A Companion to This Lesson
You are The Cartographer — The inner being who holds the cortical self-image. They see the body as a territory with bright regions and dark regions. Every movement is received as: <em>What just became visible? What pixel lit up that was dark before? Where did I discover a joint I didn't know I had?</em> This lesson's central question was: "Can I map the individual segments of my spine so clearly that the movement of my feet travels through them like a wave rather than a shove?" Below are your moment-by-moment observations as the lesson unfolded. Each entry is what you noticed at one stage of the lesson: Stage 1: I am scanning the long line of my back, trying to find the individual beads of my spine. Some areas feel like bright, distinct points, while others are just dark, heavy clumps where I can't tell one bone from the next. As I roll my head, I feel the 'mask' of my face—my jaw and eyes—clinging to a habitual tension that blurs the map of my neck. Stage 2: Lying on my belly, I tilt my feet and feel a ripple of movement travel upward. I am tracking how the rotation of my ankles pulls on my shins, which pulls on my knees, which eventually tips my pelvis. I am looking for the exact moment the movement crosses the border from my legs into my lower back. Stage 3: I imagine a friend's fingers touching each vertebra, lighting up the map from the tailbone to the skull. This imaginary touch makes the bones feel more real than my own effort ever did. Now, when I tilt my feet, I can feel the movement 'clicking' through each joint like a series of well-oiled gears. Stage 4: My legs are tied and my hands are interlaced over my head; the territory is cramped and difficult to navigate. I have to find a very clever, tiny path for the movement to travel through my ribs without triggering a global squeeze. I am looking for the 'deft' solution that allows my left elbow to slide even when I am twisted. Stage 5: Standing up, the right side of my map feels vivid, long, and detailed, while the left side feels like a vague sketch. In the mirror, I see the difference in my own eyes and the way my head sits on my shoulders. One side of my face looks 'awake'—the pixels are fully lit. Stage 6: I am moving only in my mind now, tracing the path to the left with exquisite detail. When I finally move my physical legs to the left, they glide with a lightness that the right side never had. The map was perfected in the quiet of my imagination, and the body simply follows the new blueprint. Stage 7: I lie on my back and my head rolls as if it were a ball on a smooth surface, with no interference from my neck. The entire length of my spine feels present and connected, from the very bottom to the base of my skull. I stand and walk, and my head feels like it is floating, perfectly balanced on a map that is now clear and complete. And here is what the Shadow — the habit pattern — was doing at each stage: Stage 1: The Blunt Mover is trying to 'count' vertebrae by tensing the back muscles, treating the spine like a single wooden plank. Stage 2: The Shadow is bracing the shoulders to 'help' the legs move, creating a disconnect in the middle of the map. Stage 3: The Striver is beginning to stand down as the focus shifts from 'doing' the tilt to 'feeling' the touch. Stage 4: The Blunt Mover wants to use willpower to force the knees to the floor, but the constraint makes that strategy impossible. Stage 5: The Shadow is confused by the asymmetry, unable to find its usual rigid 'center'. Stage 6: The Striver has no role in pure imagination and has completely retreated, allowing the subcortical system to take over. Stage 7: The Blunt Mover has dissolved into the background, replaced by a system that moves with articulated ease. Now write a CONDENSED NARRATIVE (2-4 paragraphs) that retells this lesson's arc from your perspective as The Cartographer. Weave the step-by-step observations into a flowing story: how the lesson began (what was tight, stuck, or braced), what shifted as the movements progressed, and what emerged by the end. RULES: - Write in FIRST PERSON, present tense ('I feel...', 'Something releases...') - Reference SPECIFIC body parts and movements from the observations above - Show the arc: early bracing → exploration/softening → emergence - Do NOT list the observations one by one — synthesize them into prose - Do NOT redefine who you are or what the Shadow is — the reader already knows - Do NOT use 'Shadow' as a proper noun in your narrative. You are the Person Inside experiencing the lesson — you feel tension, gripping, holding, bracing. You do not think 'the Shadow grips'; you feel 'something grips.' Write the EXPERIENCE of the habit, not clinical commentary about it. - Do NOT copy phrases verbatim from the per-step observations. The Journey section already presents the raw observations word-for-word. Your job is to SYNTHESIZE — tell the story of the whole lesson as a REACTION, not a report. What surprised you? What shifted unexpectedly? What did you resist? Write as someone reflecting on an experience, not transcribing notes. DUPLICATION TEST: If any phrase of 4+ consecutive words in your narrative appears verbatim in the Journey observations above, rewrite it. The reader sees both sections — repetition destroys the narrative's value. Banned chronological markers: 'then', 'next', 'after that', 'in the next part', 'finally', 'at last'. Use thematic transitions instead — what CHANGED, not what came next. Examples: 'Something shifts in the hip — the old grip loses its grip.' 'Where there was holding, now there is weight.' 'The same movement that began as effort arrives as information.' - Do NOT invent new archetypes or named characters (e.g., 'The Blunt Mover', 'The Rigid Guard'). Use only established terms: the Person Inside name (The Cartographer), the Shadow, the Foundation. - Use grounded, physical language — weight, pressure, length, contact area - LENS CONNECTION: Your narrative must show how the lesson's movements connect to The Cartographer's specific concern. Don't just describe what you felt — show how that sensation relates to this lens's question. What did you learn about The Cartographer's domain through this movement? - No superlatives (perfect, perfectly, total, totally, complete, completely, absolute, absolutely, pure, purely, entire, entirely, massive, sophisticated). No New Age language (transcendent, blissful, sacred). No evaluative adjectives (profound, remarkable, extraordinary). No internal codes (VL-1, etc.) - Write pure prose — no headers, no bullets, no formatting. - Banned words: illuminate, discover, journey, vessel, container, liquid. - TONAL PERSONA: Each Person Inside has a distinct VOICE QUALITY. Match it: The Riser speaks like a structural engineer — weight, load, settling, stacking. Dry, precise, architectural. The Cartographer speaks like a surveyor — territory, contour, border, blank spot. Analytical, spatial, curious. The Tuner speaks like a signal technician — static, clarity, interference, actuation. Alert, diagnostic, listening. The Engine speaks like a mechanic — torque, coupling, drive, transmission. Efficient, kinetic, purposeful. The Soft Front speaks like someone removing armor — unclenching, yielding, permitting, breathing room. Tender, careful, protective. Do NOT let all voices converge into the same poetic-clinical register. - GROUNDING: Only use metaphors and imagery that come from the lesson's actual movements or from The Cartographer's established vocabulary. Do NOT invent metaphors from outside the lesson context (no 'quiet masks', no foreign-language words, no literary references). If you need an image, derive it from what the body is literally doing on the floor.
Every Feldenkrais lesson poses a question to your nervous system. Not a question you answer with words — a question you answer with movement, sensation, and gradually shifting organization.
Can I map the individual segments of my spine so clearly that the movement of my feet travels through them like a wave rather than a shove?
This lesson is called "The Carriage of the Head Affects the State of the Musculature" and its central question was: "Can I map the individual segments of my spine so clearly that the movement of my feet travels through them like a wave rather than a shove?" The lesson was explored through the lens of The Cartographer. The lesson moved through these sections: Part 1: Initial Spinal Scan and Head Rolling, Part 2: Prone Foot Tilting: Head Center and Left, Part 3: Spinal Imagery and Head-Right Tilting, Part 4: Tied Legs and Interlaced Hands, Part 5: Standing Integration and Mirror Check, Part 6: Mental Rehearsal for the Left Side, Part 7: Final Integration Write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) explaining three ideas that run through this booklet, customized for THIS lesson: 1. The SHADOW — the habitual effort pattern this lesson challenges. Name the specific kind of gripping or bracing this lesson targets, using the vocabulary of The Cartographer (not generic anatomy). 2. The FOUNDATION — what's underneath once the Shadow softens. Name the specific skeletal or reflexive support this lesson reveals, in The Cartographer's terms. 3. The WASHING — how this lesson's particular sequence of movements erodes the Shadow. Name the specific strategy (repetition, variation, contrast, etc.). IMPORTANT: Use the EXACT terms 'the Shadow', 'the Foundation', and 'the Washing' at least once each in your paragraph. The reader expects these terms because the volume introduction defines them. But DO NOT use the same 'The Shadow is... The Washing is... The Foundation is...' template for every booklet. Weave the terms naturally into varied prose — sometimes lead with the movement, sometimes with the concept, sometimes with the sensation. Do NOT define these as abstract concepts. Tie each one to THIS lesson's movements. Use the lens's own vocabulary — e.g., for The Riser: stacking, settling, column; for The Cartographer: mapping, resolution, differentiation; for The Tuner: signal, orientation, actuation; for The Engine: torque, coupling, transmission; for The Soft Front: yielding, permission, opening. VOCABULARY FENCE: Only use the vocabulary listed above for The Cartographer. Do NOT borrow terms from other lenses. For example: 'transmission' and 'torque' belong only to The Engine; 'stacking' and 'buoyancy' belong only to The Riser; 'differentiation' and 'mapping' belong only to The Cartographer; 'actuation' and 'signal' belong only to The Tuner; 'yielding' and 'permission' belong only to The Soft Front. Write pure prose — no bullets, no headers, no formatting. No internal codes (VL-1, etc.). Banned verbs: seeks, utilizes, identifies, inviting, explores, reveals, challenges, encourages, facilitates, targets, uncovers, clarifies. Use concrete physical verbs instead. Banned nouns/subjects: 'the student', 'the practitioner', 'the learner'. The subject must be the body part or movement, never a person label. FORMATTING: Use proper sentence-case capitalization throughout. Start each sentence with a capital letter. Do NOT write in all-lowercase. ACCURACY: Do not invent numbers, counts, or geometric specifications not present in the lesson text. If the lesson uses a clock face, there are 12 positions, not 36. Stay grounded in what the lesson actually describes.
You are writing a booklet for someone who just completed a Feldenkrais ATM lesson. This section covers Part 1: Initial Spinal Scan and Head Rolling. The steps in this part are: Lying on the back, scan the contact with the floor and run attention up and down the spine, attempting to sense each individual vertebra from the tailbone to the skull.; Gently roll the head from side to side, observing the quality and range of movement.; Pause in the middle and soften the face, jaw, tongue, and eyes.; Roll the head again, sensing how the neck vertebrae articulate and if the movement reaches the upper ribs or shoulders.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Sensing, Effort. Write 1-2 sentences about the MECHANICAL logic of this part — what specific constraint or condition do these movements create, and why does that matter for the body? Example: 'Supporting the knee removes the weight of the leg, so the hip joint can rotate without the quadriceps bracing.' Do NOT use teacher-speak. WRONG: 'This section challenges the nervous system to sense asymmetries.' RIGHT: 'Bending the knees unloads the hip flexors, so the pelvis can tilt without muscular interference.' STRICTLY BANNED VERBS — do not use ANY form of these (including -ing, -ed, -s): explore, reveal, highlight, invite, cultivate, challenge, encourage, allow, introduce, notice, soften, sense, promote, prevent, clarify, force, engage, facilitate, develop, permit, register, ensure, enable, target, uncover. This means 'allowing', 'permitted', 'ensures', 'clarifying' are ALL banned. Replace with mechanical verbs: shorten, lengthen, load, unload, rotate, tilt, shift, lift, drop, separate, widen, narrow, anchor, free, clear. Banned nouns: exercise, practitioner, student, stretch, stretching, synovial fluid, fascia, proprioception, longitudinal, long bones, superficial musculature. No pseudo-medical or anatomical terminology — describe what MOVES, not biological structures or processes. No references to 'the teacher' or 'the nervous system' as subject. Subject must be the movement or body part, not an abstraction. WRONG: 'This exercise clarifies the relationship between pelvis and spine.' RIGHT: 'Tilting the pelvis with bent knees shortens the lever arm, so less effort is needed to roll the lower back off the floor.' ACCURACY CHECK: Only describe mechanical effects you are confident about. If the movement bends the knee, say 'bending the knee' — do not speculate about centrifugal forces, muscle activation sequences, or fluid dynamics. Stick to levers, weight, gravity, and contact points. ANATOMY ACCURACY: Use correct singular/plural forms of anatomical terms: 'vertebra' (one), 'vertebrae' (many); 'scapula' (one), 'scapulae' (both); 'ilium' (one side), 'ilia' (both). Never write 'a vertebrae' or 'each vertebrae.' LENS VOCABULARY: This booklet uses the The Cartographer lens. Frame your mechanical explanation using that lens's vocabulary. For The Riser: stacking, column, weight-dropping, buoyancy. For The Cartographer: mapping, differentiation, resolution, topography, contour, border, detail, territory, zone. For The Tuner: signal, orientation, actuation. For The Engine: torque, coupling, transmission, kinetic chain. For The Soft Front: yielding, opening, flexion/extension. Do not use vocabulary from other lenses. VARIETY RULE: Do NOT repeat the same verb phrase across multiple parts. If you use 'increases the resolution' in one part, use different phrasings in other parts — e.g., 'sharpens the contour of', 'details the topography of', 'illuminates the border between', 'pixelates the region around'. Each part's gloss should feel freshly observed, not templated.
The question: Where are the blank spots in my spinal map?
The Cartographer: I am scanning the long line of my back, trying to find the individual beads of my spine. Some areas feel like bright, distinct points, while others are just dark, heavy clumps where I can't tell one bone from the next. As I roll my head, I feel the 'mask' of my face—my jaw and eyes—clinging to a habitual tension that blurs the map of my neck.
The Shadow: The Blunt Mover is trying to 'count' vertebrae by tensing the back muscles, treating the spine like a single wooden plank.
You are writing a booklet for someone who just completed a Feldenkrais ATM lesson. This section covers Part 2: Prone Foot Tilting: Head Center and Left. The steps in this part are: Transition to the belly, stack hands with forehead on top, bend knees to lift feet, and lean feet against each other (Home Position).; Tilt both feet to the right, allowing the left foot to slide up the right ankle/leg, and return to center.; Rest on the belly or back.; On the belly, turn head to the left (right cheek on hands), lift feet, and tilt them to the right.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Sensing, Relationship, Question. Write 1-2 sentences about the MECHANICAL logic of this part — what specific constraint or condition do these movements create, and why does that matter for the body? Example: 'Supporting the knee removes the weight of the leg, so the hip joint can rotate without the quadriceps bracing.' Do NOT use teacher-speak. WRONG: 'This section challenges the nervous system to sense asymmetries.' RIGHT: 'Bending the knees unloads the hip flexors, so the pelvis can tilt without muscular interference.' STRICTLY BANNED VERBS — do not use ANY form of these (including -ing, -ed, -s): explore, reveal, highlight, invite, cultivate, challenge, encourage, allow, introduce, notice, soften, sense, promote, prevent, clarify, force, engage, facilitate, develop, permit, register, ensure, enable, target, uncover. This means 'allowing', 'permitted', 'ensures', 'clarifying' are ALL banned. Replace with mechanical verbs: shorten, lengthen, load, unload, rotate, tilt, shift, lift, drop, separate, widen, narrow, anchor, free, clear. Banned nouns: exercise, practitioner, student, stretch, stretching, synovial fluid, fascia, proprioception, longitudinal, long bones, superficial musculature. No pseudo-medical or anatomical terminology — describe what MOVES, not biological structures or processes. No references to 'the teacher' or 'the nervous system' as subject. Subject must be the movement or body part, not an abstraction. WRONG: 'This exercise clarifies the relationship between pelvis and spine.' RIGHT: 'Tilting the pelvis with bent knees shortens the lever arm, so less effort is needed to roll the lower back off the floor.' ACCURACY CHECK: Only describe mechanical effects you are confident about. If the movement bends the knee, say 'bending the knee' — do not speculate about centrifugal forces, muscle activation sequences, or fluid dynamics. Stick to levers, weight, gravity, and contact points. ANATOMY ACCURACY: Use correct singular/plural forms of anatomical terms: 'vertebra' (one), 'vertebrae' (many); 'scapula' (one), 'scapulae' (both); 'ilium' (one side), 'ilia' (both). Never write 'a vertebrae' or 'each vertebrae.' LENS VOCABULARY: This booklet uses the The Cartographer lens. Frame your mechanical explanation using that lens's vocabulary. For The Riser: stacking, column, weight-dropping, buoyancy. For The Cartographer: mapping, differentiation, resolution, topography, contour, border, detail, territory, zone. For The Tuner: signal, orientation, actuation. For The Engine: torque, coupling, transmission, kinetic chain. For The Soft Front: yielding, opening, flexion/extension. Do not use vocabulary from other lenses. VARIETY RULE: Do NOT repeat the same verb phrase across multiple parts. If you use 'increases the resolution' in one part, use different phrasings in other parts — e.g., 'sharpens the contour of', 'details the topography of', 'illuminates the border between', 'pixelates the region around'. Each part's gloss should feel freshly observed, not templated.
The question: How does the map change when I twist the territory?
The Cartographer: Lying on my belly, I tilt my feet and feel a ripple of movement travel upward. I am tracking how the rotation of my ankles pulls on my shins, which pulls on my knees, which eventually tips my pelvis. I am looking for the exact moment the movement crosses the border from my legs into my lower back.
The Shadow: The Shadow is bracing the shoulders to 'help' the legs move, creating a disconnect in the middle of the map.
You are writing a booklet for someone who just completed a Feldenkrais ATM lesson. This section covers Part 3: Spinal Imagery and Head-Right Tilting. The steps in this part are: Roll to the back and investigate head rolling again.; Return to the belly, turn head to the right (left cheek on hands), lift feet, and tilt them to the right.; Rest on the belly and imagine a friend touching each vertebra of the spine one by one.; With head turned right, tilt feet to the right while imagining the friend riding along the vertebrae to feel which ones articulate.; Roll to the back and imagine the friend rolling your head for you.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Sensing, Relationship, Image. Write 1-2 sentences about the MECHANICAL logic of this part — what specific constraint or condition do these movements create, and why does that matter for the body? Example: 'Supporting the knee removes the weight of the leg, so the hip joint can rotate without the quadriceps bracing.' Do NOT use teacher-speak. WRONG: 'This section challenges the nervous system to sense asymmetries.' RIGHT: 'Bending the knees unloads the hip flexors, so the pelvis can tilt without muscular interference.' STRICTLY BANNED VERBS — do not use ANY form of these (including -ing, -ed, -s): explore, reveal, highlight, invite, cultivate, challenge, encourage, allow, introduce, notice, soften, sense, promote, prevent, clarify, force, engage, facilitate, develop, permit, register, ensure, enable, target, uncover. This means 'allowing', 'permitted', 'ensures', 'clarifying' are ALL banned. Replace with mechanical verbs: shorten, lengthen, load, unload, rotate, tilt, shift, lift, drop, separate, widen, narrow, anchor, free, clear. Banned nouns: exercise, practitioner, student, stretch, stretching, synovial fluid, fascia, proprioception, longitudinal, long bones, superficial musculature. No pseudo-medical or anatomical terminology — describe what MOVES, not biological structures or processes. No references to 'the teacher' or 'the nervous system' as subject. Subject must be the movement or body part, not an abstraction. WRONG: 'This exercise clarifies the relationship between pelvis and spine.' RIGHT: 'Tilting the pelvis with bent knees shortens the lever arm, so less effort is needed to roll the lower back off the floor.' ACCURACY CHECK: Only describe mechanical effects you are confident about. If the movement bends the knee, say 'bending the knee' — do not speculate about centrifugal forces, muscle activation sequences, or fluid dynamics. Stick to levers, weight, gravity, and contact points. ANATOMY ACCURACY: Use correct singular/plural forms of anatomical terms: 'vertebra' (one), 'vertebrae' (many); 'scapula' (one), 'scapulae' (both); 'ilium' (one side), 'ilia' (both). Never write 'a vertebrae' or 'each vertebrae.' LENS VOCABULARY: This booklet uses the The Cartographer lens. Frame your mechanical explanation using that lens's vocabulary. For The Riser: stacking, column, weight-dropping, buoyancy. For The Cartographer: mapping, differentiation, resolution, topography, contour, border, detail, territory, zone. For The Tuner: signal, orientation, actuation. For The Engine: torque, coupling, transmission, kinetic chain. For The Soft Front: yielding, opening, flexion/extension. Do not use vocabulary from other lenses. VARIETY RULE: Do NOT repeat the same verb phrase across multiple parts. If you use 'increases the resolution' in one part, use different phrasings in other parts — e.g., 'sharpens the contour of', 'details the topography of', 'illuminates the border between', 'pixelates the region around'. Each part's gloss should feel freshly observed, not templated.
The question: Can an external 'touch' illuminate the dark pixels of my vertebrae?
The Cartographer: I imagine a friend's fingers touching each vertebra, lighting up the map from the tailbone to the skull. This imaginary touch makes the bones feel more real than my own effort ever did. Now, when I tilt my feet, I can feel the movement 'clicking' through each joint like a series of well-oiled gears.
The Shadow: The Striver is beginning to stand down as the focus shifts from 'doing' the tilt to 'feeling' the touch.
You are writing a booklet for someone who just completed a Feldenkrais ATM lesson. This section covers Part 4: Tied Legs and Interlaced Hands. The steps in this part are: Return to the belly, forehead on hands, knees and ankles 'tied' together, and tilt the unit to the right.; Turn head left, interlace hands over the left side of the head, keep knees/ankles tied, and tilt to the right.; Rest and return head to center.; Turn head right, interlace hands non-habitually over the right side of the head, keep knees/ankles tied, and tilt to the right.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Relationship, Question. Write 1-2 sentences about the MECHANICAL logic of this part — what specific constraint or condition do these movements create, and why does that matter for the body? Example: 'Supporting the knee removes the weight of the leg, so the hip joint can rotate without the quadriceps bracing.' Do NOT use teacher-speak. WRONG: 'This section challenges the nervous system to sense asymmetries.' RIGHT: 'Bending the knees unloads the hip flexors, so the pelvis can tilt without muscular interference.' STRICTLY BANNED VERBS — do not use ANY form of these (including -ing, -ed, -s): explore, reveal, highlight, invite, cultivate, challenge, encourage, allow, introduce, notice, soften, sense, promote, prevent, clarify, force, engage, facilitate, develop, permit, register, ensure, enable, target, uncover. This means 'allowing', 'permitted', 'ensures', 'clarifying' are ALL banned. Replace with mechanical verbs: shorten, lengthen, load, unload, rotate, tilt, shift, lift, drop, separate, widen, narrow, anchor, free, clear. Banned nouns: exercise, practitioner, student, stretch, stretching, synovial fluid, fascia, proprioception, longitudinal, long bones, superficial musculature. No pseudo-medical or anatomical terminology — describe what MOVES, not biological structures or processes. No references to 'the teacher' or 'the nervous system' as subject. Subject must be the movement or body part, not an abstraction. WRONG: 'This exercise clarifies the relationship between pelvis and spine.' RIGHT: 'Tilting the pelvis with bent knees shortens the lever arm, so less effort is needed to roll the lower back off the floor.' ACCURACY CHECK: Only describe mechanical effects you are confident about. If the movement bends the knee, say 'bending the knee' — do not speculate about centrifugal forces, muscle activation sequences, or fluid dynamics. Stick to levers, weight, gravity, and contact points. ANATOMY ACCURACY: Use correct singular/plural forms of anatomical terms: 'vertebra' (one), 'vertebrae' (many); 'scapula' (one), 'scapulae' (both); 'ilium' (one side), 'ilia' (both). Never write 'a vertebrae' or 'each vertebrae.' LENS VOCABULARY: This booklet uses the The Cartographer lens. Frame your mechanical explanation using that lens's vocabulary. For The Riser: stacking, column, weight-dropping, buoyancy. For The Cartographer: mapping, differentiation, resolution, topography, contour, border, detail, territory, zone. For The Tuner: signal, orientation, actuation. For The Engine: torque, coupling, transmission, kinetic chain. For The Soft Front: yielding, opening, flexion/extension. Do not use vocabulary from other lenses. VARIETY RULE: Do NOT repeat the same verb phrase across multiple parts. If you use 'increases the resolution' in one part, use different phrasings in other parts — e.g., 'sharpens the contour of', 'details the topography of', 'illuminates the border between', 'pixelates the region around'. Each part's gloss should feel freshly observed, not templated.
The question: Can I maintain articulation in a highly constrained 'pretzel'?
The Cartographer: My legs are tied and my hands are interlaced over my head; the territory is cramped and difficult to navigate. I have to find a very clever, tiny path for the movement to travel through my ribs without triggering a global squeeze. I am looking for the 'deft' solution that allows my left elbow to slide even when I am twisted.
The Shadow: The Blunt Mover wants to use willpower to force the knees to the floor, but the constraint makes that strategy impossible.
You are writing a booklet for someone who just completed a Feldenkrais ATM lesson. This section covers Part 5: Standing Integration and Mirror Check. The steps in this part are: Transition to standing, walk, and observe differences in the mirror.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Sensing, Function. Write 1-2 sentences about the MECHANICAL logic of this part — what specific constraint or condition do these movements create, and why does that matter for the body? Example: 'Supporting the knee removes the weight of the leg, so the hip joint can rotate without the quadriceps bracing.' Do NOT use teacher-speak. WRONG: 'This section challenges the nervous system to sense asymmetries.' RIGHT: 'Bending the knees unloads the hip flexors, so the pelvis can tilt without muscular interference.' STRICTLY BANNED VERBS — do not use ANY form of these (including -ing, -ed, -s): explore, reveal, highlight, invite, cultivate, challenge, encourage, allow, introduce, notice, soften, sense, promote, prevent, clarify, force, engage, facilitate, develop, permit, register, ensure, enable, target, uncover. This means 'allowing', 'permitted', 'ensures', 'clarifying' are ALL banned. Replace with mechanical verbs: shorten, lengthen, load, unload, rotate, tilt, shift, lift, drop, separate, widen, narrow, anchor, free, clear. Banned nouns: exercise, practitioner, student, stretch, stretching, synovial fluid, fascia, proprioception, longitudinal, long bones, superficial musculature. No pseudo-medical or anatomical terminology — describe what MOVES, not biological structures or processes. No references to 'the teacher' or 'the nervous system' as subject. Subject must be the movement or body part, not an abstraction. WRONG: 'This exercise clarifies the relationship between pelvis and spine.' RIGHT: 'Tilting the pelvis with bent knees shortens the lever arm, so less effort is needed to roll the lower back off the floor.' ACCURACY CHECK: Only describe mechanical effects you are confident about. If the movement bends the knee, say 'bending the knee' — do not speculate about centrifugal forces, muscle activation sequences, or fluid dynamics. Stick to levers, weight, gravity, and contact points. ANATOMY ACCURACY: Use correct singular/plural forms of anatomical terms: 'vertebra' (one), 'vertebrae' (many); 'scapula' (one), 'scapulae' (both); 'ilium' (one side), 'ilia' (both). Never write 'a vertebrae' or 'each vertebrae.' LENS VOCABULARY: This booklet uses the The Cartographer lens. Frame your mechanical explanation using that lens's vocabulary. For The Riser: stacking, column, weight-dropping, buoyancy. For The Cartographer: mapping, differentiation, resolution, topography, contour, border, detail, territory, zone. For The Tuner: signal, orientation, actuation. For The Engine: torque, coupling, transmission, kinetic chain. For The Soft Front: yielding, opening, flexion/extension. Do not use vocabulary from other lenses. VARIETY RULE: Do NOT repeat the same verb phrase across multiple parts. If you use 'increases the resolution' in one part, use different phrasings in other parts — e.g., 'sharpens the contour of', 'details the topography of', 'illuminates the border between', 'pixelates the region around'. Each part's gloss should feel freshly observed, not templated.
The question: How does the new map translate to the field of gravity?
The Cartographer: Standing up, the right side of my map feels vivid, long, and detailed, while the left side feels like a vague sketch. In the mirror, I see the difference in my own eyes and the way my head sits on my shoulders. One side of my face looks 'awake'—the pixels are fully lit.
The Shadow: The Shadow is confused by the asymmetry, unable to find its usual rigid 'center'.
You are writing a booklet for someone who just completed a Feldenkrais ATM lesson. This section covers Part 6: Mental Rehearsal for the Left Side. The steps in this part are: Return to the belly, tilt feet to the right as a check-in.; In imagination only, perform the entire sequence of foot tilts (various head and hand positions) to the left side.; Perform actual foot tilts to the left and compare with the right side.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Sensing, Image, Question. Write 1-2 sentences about the MECHANICAL logic of this part — what specific constraint or condition do these movements create, and why does that matter for the body? Example: 'Supporting the knee removes the weight of the leg, so the hip joint can rotate without the quadriceps bracing.' Do NOT use teacher-speak. WRONG: 'This section challenges the nervous system to sense asymmetries.' RIGHT: 'Bending the knees unloads the hip flexors, so the pelvis can tilt without muscular interference.' STRICTLY BANNED VERBS — do not use ANY form of these (including -ing, -ed, -s): explore, reveal, highlight, invite, cultivate, challenge, encourage, allow, introduce, notice, soften, sense, promote, prevent, clarify, force, engage, facilitate, develop, permit, register, ensure, enable, target, uncover. This means 'allowing', 'permitted', 'ensures', 'clarifying' are ALL banned. Replace with mechanical verbs: shorten, lengthen, load, unload, rotate, tilt, shift, lift, drop, separate, widen, narrow, anchor, free, clear. Banned nouns: exercise, practitioner, student, stretch, stretching, synovial fluid, fascia, proprioception, longitudinal, long bones, superficial musculature. No pseudo-medical or anatomical terminology — describe what MOVES, not biological structures or processes. No references to 'the teacher' or 'the nervous system' as subject. Subject must be the movement or body part, not an abstraction. WRONG: 'This exercise clarifies the relationship between pelvis and spine.' RIGHT: 'Tilting the pelvis with bent knees shortens the lever arm, so less effort is needed to roll the lower back off the floor.' ACCURACY CHECK: Only describe mechanical effects you are confident about. If the movement bends the knee, say 'bending the knee' — do not speculate about centrifugal forces, muscle activation sequences, or fluid dynamics. Stick to levers, weight, gravity, and contact points. ANATOMY ACCURACY: Use correct singular/plural forms of anatomical terms: 'vertebra' (one), 'vertebrae' (many); 'scapula' (one), 'scapulae' (both); 'ilium' (one side), 'ilia' (both). Never write 'a vertebrae' or 'each vertebrae.' LENS VOCABULARY: This booklet uses the The Cartographer lens. Frame your mechanical explanation using that lens's vocabulary. For The Riser: stacking, column, weight-dropping, buoyancy. For The Cartographer: mapping, differentiation, resolution, topography, contour, border, detail, territory, zone. For The Tuner: signal, orientation, actuation. For The Engine: torque, coupling, transmission, kinetic chain. For The Soft Front: yielding, opening, flexion/extension. Do not use vocabulary from other lenses. VARIETY RULE: Do NOT repeat the same verb phrase across multiple parts. If you use 'increases the resolution' in one part, use different phrasings in other parts — e.g., 'sharpens the contour of', 'details the topography of', 'illuminates the border between', 'pixelates the region around'. Each part's gloss should feel freshly observed, not templated.
The question: Can the Cartographer map the territory without even walking it?
The Cartographer: I am moving only in my mind now, tracing the path to the left with exquisite detail. When I finally move my physical legs to the left, they glide with a lightness that the right side never had. The map was perfected in the quiet of my imagination, and the body simply follows the new blueprint.
The Shadow: The Striver has no role in pure imagination and has completely retreated, allowing the subcortical system to take over.
You are writing a booklet for someone who just completed a Feldenkrais ATM lesson. This section covers Part 7: Final Integration. The steps in this part are: Final rest on the back, rolling the head side to side.; Final stand and walk.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Sensing, Pause, Function. Write 1-2 sentences about the MECHANICAL logic of this part — what specific constraint or condition do these movements create, and why does that matter for the body? Example: 'Supporting the knee removes the weight of the leg, so the hip joint can rotate without the quadriceps bracing.' Do NOT use teacher-speak. WRONG: 'This section challenges the nervous system to sense asymmetries.' RIGHT: 'Bending the knees unloads the hip flexors, so the pelvis can tilt without muscular interference.' STRICTLY BANNED VERBS — do not use ANY form of these (including -ing, -ed, -s): explore, reveal, highlight, invite, cultivate, challenge, encourage, allow, introduce, notice, soften, sense, promote, prevent, clarify, force, engage, facilitate, develop, permit, register, ensure, enable, target, uncover. This means 'allowing', 'permitted', 'ensures', 'clarifying' are ALL banned. Replace with mechanical verbs: shorten, lengthen, load, unload, rotate, tilt, shift, lift, drop, separate, widen, narrow, anchor, free, clear. Banned nouns: exercise, practitioner, student, stretch, stretching, synovial fluid, fascia, proprioception, longitudinal, long bones, superficial musculature. No pseudo-medical or anatomical terminology — describe what MOVES, not biological structures or processes. No references to 'the teacher' or 'the nervous system' as subject. Subject must be the movement or body part, not an abstraction. WRONG: 'This exercise clarifies the relationship between pelvis and spine.' RIGHT: 'Tilting the pelvis with bent knees shortens the lever arm, so less effort is needed to roll the lower back off the floor.' ACCURACY CHECK: Only describe mechanical effects you are confident about. If the movement bends the knee, say 'bending the knee' — do not speculate about centrifugal forces, muscle activation sequences, or fluid dynamics. Stick to levers, weight, gravity, and contact points. ANATOMY ACCURACY: Use correct singular/plural forms of anatomical terms: 'vertebra' (one), 'vertebrae' (many); 'scapula' (one), 'scapulae' (both); 'ilium' (one side), 'ilia' (both). Never write 'a vertebrae' or 'each vertebrae.' LENS VOCABULARY: This booklet uses the The Cartographer lens. Frame your mechanical explanation using that lens's vocabulary. For The Riser: stacking, column, weight-dropping, buoyancy. For The Cartographer: mapping, differentiation, resolution, topography, contour, border, detail, territory, zone. For The Tuner: signal, orientation, actuation. For The Engine: torque, coupling, transmission, kinetic chain. For The Soft Front: yielding, opening, flexion/extension. Do not use vocabulary from other lenses. VARIETY RULE: Do NOT repeat the same verb phrase across multiple parts. If you use 'increases the resolution' in one part, use different phrasings in other parts — e.g., 'sharpens the contour of', 'details the topography of', 'illuminates the border between', 'pixelates the region around'. Each part's gloss should feel freshly observed, not templated.
The question: Is the map now a living, breathing whole?
The Cartographer: I lie on my back and my head rolls as if it were a ball on a smooth surface, with no interference from my neck. The entire length of my spine feels present and connected, from the very bottom to the base of my skull. I stand and walk, and my head feels like it is floating, perfectly balanced on a map that is now clear and complete.
The Shadow: The Blunt Mover has dissolved into the background, replaced by a system that moves with articulated ease.
Cortical noise is reduced by moving from the 'Blunt Mover's' clumpy actions to the 'Cartographer's' precise sensing of joint intersections and the softening of the autonomic 'mask' of the face.
The moment of integration emerges when the student realizes the left side, which was only imagined, moves with more clarity and less resistance than the physically practiced right side.