During Halloween, I was amused by seeing vintage honeycomb decorations--skeletons and witches with honeycomb arms--which reminded me of decorations at school when I was a child.
Then I had an idea...
Retracting (shortening) your arms in difficult passages, or when you are nervous, is a typical fear response and actually causes fingering and breathing problems. To keep yourself open and the notes flowing, think of your arms as honeycomb arms--expanding rather than retracting. Also think of your hands as large, easily able to cradle the flute.
Hope this image is useful!
Catherine
