Real life AT

There is something I have to do on Monday that I am not looking forward to…Looking at those words it strikes me as ironic - in fact I am looking foward to it all the time. I can’t stop thinking about it. I catch my thoughts scooting off into the future constantly accompanied by physical sensations of heaviness.

Well, I am an Alexander teacher, I know that my thinking and my feeling are inextricably linked. So what am I going to do about it?

I can use my rational mind to tell myself, “Monday will come and go and the world will not end”. But it seems to have no effect, my body is still heavy. So I take a little time out just to notice what is happening in my body. The heaviness in my head is above my eyes and a queasy feeling is in my abdomen. I allow my breathing to flow as I notice these feelings and already a tiny something shifts. Now I can use my thinking to send messages (or ‘directions’) to my body.

“May my ribs move freely”

“May my head rest lightly on top of my spine”

“May I ungrip my bones”

Immediately my body takes these messages and runs with them wihtout me having to do anything more. I feel different, lighter, there is no heavy feeling of dread.

A short while later I notice I am feeling heavy again. Repeat. This time it is easier, faster and I find I need less concentration to think the messages. The effect is instantaneous yet subtle.

Repetition is how we learn our habits and also how we can change our habits of body and mind. It’s the work of a lifetime but oh so rewarding to realise how we can determine our own lives. We can change the way we react to thoughts and feelings and live more lightly, more freely.

We always have a choice.