A Companion to This Lesson
You are The Tuner — The one who manages the 'meeting' between your thoughts and your actions. They are the expert in <em>Actuation</em>. They don't generate the power, but they make sure the signal is clean. Every movement is received as: <em>Is my plan clear? Am I looking where I intend to go, or am I 'Fixing' my eyes while my body tries to turn?</em> This lesson's central question was: "How can the sensory instruments of the head (eyes, jaw, tongue) be decoupled from reflexive motor habits to allow the head to float freely during global movement?" 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 feel the weight of my head and the tension in my neck as I lie here. As I reach my right arm, my eyes want to stare hard at the ceiling, and my jaw feels like it's holding on for safety. Stage 2: I am asked to keep my head still while the arm moves, which feels like a puzzle for my neck. Then, I find a tiny nodding movement that makes the reach feel less like a struggle and more like a slide. Stage 3: My eyes are traveling left while my head rolls right, and it feels like my brain is being washed clean of old habits. I notice my jaw softening as my eyes learn to glide in their orbits without dragging my whole neck with them. Stage 4: Now the push from my foot travels through my pelvis and spine, and I feel my head wanting to roll effortlessly. My eyes are no longer leading the way with effort; they are just riding along on a moving horizon. Stage 5: I let my tongue slide out like a snowflake-catcher, and suddenly my airway feels vast and my neck feels liquid. The relationship between my jaw and the back of my head is becoming a soft, rhythmic dance. Stage 6: Both arms reach, and my whole self responds like a single, fluid wave. My eyes are soft, my jaw is free, and my head floats on the spine as if it were weightless and perfectly supported. And here is what the Shadow — the habit pattern — was doing at each stage: Stage 1: The Watchman is staring with hard eyes, bracing the neck against the movement of the arm as if guarding against a threat. Stage 2: The Watchman is trying to lock the head in place, but the invitation to nod starts to loosen the grip on the sub-occipitals. Stage 3: The Watchman is confused by the oppositional movement and momentarily lets go of the fixed, vigilant gaze. Stage 4: The Watchman is standing down as the skeletal support from the foot makes the neck's constant vigilance unnecessary. Stage 5: The Watchman has stopped clenching the teeth; the jaw is hanging in a state of safe, heavy passivity. Stage 6: The Watchman has completely retired, replaced by a Sentinel who is alert but entirely relaxed and receptive. Now write a CONDENSED NARRATIVE (2-4 paragraphs) that retells this lesson's arc from your perspective as The Tuner. 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 Tuner), 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 Tuner'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 Tuner'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 Tuner'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.
How can the sensory instruments of the head (eyes, jaw, tongue) be decoupled from reflexive motor habits to allow the head to float freely during global movement?
This lesson is called "Arms Like a Skeleton: Neck, Jaw, and Shoulders" and its central question was: "How can the sensory instruments of the head (eyes, jaw, tongue) be decoupled from reflexive motor habits to allow the head to float freely during global movement?" The lesson was explored through the lens of The Tuner. The lesson moved through these sections: Part 1: Initial Scan and Unilateral Arm Reaching, Part 2: Head and Neck Differentiation, Part 3: Eye-Head Coordination and Differentiation, Part 4: Integrating the Pelvis and Foot, Part 5: Jaw, Tongue, and Sagittal Neck Refinement, Part 6: Bilateral Reaching and 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 Tuner (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 Tuner'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 Tuner. 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 Scan and Unilateral Arm Reaching. The steps in this part are: Initial body scan: sense the relationship with the ground, roll the head to find neutral, and map the shoulder blades, spine, and breath.; Extend the right arm vertically towards the ceiling (plumb) and practice lengthening it by lifting the shoulder blade, then returning to rest.; Lower the arm and rest, noticing the return of circulation and release of effort.; Stand the right arm again and lengthen it while inviting the head to roll spontaneously; then experiment with rolling the head in the opposite direction.; Rest with legs long, sensing changes in the 'five lines' of the body.; Repeat the vertical arm reach and head rolling exploration with the left arm.; Rest and reset.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Function, Relationship, Sensing. 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 Tuner 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 reach my arm without my eyes and jaw fixing in anticipation of effort?
The Tuner: I feel the weight of my head and the tension in my neck as I lie here. As I reach my right arm, my eyes want to stare hard at the ceiling, and my jaw feels like it's holding on for safety.
The Shadow: The Watchman is staring with hard eyes, bracing the neck against the movement of the arm as if guarding against a threat.
You are writing a booklet for someone who just completed a Feldenkrais ATM lesson. This section covers Part 2: Head and Neck Differentiation. The steps in this part are: Stand the left arm and lengthen it while keeping the head neutral (no side-to-side rolling), then explore small sagittal nodding (yes) movements.; Rest the arm and notice the effect of the constraint.; Stand the left arm, roll the head to the right while lengthening the arm, and integrate small nodding movements into the roll.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Function, 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 Tuner 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 neck soften into a 'yes' nodding movement while the arm reaches?
The Tuner: I am asked to keep my head still while the arm moves, which feels like a puzzle for my neck. Then, I find a tiny nodding movement that makes the reach feel less like a struggle and more like a slide.
The Shadow: The Watchman is trying to lock the head in place, but the invitation to nod starts to loosen the grip on the sub-occipitals.
You are writing a booklet for someone who just completed a Feldenkrais ATM lesson. This section covers Part 3: Eye-Head Coordination and Differentiation. The steps in this part are: With knees bent, roll the head to the right while keeping the eyes fixed on a point on the ceiling (oppositional movement).; Rest with eyes closed.; Roll the head right with eyes moving in the same direction, then roll the head right with eyes moving to the left.; Rest and use motor imagination to visualize lengthening the left and right arms and the resulting head/eye movements.; Repeat the head/eye differentiation (head left, eyes fixed or opposite) on the other side.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Relationship, Question, 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 Tuner 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 eyes move independently of the head's direction to reduce global tone?
The Tuner: My eyes are traveling left while my head rolls right, and it feels like my brain is being washed clean of old habits. I notice my jaw softening as my eyes learn to glide in their orbits without dragging my whole neck with them.
The Shadow: The Watchman is confused by the oppositional movement and momentarily lets go of the fixed, vigilant gaze.
You are writing a booklet for someone who just completed a Feldenkrais ATM lesson. This section covers Part 4: Integrating the Pelvis and Foot. The steps in this part are: Stand the right arm and practice lengthening it while rolling the head to the left, seeking a congruent, lazy movement.; Rest and roll the head side to side, sensing the arc of the forehead versus the arc of the chin.; Bend the right knee, stand the foot, and push to roll the pelvis left, first with the arm resting, then with the right arm standing vertically.; Integrate the right foot push with the right arm reach, experimenting with timing and head movement.; Rest and compare the two sides in imagination.; Repeat the integrated foot push and arm reach on the left side, focusing on reducing effort in the belly and back.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Function, Relationship, Sensing. 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 Tuner 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: Does the power of the foot reach all the way to the soft eyes and liquid neck?
The Tuner: Now the push from my foot travels through my pelvis and spine, and I feel my head wanting to roll effortlessly. My eyes are no longer leading the way with effort; they are just riding along on a moving horizon.
The Shadow: The Watchman is standing down as the skeletal support from the foot makes the neck's constant vigilance unnecessary.
You are writing a booklet for someone who just completed a Feldenkrais ATM lesson. This section covers Part 5: Jaw, Tongue, and Sagittal Neck Refinement. The steps in this part are: Rest and explore small sagittal movements of the chin (nodding up/down) and their effect on the chest and shoulders.; Coordinate opening the mouth and protruding the tongue with nodding the head up, then reverse the relationship (tongue out while nodding down).; Coordinate eye movements (up/down) with head nodding, then reverse the eyes and head.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Function, 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 Tuner 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 tongue and jaw participate in the neck's arching to release deep tension?
The Tuner: I let my tongue slide out like a snowflake-catcher, and suddenly my airway feels vast and my neck feels liquid. The relationship between my jaw and the back of my head is becoming a soft, rhythmic dance.
The Shadow: The Watchman has stopped clenching the teeth; the jaw is hanging in a state of safe, heavy passivity.
You are writing a booklet for someone who just completed a Feldenkrais ATM lesson. This section covers Part 6: Bilateral Reaching and Final Integration. The steps in this part are: Stand both arms vertically and practice lengthening both simultaneously, exploring different head and gaze options.; Final integration: reach one arm while pushing with the same foot, incorporating all learned head and neck options to maximize range without strain.; Final scan, roll to the side, and come to standing and walking.. The prominent pedagogical qualities are: Function, Relationship, 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 Tuner 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 whole system quiet enough to reach with total ease and soft eyes?
The Tuner: Both arms reach, and my whole self responds like a single, fluid wave. My eyes are soft, my jaw is free, and my head floats on the spine as if it were weightless and perfectly supported.
The Shadow: The Watchman has completely retired, replaced by a Sentinel who is alert but entirely relaxed and receptive.
Cortical noise is reduced by introducing 'impossible' or unusual coordinations, such as eyes moving opposite to the head or the tongue protruding during neck extension, which forces the Striver to abandon its habitual bracing patterns.
Integration emerges when the student realizes that the reach of the arm is supported by the push of the foot and the freedom of the neck, leading to a moment where the arm feels 'plumb' and the head rolls without any internal friction.