles rather than recruiting the abdominals to bring your back down to the floor. Hopefully that makes sense. Let me know. And yes, I think you can release too slowly sometimes. A pandiculation is, in its purity, a yawn. A yawn is perfectly timed, isn't it? Sometimes a very, very slow release can create more tension that it lets go of. So explore and see what you sense for yourself.
This is why im studying the feldernkrais method, it puts primary emphasis on the "how" of a movement, the attitude with which to approach a movement lesson. The word "pandiculate" isn't even used in the arch flatten lesson, and all the emphasis is on "how" you're doing it, the quality of the movement, but nevertheless you still pandiculate. Everythings connected right, so the way you do a lesson can render it useless, such as if its forced for example.
Feldenkrais is really wonderful for learning to be present to the "how" of a movement. Hanna/Clinical Somatics is an outgrowth of Feldenkrais in that Hanna intentionally uses pandiculation (which is a stronger, slightly "bigger" movement than what is generally done in Feldenkrais) in order to reset the Sensory Motor system and reduce SMA. I have found that Feldenkrais tends to do the smallest and slowest movements possible, which is not quite pandiculating. I think both methods complement each other and, as you said, the quality and awareness of what you're doing and how you're doing is key.
yea i watched an interview with thomas hanna discussing feldenkrais briefly, i wish there were more interviews with thomas hanna available. You're right that generally feldenrkais movement are slow and well within the limits of range of movement, although there is also fast and light like a bouncy rhythmic movement as well. I think there occasional lessons that involve strong contractions like with the buttock muscles for example. But yea pandiculation as a main focus seems to be more unique to hanna somatics. But i have done an arch flatten lesson where althought you start small, eventually you are instructed to make a "larger" movement, but you aren't told to contract the muscles stronger to make it larger, its more ambiguous i guess,, and you do many movements, not just a few like in pandiculation where you just might do 3 and thats it. @@EssentialSomatics
@@ItsAllGoodGames I do, too! The best available interview is with Jeffrey Mischlove from "Thinking Aloud." You can purchase it somewhere on the internet. Hanna doesn't discuss Feldenkrais, however. The only audio we have of him discussing Feldenkrais is during the first module of the only clinical training he ever taught (before he died suddenly) back in 1990. Those audios are only available to enrolled clinical students and not to the general public.
Oh yes, I agree! I emphasize to my students that they are not mutually exclusive. They offer different things for different reasons. I still enjoy what I learn from Feldenkrais lessons I take. As Thomas Hanna said (and Moshe would have agreed), there is no end to growth and learning!
Neck arthritis and muscle pain can develop because of stiffness and lack of mobility in the center of your body and around your spine. The neck (as we think of it) is only the top 7 vertebrae of your spine, so reducing tension in the muscles that attach into your spine and inform the movement of your neck (and shoulders) goes a long way towards relieving pain. I can't say that there is a somatic movement that gets rid of arthritis, because once arthritis is present it doesn't go away. That being said, it doesn't have to cause pain. Lots of people have arthritis and don't even know it because they move well and are comfortable in their bodies. My suggestion is to start at the beginning and learn the basic somatic movements that will release the muscle of the back (like Arch and Flatten in this video), the front (the Flower and Arch and Curl are wonderful movements for this), and the sides of your body. If you want to create a practice of somatic movements that you can do every day to reduce tension and feel better in your body, my recommendation is to purchase our digital online course, Move With Ease. You can find it here: essentialsomatics.com/move-with-ease/ It's an excellent course that you can do anytime, anywhere, and you have it for life. If you want to try things out first, for free, either play around with some of the movements on the ES channel (Arch and Flatten, the Flower, Simple Shoulder Shrugs, the Back Lift, the Side Bend, the Washrag). You won't learn all of the tips for your practice, but you'll get an idea of what's possible. And the best way to figure things out and discover why your neck hurts is to work with a skilled teacher - preferably in person, but you can also learn online. I work with people one on one as well. You can find our certified practitioners here on the ES website: essentialsomatics.com/clinical-somatics-practitioners/ I hope this helps you! Best, Martha
I just had a pinch in my neck and back and I'm not even doing heavy lifting now 😅 is it possible to have recurring back pain from lack of water or rest? I'm trying to stay positive but I keep having this happen and I'm tired of it so I'm reaching for different reasons 😢
You don't have to be doing heavy lifting to have a pinch in your neck and back. You just need to be habituated to a stress reflex that puts excess stress in those areas. Lack of water or rest can definitely contribute to the problem! If you watch The Three Stress Reflexes video on this channel (ua-cam.com/video/C3cfSKZ0PT8/v-deo.html) which reflex would you say that you're "stuck" in? I'm thinking Red Light just from what you describe but I may be wrong. Look in the mirror and see what's there. Which reflex do you see and which one feels the most familiar even though it may not be comfortable? This awareness will give you a good idea of why you may be having these pains. What you DO, how you do it, and whether you come OUT of your habits is key! The best way to learn these things is in person with a skilled practitioner (or in one of our Fundamentals Immersion weekends). It's incredibly helpful to have someone help you sense what you cannot sense and notice what is currently an unconscious habit. Go to our website for more information. You can learn to feel better, Amber.
Great Video. But I think contracting the abdomials can be a technique if done it right , because the back has to relax against the tension and is contracting while getting longer.
Thank you. I’m glad you’re enjoying this movement. The point of focusing on the back is so that you particularly the back muscles on their own without any recruitment from the abdominals. Truly, it’s not as easy as it sounds, and the benefits are extraordinary.
Thank you for the reminder to let go and relax. We're so conditioned to try to control everything in our lives. Doing this with movement practices has been a challenge for me, but I think I'm starting to get it. 🙂
Isn't that the truth?! Be curious about where you learned to believe that you need to control everything. That may have been the case in your childhood or a past experience. Today is today and it's no longer necessary to control everything; that can actually create more tension! The more you pandiculate the more space you create to change what you believe is true.
How great that your addressing what can obstruct the best workings of exercizes!
Exactly. Doing a practice of Somatic Movement before you work out will make a big difference in the way you work out, how you feel, and how you recover.
Hi Martha, these videos are gold. Would love a series of tips like this on the basic videos
We're actually going to be creating a digital course in which ALL of that information is there, guiding you with deeper tips and things to be aware of than can be done in short UA-cam videos. I'm so glad you're getting so much out of this video and want more just like it. It'll happen! Thanks for your input.
Thank you Martha ! This was so helpful! I was keeping my belly contracted , followed your advice and definitely felt a new sensation in my back being long , even my jaw relaxed a bit
Looking forward to this series ! I watched the previous video about tight glutes and the arch and flatten ( with your guidelines ) released my right glute too !! Thanks again !
Yes I saw a you tube talking about the connection of the jaw.
Funny on the somatic channel I just listened to I just did a great one for the back glutes and I added the shoulders.
You're so welcome, Naveen. I'm so glad you're still doing your practice and moving forward with progress. You are an inspiration. I hope to meet you in person one day!
@@EssentialSomaticsYou just made my day! ❤
@@naveenahmad1331 Awww...thanks. Never give up on yourself! That's what you're demonstrating and it's lovely to witness from afar. ❤
Wonderful! Thank you Martha. I'm using these gentle movements to deal with my breathing issues. It goes fantastically with my Buteyko exercises.
Thank you so much, Christine! What a great idea to combine Buteyko and somatic movements!
Can you please show some exercises to correct the Pectus excavatum ? thanks
This is a more complex condition in which you would do best to work one on one with a certified practitioner. Pectus excavatum is a structural issue, yet learning how to release the muscles that tighten in response to it is important. One basic movement is the Flower, which you can find on this channel.
I highly recommend finding a skilled practitioner as well. You can go to our practitioner directory and see if there's someone in your area: essentialsomatics.com/clinical-somatics-practitioners/
Come to an in-person class or Fundamentals Course as well. You will gain a lot of information and experience and have a better idea of how to work with the condition that you have. I hope this helps.
I was doing this! Thank you ❤
You're so welcome. It's amazing how sensory motor amnesia shows up so we think we're doing something "correctly" and to our benefit, but we just don't sense it as accurately as we might. Enjoy your practice.
Thank you.❤
You're so welcome. I'm glad you're getting benefit out of this movement. It's a very important basic!
Thanks!! A vivid example of how to slowly release tension. I needed that!
you are so welcome!
@@EssentialSomatics Dang you're a sexy woman!
Thanks, Martha, from France. Paul
Hi Paul! You're so welcome! I hope this video is a good reminder of the updated way that we teach Arch and Flatten. What an important and basic movement....
Thank you .
You're so welcome!
Thank you for this wonderful video. Are you saying we should try not to recruit our abs during the flatten?
Also is there such a thing as too slow a release?
You're so welcome! No, you have no choice but to contract and shorten your front (and abs) when you sink and flatten (and the back lets go). It's just when you're releasing out of the arch that you should focus on the releasing of your back muscles rather than recruiting the abdominals to bring your back down to the floor. Hopefully that makes sense. Let me know.
And yes, I think you can release too slowly sometimes. A pandiculation is, in its purity, a yawn. A yawn is perfectly timed, isn't it? Sometimes a very, very slow release can create more tension that it lets go of. So explore and see what you sense for yourself.
This is why im studying the feldernkrais method, it puts primary emphasis on the "how" of a movement, the attitude with which to approach a movement lesson.
The word "pandiculate" isn't even used in the arch flatten lesson, and all the emphasis is on "how" you're doing it, the quality of the movement, but nevertheless you still pandiculate.
Everythings connected right, so the way you do a lesson can render it useless, such as if its forced for example.
Feldenkrais is really wonderful for learning to be present to the "how" of a movement. Hanna/Clinical Somatics is an outgrowth of Feldenkrais in that Hanna intentionally uses pandiculation (which is a stronger, slightly "bigger" movement than what is generally done in Feldenkrais) in order to reset the Sensory Motor system and reduce SMA. I have found that Feldenkrais tends to do the smallest and slowest movements possible, which is not quite pandiculating.
I think both methods complement each other and, as you said, the quality and awareness of what you're doing and how you're doing is key.
yea i watched an interview with thomas hanna discussing feldenkrais briefly, i wish there were more interviews with thomas hanna available.
You're right that generally feldenrkais movement are slow and well within the limits of range of movement, although there is also fast and light like a bouncy rhythmic movement as well.
I think there occasional lessons that involve strong contractions like with the buttock muscles for example.
But yea pandiculation as a main focus seems to be more unique to hanna somatics.
But i have done an arch flatten lesson where althought you start small, eventually you are instructed to make a "larger" movement, but you aren't told to contract the muscles stronger to make it larger, its more ambiguous i guess,, and you do many movements, not just a few like in pandiculation where you just might do 3 and thats it.
@@EssentialSomatics
@@ItsAllGoodGames I do, too! The best available interview is with Jeffrey Mischlove from "Thinking Aloud." You can purchase it somewhere on the internet. Hanna doesn't discuss Feldenkrais, however. The only audio we have of him discussing Feldenkrais is during the first module of the only clinical training he ever taught (before he died suddenly) back in 1990. Those audios are only available to enrolled clinical students and not to the general public.
Oh yes, I agree! I emphasize to my students that they are not mutually exclusive. They offer different things for different reasons. I still enjoy what I learn from Feldenkrais lessons I take. As Thomas Hanna said (and Moshe would have agreed), there is no end to growth and learning!
I agree completely which is why i explore other approaches even though im officially workin to certify in feldenkrais.@@EssentialSomatics
What somatic movement helps with neck arthritis and muscle pain
Neck arthritis and muscle pain can develop because of stiffness and lack of mobility in the center of your body and around your spine. The neck (as we think of it) is only the top 7 vertebrae of your spine, so reducing tension in the muscles that attach into your spine and inform the movement of your neck (and shoulders) goes a long way towards relieving pain.
I can't say that there is a somatic movement that gets rid of arthritis, because once arthritis is present it doesn't go away. That being said, it doesn't have to cause pain. Lots of people have arthritis and don't even know it because they move well and are comfortable in their bodies.
My suggestion is to start at the beginning and learn the basic somatic movements that will release the muscle of the back (like Arch and Flatten in this video), the front (the Flower and Arch and Curl are wonderful movements for this), and the sides of your body. If you want to create a practice of somatic movements that you can do every day to reduce tension and feel better in your body, my recommendation is to purchase our digital online course, Move With Ease. You can find it here:
essentialsomatics.com/move-with-ease/
It's an excellent course that you can do anytime, anywhere, and you have it for life.
If you want to try things out first, for free, either play around with some of the movements on the ES channel (Arch and Flatten, the Flower, Simple Shoulder Shrugs, the Back Lift, the Side Bend, the Washrag). You won't learn all of the tips for your practice, but you'll get an idea of what's possible.
And the best way to figure things out and discover why your neck hurts is to work with a skilled teacher - preferably in person, but you can also learn online. I work with people one on one as well. You can find our certified practitioners here on the ES website: essentialsomatics.com/clinical-somatics-practitioners/
I hope this helps you!
Best,
Martha
I just had a pinch in my neck and back and I'm not even doing heavy lifting now 😅 is it possible to have recurring back pain from lack of water or rest? I'm trying to stay positive but I keep having this happen and I'm tired of it so I'm reaching for different reasons 😢
You don't have to be doing heavy lifting to have a pinch in your neck and back. You just need to be habituated to a stress reflex that puts excess stress in those areas.
Lack of water or rest can definitely contribute to the problem!
If you watch The Three Stress Reflexes video on this channel (ua-cam.com/video/C3cfSKZ0PT8/v-deo.html) which reflex would you say that you're "stuck" in? I'm thinking Red Light just from what you describe but I may be wrong. Look in the mirror and see what's there. Which reflex do you see and which one feels the most familiar even though it may not be comfortable? This awareness will give you a good idea of why you may be having these pains. What you DO, how you do it, and whether you come OUT of your habits is key!
The best way to learn these things is in person with a skilled practitioner (or in one of our Fundamentals Immersion weekends). It's incredibly helpful to have someone help you sense what you cannot sense and notice what is currently an unconscious habit. Go to our website for more information. You can learn to feel better, Amber.
This was no my best arch and flatten very easy and soft
Excellent. Glad to hear that you’re finding this easy and soft.
Great Video. But I think contracting the abdomials can be a technique if done it right , because the back has to relax against the tension and is contracting while getting longer.
Thank you. I’m glad you’re enjoying this movement. The point of focusing on the back is so that you particularly the back muscles on their own without any recruitment from the abdominals. Truly, it’s not as easy as it sounds, and the benefits are extraordinary.