Head Forward posture: improve head/spine relationship. "The Pecking Lesson"
Channel: Infinite Movement
Date: 2021-04-12

One of the most challenging aspects with regards to our human upright posture is the very common head forward position. This head spine relationship is quite critical. If not "properly" aligned on top of the spine, the neck can easily be compromised. Especially that the delicate muscles of the neck are not designed to help with the carriage of the head, they are not designed to carry weight at all. Instead, the neck muscles manage very subtle and accurate head movements, mostly governed by our eyes and vestibular system. Today's lesson is called The Pecking Lesson. It's a beautifully constructed lesson. It is both simple and complex. I think of it as a very profound, quintessential Feldenkrais  lesson.

This is one of a few Feldenkrais lessons that address the relationship of the head and the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.
Rather than helping improve this organization in a corrective way, the lesson is about allowing the head to find a better position on top of the spine by moving (in a Pecking motion) forward and back. 

The beautiful thing is that it includes much more than just the head and the top cervical spine. It addresses the thoracic and lumbar spine as well. 

The head is very heavy, about 10-12 lbs on average. If the head is one inch too far forward, it weighs an additional 10 lbs. And each additional inch adds 10 lbs. That is a lot! the more forward the head is the heavier it is for the muscles of the back of the neck and the upper torso to hold it in place. Most of us don't even feel this tremendous weight being supported for hours and hours daily.

This lesson addresses the fact that you can't just "take the head back", separately from the rest of the spine. It also gives a sense of freedom and lengthening in the spine.