Studying to react otherwise — Alexander Method Islington, North London

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In an Alexander lesson we react to the stimulus of a guided instruction to face or sit or transfer a leg or arm.  However in day by day life a stimulus may be something – ache or stiffness, an individual, an exercise or a scenario. The stimulus is just not necessary. It is about turning into conscious of the automated response and permitting that to vary. 

Letting go of lifelong habits 

The stimulus I’ve been giving myself is an exercise – swimming. I discovered to swim at a younger age so it is strongly linked to lifelong postural habits and feelings. It’s not an exercise I’ve ever massively loved – however I wished to see if that may very well be completely different. 

After I final swam about 6 years in the past, it triggered ache in my decrease again so I ended. However my motion and co-ordination have modified for the higher since then. Now I wished to see if I might swim with out painful sensations or associations.  

I booked my first session for a quiet time within the pool.  For  hours beforehand I felt my nervous system jangling and on excessive alert. I used to be nowhere close to the water however nonetheless anxious and tense. The stimulus was sturdy and I might really feel my inner techniques in overdrive. 

Noticing what occurs 

Within the water I attempted completely different strokes however couldn’t discover a rhythm. I felt comfy within the pool and with my head underwater, however co-ordinating arms, legs and respiration was an excessive amount of for me. After 20 minutes I acquired out and went dwelling. I felt like I would tried too exhausting.

I returned per week later.  Within the meantime I learn Grasp the Artwork of Swimming (an Alexander strategy to swimming) and watched some useful movies by two Alexander academics who run Swimming with out Stress programs.

This time I focussed simply on breaststroke to see if I might glide by the pool and breathe out underwater.  I additionally determined to watch what I did with my head, neck and again as I got here as much as breathe in. It grew to become extra about ‘how’ not ‘what number of’. 

Experiment and study 

I used to be much less anxious, even trying ahead to my second swim. I felt extra assured and in a position to experiment  and study.

After I emerged from the water I used to be glowing. I would been in a position to glide by the pool, having fun with the sight and sound of bubbles of air underwater as I breathed out. I swam in a extra co-ordinated and self-aware manner. I used to be extra optimistic – and fewer exhausted.  

Every week later I returned, however the stimulus had modified . There have been extra individuals within the gradual lane, all quicker than me. I needed to cease and remind myself that I wasn’t there to compete. I discovered the gaps between swimmers and continued to note my respiration and gliding.

Change and selection  

It’s taken a very long time for me to get to this stage with a posh exercise like swimming. I needed to cease for a protracted interval as a result of I knew the stimulus was too sturdy for me to beat my long-term habits. My quest for simple gliding and respiration within the pool continues. 

However  the stimulus would not should be huge or sophisticated. In an Alexander lesson we use easy, on a regular basis actions to find one thing necessary about how we react.

It turns into attention-grabbing and helpful to watch what we do as we enable ourselves to vary. Troublesome actions, conditions and other people turn into simpler to cope with as soon as we’ve extra alternative over our personal reactions. 
 

If you would like to dip a toe into the water of the Alexander Method you’ll be able to meet me on-line for a FREE 30-minute Zoom session. Or make the leap and are available for an in-person Discovery session.  No obligation to proceed after both possibility. 

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