Can I stop thinking now?

I recently taught a workshop to a group of teachers. Several wanted to know what they could say or do to immediately improve the functioning of the students they taught. I gave them some ideas, but it wasn’t until I left that I realized they were looking for an action to take that would solve the problem they were experiencing so they could move on.

I wish it could be this simple. Unfortunately, in most cases, it takes time to change a habit. First, it can be difficult to call attention to a person’s habit without them feeling self conscious. Most people are sensitive to a direct observation of their use. Some might even feel mortified. Also, a habit can stem from a wish to physically cope with an emotion. That habit could be tied to fear or anger or sadness. Letting go of a habitual pattern of tension could make a person feel vulnerable.

So what can be done? Go slowly. Pause and then come back to FM Alexander’s directions again and again. Allow your neck to ease, lengthen and widen your back, allow your legs to release, notice your breathing.

When I first began studying the Alexander Technique in an effort to be able to return to the flute (I had injurred my jaw), I found I couldn’t even look at the flute without tensing. I had to retrain my thinking—which took time. I quickly realized that I wasn’t just tense when I played the flute but all the time. I began to see that I could be doing less with almost every activity in my day. I was hyper-vigilant and being so had always served me—until I couldn’t play my instrument. I learned to slow down, pause, begin again, and breathe. For someone as tense as I was, it took a very long time to trust my body to function with half of the force I was using. It took time to learn to be gentle with myself. Applying the Alexander Technique certainly isn’t this hard for everyone and I should note that I did find some immediate relief when I first began taking lessons. However, for a long time, I needed an Alexander teacher to guide me back to that state of ease… repeatedly.

After a year of private lessons and the three-year, 1600-hour Alexander Technique teacher training program, I was able to experience life differently. I could move throughout my day with more freedom. I could remember to use my thinking to affect change. Even after all that work, it didn’t become automatic. And 16 years since I graduated, it still isn’t. I cannot eradicate my habits. I will always have to use my Alexander thinking to let go of them. And that’s okay. I have tools that I can use no matter what stressful situation may come my way.

So, can I show you something right now that will stop a habit immediately? No. I’m sorry. I can, however, show you the simple steps that—if applied—will gradually improve the overall quality of a life.

Where is your pain, really?

I haven’t been around in a while. I’m sorry. Please visit because I promise to have more content! After a few rough months, I am here and I am teaching more and running into more people who are interested in the Alexander Technique. It doesn’t matter where I go, there’s someone in pain or perhaps just uncomfortable. Yesterday, I spoke with someone who is regularly experiencing lower back pain. The day before, I talked about how the Alexander Technique might help someone with Parkinson’s. No matter a person’s age or size, the Alexander Technique can help without harming. This is because the Technique uses a person’s thinking to release unnecessary tension. Therefore, it will not hurt or make a situation worse. I don’t mean to imply that it is a cure all. Some people out there might not find it helpful—although I’ve never met a person who didn’t benefit from at least one Alexander tool.

What I would like to share with you today is some Alexander Technique advice about pain. While you may feel pain in one part of your body, don’t assume that the part that hurts is the source of the discomfort. For example, you may wake up with a headache, but the source of the problem is that you were clenching your jaw as you slept.

If you are sensing pain at this moment, pause. If you are seated, make sure that your feet are on the floor. Move closer to the edge of your chair so that you are sitting on your sitbones, or the rockers at the bottom of your pelvis. Need help finding them? Sit gently on your hands and rock slightly until you feel the bones most prominently. Gently wiggle your hands out.

Now that you are supported by your sit bones and your feet, rest your hands on your thighs, palm up. Let your gaze soften; let your jaw soften. Is there anything you notice as you are sitting? Is your attention drawn to a certain painful part of your body?

Let your attention return to your breath. Allow your neck to soften. Notice if your pain is traveling anywhere else along the highways of your body. Can you think of anything you did during the day that might have contributed to the pain you’re feeling now? This is not a judgement! Backtracking through your day is an opportunity to find ways to alleviate your pain. This may seem silly, but how often do you take the time to retrace your steps? It’s possible you might have a revelation by pausing and really being aware of how your body has moved throughout the day.

Long before I began to study the Alexander Technique, I had tremendous jaw pain. If I had taken the time to retrace my steps, I would have understood that clenching my jaw to cope with stress was a contributing factor to my pain. At the time, I thought my pain was caused only by playing the flute, but it was also caused by clenching my jaw off and on throughout the day and while asleep.

While you may not be able to solve the mystery of your pain, you can become aware using this exercise. And once you know, you can make new decisions. Maybe you need to adjust the seat in your car, maybe you need to ask a friend to let you know if they see you doing the thing that will cause more pain later? Or like me, I set the hourly chime on my watch to remind me to soften my jaw. At least there would be 12 times a day when I could do less, I figured. It worked!

Let me know what happens.

The Uncomfortable Party

You’ve arrived at a party. It could be a cocktail party hosted by a friend or the office holiday party. Wherever you are, you don’t see anyone you know. The event is crowded and slightly warm. People are smiling at you and you’re smiling back. You’d prefer to leave, but you must stay for the sake of your friend/department/job. What should you do?

Alexander Technique to the rescue!

First, notice if your neck could release any tension. Once your neck is no longer so tight, you might notice a change in your breathing. This is a good sign! It means that something in your body has let go and created space where before there was compression. Next, let your head nod gently at the tip of your spine. Think of your spine lengthening like a string of pearls. Allow your knees to unlock and your feet to feel the support of the floor beneath them. Notice that you can even breathe into your back. The room is full of motion and sound but you are centered. Your inner poise presents as confidence. If you feel discomfort creeping in later, all you have to do is take a moment to return to these directions. Now you are ready to introduce yourself to the nearest group and enjoy a beverage and an appetizer.

Have a wonderful time!

Photo by Alasdair Elmes on Unsplash

The Position of Mechanical Advantage

The Position of Mechanical Advantage is a term F.M. Alexander used to describe a way of organizing your body so that you are ready and able to change direction at a moment’s notice. It is actually not a static position, but a way to be relaxed and poised as you respond to a stimulus.

For example, you can use the Position of Mechanical Advantage when you are moving in and out of a chair. Imagine you are halfway towards sitting and your phone rings. It’s across the room and now you have the option to pause and then return to standing in order to move toward your phone. You were able to do this because you were balanced. Without the POMA, you might have plopped into the chair and then used smaller muscles (like your neck) to quickly pull yourself back up to standing. There isn’t anything wrong with this, yet, life might be a whole lot more comfortable if you don’t use more force than is required. The POMA helps you do that.

By letting your legs bear the weight of your body, your upper body lightens. When your feet are slightly wider apart, making full contact with the floor, you will be in balance. The POMA gives you the gift of being able to change your mind.

Athletes of every sport use it and most of them have probably never heard of the Alexander Technique. How is this possible?

F. M. Alexander didn’t create the POMA, he just gave it a name. The POMA comes naturally to us all. It’s how we first began to stand and learn to be upright. It helped us prepare to walk. What was an ideal way for us to move then is still good for us today!

Here’s how to use the POMA:

1. Notice your breathing and let your feet sense the floor.

2. Pause and do nothing but notice where you are in space and the tension you are currently using to remain standing. Can you do less?

3. When you are ready, move your feet so they are slightly wider than hip-width apart.

4. Pause and notice what’s changed--if anything.

5. Allow your knees to bend slightly as your tailbone points behind you and your nose drops slightly.

6. Breathe into your back and try moving forward, backward, and side to side. Try bending your knees more and then less. Do you find that it’s easier to move this way?

It may feel strange if this is not how you usually move. It may help to look in a mirror since sometimes we are not moving the way we think we are. It’s most useful to learn this from an Alexander teacher. The POMA can improve your life.

Driving and the Alexander Technique

Are you 16 or older? Do you live in a suburb or rural area? Do you have places to go? Chances are, you drive! Have you thought about how you drive? If you’re sitting in a bucket seat, is your back shaped like a “C”? Is the headrest dictating where your head should be? Are your arms tired? Are you sore after a long trip?

You need to consider using the Alexander Technique!

The AT teaches about the head-neck-back relationship and how being conscious of your alignment can alleviate a lot of discomfort. Let’s explore that relationship:

Assuming you are seated, let your feet rest on the floor about hip width apart. Put your hands under your butt. Feel the bones pressing into your hands? Those are your sit bones. Slid your hands out from under your sit bones and see that they press into the chair just like they did your hands. Let your sit bones and feet form a strong base that allow your spine to lengthen. Let your hands rest lightly on your upper thighs. Let your eyes see the room and let your neck undo enough tension that your nose drops slightly. Breathe and look around. You are balanced and poised. You can lean, turn, and reach with minimal effort. You can breathe and have an awareness of what’s going on not only in front of you, but in your periphery and behind you.    

Now that you know how to maintain your dynamic poise, let’s talk about how to experience more freedom of movement while driving. Spend some time just sitting in your car--while it’s parked--to try a few adjustments.

1. Is your seat tilted back?  This might force your neck and head to jutt forward. Try straightening the seat slightly and notice the difference. Do you feel your sit bones beneath you? Is it easier to reach and turn towards the back seat? If yes, then this is a better seat position for you.

2. Are you sitting in a captain’s chair or bucket seat? These seats tend to encourage the pelvis to tilt back, forcing the spine to curve and the shoulders to slump. Try sitting on a cushion. If you don’t have something on hand that’s appropriate, you might try ordering a cushion. I have the embarassingly named “Tush Cush.” 

You might want to try something like this. 

Are you able to breathe more fully, reach, and turn in your seat? If so, then this is a good option for you.

     3. Do you need to tilt your seat forward slightly? Give it a try and see if you are no longer

           rolling back on your sit bones.

     4. Now that you are more upright with a long spine and the freedom to breathe and move

           more easily, you will want to adjust your mirrors and possibly the steering column.  

Try this for a day or two and notice if you sense a difference? With any luck, you’ll feel more relaxed and less tired after a day in the car. Let me know how it goes!

This is the sort of activity an Alexander teacher can work on with you. If you are interested in trying a lesson, contact me!

Photo by why kei on Unsplash