Stopping is the hard part. The rest is easy, though it takes concentration. The next part is direction, as in giving directions. What we're actually after is coordination: the way the body wants to work, unhindered by our habits and compensations. That means antagonistic action in the muscles—opposition. Muscles work in groups, and those groups need balance. Contract and release. Simply put: for every down there's an up. To begin, think your feet into the floor. Let the heel

It's my morning without teaching, so I generally line up some work on the home front. Today my goal was the garden, which is crying out for tidying. To keep me working longer, I like to listen to podcasts, so I chose a conversation between a historian and lawyer. They both write daily newsletters and have several books between them. In addition there are families and homes to maintain. Everyone expected a lively discussion of historical context for current events, but do you

The Alexander Technique is many things: improved mechanics for more coordinated movement, better posture, less muscle tension, perhaps less pain or at least a way to modulate the pain. The early teachers who worked with FM Alexander talked about operating from a sense of calm that began with muscles and skeleton, but went all the way to the nervous system, including the breath. Miss Goldie, one of Alexander's long-time assistants, called it "coming to quiet". I have fond memo

Stress. What is it? Awareness is the first step to making a different choice.

The Alexander Technique is a new concept for west central Iowa. For a century it's helped people live with less tension and more ease.

It's been a bit of a wild ride transitioning home from Illinois. Moving everything back to my Lake City residence was like combining two households all over again! Now that all the boxes have been (mostly) unpacked, and I've got some cozy companions to keep me company while my husband is working away from home, scooping snow has begun as winter weather finally arrives. That brings me to the idea of stopping. I have a lot of concrete to clear snow from, and thankfully last yea

Notes: 1 This post was written a year ago when I was still studying. I've now graduated and I'm taking students. 2 The Developing Self USA is alive and well. I'm looking forward to joining the discussion next week. It’s often said that life changes after your first Alexander Technique lesson. Invariably you learn something that makes you think and prompts a change in how you move. My first lesson definitely changed my life, since I’m now training to become a teacher. I

As I enjoyed my Christmas break in snowy, COLD western Iowa, I read a diary of Fiona Robb called Not to “Do” . She trained as an Alexander Technique teacher with the Carringtons who carried on F. M. Alexander’s teaching studio, but also took lessons from Alexander’s long-time assistant Margaret Goldie. Known as Miss Goldie, she never started a teacher training program, but taught many notable teachers over the years. According to this book (written about lessons when Miss Gol

Reflections on reading and writing papers in the fall term