Theme Yoga Poses

The Amherst training had a number of delightful learnings, and trainings that derive from this training also have delightful changes, both in terms of physical (bodily) and emotional (and, occasionally, spiritual).

Those of us who emerged from this tradition have wondered about Dr. Feldenkrais and Yoga. It made sense that he would be curious about the practices and would have studied them — however there has been no direct information about this. Of course, in the Esalen materials, there is the one Yoga pose (“Toad”). To add to this, recently we have learned that Dr. Feldenkrais translated a Yoga booklet and offered a brief introduction.

A few practitioners have studied the Alexander Yanai lessons sequentially and have found a treasure trove of lessons that are direct interpretations of yoga poses.

Here is a beginning list of lessons from this investigation:

• Amherst 1 – Week 1 – 06/10/80 PM2 – Flexors and rolling/Flexing the Upper Body, Elbow to the Knee (Continued)
• Amherst 1 – Week 6 – 07/16/80 PM1 Moving elbow into the gap
• Amherst 1 – Week 6 – 07/17/80 PM Mobility of head – body tonus, part 1 and 2
• AY009 Preparation for a shoulder stand (on the back)
• AY011 Preparation for shoulder stand
• AY047 Lifting the lower leg with both hands
• AY048 And from here to the frog stand
• AY056 Bending the abdomen with leg swings (Catching flies)
• AY128 The leg to the other side, rolling the head
• AY134 Rolling in a bridge with the hands on the ankles
• AY135 Legs to the side and lifting them with the hands
• AY136 Looking at the back while sitting
• AY139 Touching the floor with the hands, #1
• AY142 Frog
• AY144 Pushing the floor in a bridge backward
• AY160 Sliding the back of the hands behind the back
• AY161 Separating the spaces in (between) the toes
• AY162 Balancing on the hands (1)
• AY166 Balancing on feet that are joined
• AY169 Pressing the legs and sitting the body.
• AY173 Knees inward to the floor
• AY177 Making the spine flexible and integrating it
• AY184 Lying on the feet 2
• AY185 Lying on the Feet # 3 and breathing rhythmically #2
• AY190 Heels under the pelvis 1 (In and out)
• AY221 Opposing movements in the head and shoulders, (2)-on the knees
• AY279 Lifting up on the hands
• AY288 Lengthening the back in refined movements, in sitting
• AY313 Rolling at the rate of stretching and bending
• AY314 Preparation for a candle
• AY320 Frog – continuation – (Toad)
• AY332 With the hand leaning on the knee
• AY405 Crossing the leg behind [1]
• AY406 Crossing the leg behind [2]
• AY439 Preparation for bridge, continuation
• AY449 Bending in standing
• AY541 Inverting hands including more
• E38 Toad—the “Impossible” Lesson (Stransky notes)
• E40 Doing-the-Impossible-Toad-Movement (recordings)
• Rotterdam 1976 – Tape 5 – talk Education and health and medicine
• Rotterdam 1976 – Tape 8 – Foot to head, roll to sit
• Rotterdam 1976 – Tape 9 – Foot to head, roll to sit continues
• SB5 Perfecting the self-image: Bringing the Foot to the Head and Rolling to Sitting
• SFEC Notes – 05. Foot to head (July 1)
• SFEC Public Workshop – Vol. 2 – 3. Easy rolling
• SFEC Public Workshop – Vol. 2 – 6. More flexible than a child
• Toronto 1980 – DAY1-1 – Lecture: Learning and the ability to choose

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AY 166 – Standing Butterfly.