Category: Uncategorized
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What could you let go of, for the sake of harmony? I let go of specific immediate results in favor of a process that creates slow powerful changes over time.
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I dropped my car off at the shop today for an oil change. It is an old car I bought new and I am determined to drive it until it dies. I take it to the shop for routine maintenance in order to extend its life. It’s the smart thing to do to preserve its…
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I recently visited my Alexander teacher. One of my struggles has been practicing when I am not in the lesson. I have a million excuses: laundry, busyness, wintertime depression, bills, etc. She said “You have to ask your brain to stop blocking you from doing what you want.” I immediately thought of prayer. I know…
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As a massage therapist, I hear many people tell me about how tight they are, or stiff, or knotted. They want me to fix the problem manually, that is, with force and pressure. Massage therapists often talk about “breaking up” knots. Some MT’s and their clients say that painful and intense pressure is the most…
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“Stand up straight!” Moms everywhere throughout time have nagged their teenagers about their posture. Why do we slouch as we get older? Could it be learning to write and use computers at desks all day? Perhaps it is the way we get caught up in what we are reading or watching on the tv and…
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There are many ways we get ourselves in a twist. An obvious example is the person playing the violin who has to rotate to one side in order to properly position her instrument. Have you ever noticed how strange it feels to carry a grocery bag or a purse on the non-habitual side? Many people…
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I recently read an article on posture that I found on the Mayo Clinic website. I noticed that the recommended approach was that you should force yourself upright and hold yourself in the proper position. It warned that you would feel stiff and wooden at first, but that you ‘would get used to it.” I…
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My Zen teacher once gave me a little pep-talk when my meditation practice was flagging. He said, “you really have to DO your practice of non-doing.” What he really meant was that thinking and reading about meditation were not going to get me where actual meditating would. Nor would remembering past meditative experiences fondly help…
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Which came first? Bad posture or weak muscles? Many people who go to the gym or P.T. believe that they have muscles that need to be strengthened. “My core is weak,” “I have weak abdominals.” “My posture is bad/neck hurts/I can’t sit comfortably for long/I hurt myself because of weak…(fill in the blank)” They think…
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A friend with smarts about brains tells me there is a neurological reason for procrastinating. As an Alexander Technique teacher, I’d say that my procrastination is a habit which, because it feels familiar, feels like the ‘right’ or only possible way to get things done. My friend’s suggestions for developing a system to get tasks…
