On lengthening

The directions "... to let the back to lengthen and widen" are better thought of as implying "un-shortening" instead of "lenghtening", undoing instead of doing.

"Everyone is always teaching one what to do, leaving us still doing the things we shouldn't do"
F.M.Alexander, Teaching Aphorisms

Noam Renen

A great Alexander Technique teacher, I learnt a lot with him.

In this picture Noam is teaching me, using a variation of the "getting in-out of a chair" exercise. (Although exercise isn't a proper term for it, I don't like procedure or evolution either)


He often says to me: "Remember this, never compromise!"







There is information on his teaching available online at
http://members.fortunecity.com/noamrenen

Why do we tense our necks?

Referred to Michael Protzel's article, available online at
http://ateducationresearch.com/Why_Do_We_Tense_Our_Necks.pdf

I had the oportunity of meeting Michael once on my short visit to NY last Feb 9th, during which he kindly explained and illustrated his ideas.

While posture is about positions either being good or bad, M.Protzel's "weight commitement" (which resemble F.M.Alexander's "directions"), is concerned with what goes on inside a certain position. But F.M.Alexander's directions are valid in general, either on a static position or in motion.

Moreover, M. Potzel is too fixed on vertical alignment as the only right posture - right position, and that doesn't appeal to me.

I guess this results from Michael's "steering" the body weight downwards, instead of F.M.Alexander's letting the neck to be free, which in a certain way it is "steering" the body's no-weight upwards.

Directing and Moving

"Your work is a repeated combination of preparation, followed by separation. The continuous process of 'all together' is missing."
Noam Renen, Use your brain

Do not "direct" in preparation, to lengthen and widen at your current position, before making some movement.

To give consent

"Doing" is our habitual way of reacting.
To give consent, is to "allow it to happen", or as Alexander said "to let it do itself".

"You ask me to lift that chair. If I give consent that is all I can do"
F.M.Alexander, Teaching Aphorisms

Right and Wrong

"Everyone wants to be right, but no one stops to consider if their idea of right is right"
F.M.Alexander, Teaching Aphorisms

The "idea of right" means, what are we going to judge?
Our habitual "idea of right" is according to results, end-gaining, getting something in return, etc.

A much more sensible "idea of right" is according to our thinking, i.e. our attitude, our intentions.

Overdoing

While end-gaining:

"Thinking" is doing,
"Doing" is overcoming,
and "Non-doing" is to colapse.

"Inhibition" is repressing,
and "Directing" is to move, without thinking.

End-gaining is overdoing, overdoing, overdoing.