Perfect Poise, Perfect Life
Bring your body into balance and revolutionise your life
By Noel Kingsley
Publisher Hodder Mobius
AVAILABLE HERE
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So who is making progress?
My first client this morning at 7.15am asked me if I thought he had made any progress over the 4 weeks he has been having Alexander Technique lessons. Although one might think that his new upright stature, standing over an inch taller than he did a month ago and ease of movement would be obvious, it is also completely understandable that such changes are not so evident to him. An extremely fit and athletic person, dark haired and cutting a figure more like James Bond every day, he is probably less aware of his progress than one might expect.
Such changes to physique, balance, co-ordination and stature come over a period of weeks, gradually being integrated into our system. It is not over-night, but nor is it over years. As we all 'live with ourselves' on a daily basis and where change is gradual, we do not notice our development. Like the dawn of a new day takes a couple of hours, to watch, minute by minute the change in light levels is almost imperceptible, but to look out at 6.00am and again later at 7.00am we can see a definite change.
An other aspect to this is the fact that we 'normalise' new things very quickly. What may feel new, walking more freely, taller and breathing better after a session, we soon get used to this new feeling. Although some of the benefits of the session will slip away, we retain a good proportion and this becomes integrated into our system. During a session we may take a few steps forward in terms of progress, but afterwards we always slip back one or two steps, but retain some long-term. And it is this residue of benefit that stays with us that we build on next session. It's three or four steps forward then back one or two. A progress graph would show ups and downs, but the overall trend is likely to be upwards over time.
My client walked into my practice this morning feeling 'normal'. He did so a few weeks ago.....feeling 'normal'. But his level of normal has gone up several notches over these weeks. He has integrated many positive changes to his 'self'; changes far greater than can be achieved over-night. If he sees someone who he hasn't met for a few weeks, then they are likely to see quite a difference in him whereas someone who sees him every day may not notice so much.
Another aspect of this is that the quality of poise, the freedom, upright expansive stature and ease of movement he is getting is completely natural.....as nature would have us if we were free of the postural habits that interfere with our well-being. So it's bound to feel 'natural' quite quickly, although the new quality may be quite dramatically different from his old posture. He is re-learning it, having once enjoyed it as a young child.
Sometimes I wish I had a 'before and after' graph or photo. Many people have suggested this. But to be honest, progress is not always so evident on the outside. Many benefits are not so easily measured, although specialists in various specific fields may produce evidence. X-rays may show reduction in spinal twists and strenth of breath may be measured to show an improvement of improve by 30-40%. But I have also seen women who have not managed to conceive after two years of trying, now falling pregnant, and others whose menstrual cycle has been so erratic or non-existent, start menstruating regularly every month, and acidity and indigestion become a thing of the past, greater calmness and confidence, a lower golfing handicap, more professional demeanour and ability to cope better with stress, and migraine headaches become less frequent or non-existent, It is even been known for breast size to increase or shape be to be enhanced (although I do not get involved with this in any way, but it is what some clients have reported back to me!!) and I know one man who had been mostly bald to grow his hair back. This man was my own very first teacher of the Alexander Technique in 1972.
While some benefits may be obvious, others may be less evident. I'm not equipped to test every situation for befores and afters. Specialists in other fields may be able to measure this. As a teacher of the Alexander Technique I restrict my work and interest to what I do best and let others do theirs. But if someone has had backache or knee ache or a stiff neck, I sometimes need to remind them how they were. " Do you think I've made progress since I've been coming to see you?" I may reply "How's your back feeling?" "Oh, that's all right now." "No pain?" "No, none at all." So who's made progress?
Isn't it amazing how we can get a salary increase at work that makes us jump for joy, but only a month later we are looking for a bit more? We get used to improvement in lifestyle or quality of life so easily and quickly. It's the same with so many things. When we remember how things used to be, we are right to smile.
:-)
