The Alexander Technique and Posture

Alexander Technique and Posture.

I have this ongoing fantasy of leaving this as my outgoing message on my office answering machine.

“Hi. I’m Wendy. Yes, I am an Alexander Teacher and happy to meet with you for a lesson. If you are a person suffering from chronic pain (back, knee, shoulder, neck) or from depression or anxiety; a performer who would like new insights into being present on stage or in auditions; a corporate executive wanting to improve your public image; or a person just hoping to be a bit more comfortable in one’s self and plain curious about the dozens of ways this work can improve your outlook on bi-pedal life…please leave me a message.

BUT…no, I don’t teach posture. Sorry. Rest assured, I am not now, nor have I ever been, a member of the Posture Police. So. If you just want to sit up taller, save your money, push up your spine, brace your ribs, lock your jaw and there you are sitting up tall. You don’t need me for that…you can do it all on your own. Save your money and stay home! BYE!”

[beep of machine…]

Well. I can dream, can’t I?

So. Jokes aside. I hope my point is clear enough. Please don’t reduce the Technique to just good posture. Of course the Alexander Tech and improved posture are a lovely duo, a happy couple that will have long and fruitful marriage if we treat ourselves well. For sure, improved posture is a bi-product of good use. But, let’s not get over-focused or myopic, shall we? Should we put too much weight on the whole posture thing…well, we just get mush. And it’s boring. Gotta say …a terribly boring thing to 'teach'. Good Posture. BORING.

Now, Good Use. That’s a different story. I love to teach that. When we stop tensing and bracing…everything – freedom of joints, breath, thoughts, muscles, digestion, circulation …:”the Works” can really motor along nicely. Now, that’s satisfying and fun. Rejuvenating, uplifting and empowering. Very interesting thing that. Good Use.

What is Good Use to you? Don’t be quick to answer, but see if you have any ideas or feelings about this concept, Really seeing, feeling and sensing what’s happening here and now is the best lesson always. With your head and neck, your breath, your gaze, your facial muscles, your lower back, your knees, etc. Everything. What do you sense? Is your weight going up or down? Have you recognized how long your spine is today? Are you pushing up? Or pulling down? Is your head thrown back in a constant state of 'freak out' or is it balancing quietly on top of your spine? Can you feel the difference? Does it make SENSE to you? Right on the spot. See, sense, feel where you are. For now. Appreciate your whole self. And recognize that the consequences of pulling down, bracing, tensing and holding, habitual misuse that comes about from daily living, go far deeper than your posture. Just appreciate Everything about your psycho-physical-neurological self and take just a sec and notice where you are in space? Are you pulling up? Falling down? Squeezing, holding and making yourself tense all around?


You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You're on your own.
And you know what you know.
You are the guy who'll decide where to go. ~
- Dr. Seuss


Happy days,
wendy

REIKI Sessions - Actors Equity Health Fair

Hi Folks. I am thrilled to announce that I'll be offering Reiki sessions at this wonderful event next week. The Free Health Fair & Flu Vaccination For All Entertainment Professionals Presented by Better Wellness and You (BWAY) and The Actors Fund takes place at Actors Equity Building, 2nd floor on Tuesday, November 8from 10-3. The wonderful Janet Pearl has assembled an amazing group of panelists and practitioners so please come support, take adantage of this marvelous experience. In addition to myself, Alexander lssons, massages and nutrition coaching, mammogram appointments will be also offered and much, much more.

About Reiki. "RAY-KEE" is a Japanese technique for stress reduction discovered in the early part of the 20th Century by the physician Dr. Mikao Usui. A hundred years later, this gentle and non-invasive healing practice is offered at hospitals, wellness centers and spas throughout the world for its medicinal effect. Closely related to and just as effective as acupuncture (but without needles!), Reiki involves the open and warm touch of the practitioner's hands which encourages the release of tension. Such tension produces stress, pain, fear and negativity that live unnoticed in the body for indefinite periods of time, causing harm we don't even want to think about. When we take responsiblity and shed such harmful blocks... our central nervous system quiets down and our sense of wellbeing and balance is replenished. We are then able to be present for ourselves in a much more empowering and expansive way.

REIKI helps heal
psychological disorders - anxiety, sleep, tension headaches
physical pain - relief from cancer treatments and other serious illnesses such as auto-immune diseases; back pain; shoulder or neck pain, etc.
emotional pain - grief, anger, fear, depression, etc.

The benefits of a session are immediate and long lasting with people frequently leave stating that they are 'blissed out.' Makes sense! When we aren't holding on and worrying about things, we fall into a deep state of relaxation that leaves us free and open to the life source energy that is ours. All ours. Bliss out, people...come bliss out. Feel free to call me with any questions. I greatly hope to see you on Tuesday, November 8th!!

Wendy
646-696-0288
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You're on your own.
And you know what you know.
You are the guy who'll decide where to go. ~
- Dr. Seuss