F. Matthias Alexander and the Alexander Technique
Here is an interesting short film about F. M. Alexander culled from footage available on YouTube, and information from Wikipedia.
This video was posted to YouTube by Lisa Block.
Similar Posts
Do Less, Not More
There is a long tradition in both Western and Indian cultures that gives a person’s physical aspect, the body, a bad rap, branding it as somehow lazy, unclean, not to be trusted, and in need of whipping into shape. In his book, “Tree of Yoga,” yoga master B. K. S. Iyengar evocatively spells out the…
Startle Response
If the Alexander Technique is about one thing, it’s about negotiating the startle response. This is a reflex action we, all of us, undergo when faced with an alarming stimulus. It helps us to escape and protect ourselves when faced with danger. Most of us, however, live lives in which life-threatening danger doesn’t happen all that…
When Life Gives You Clouds, Make Your Bed Out Of Silver Linings
When I tumbled over the handlebars of my bike several weeks ago, I remember thinking, as I felt my kneecap get pushed sickeningly sideways by the impact, “Oh no, not my bad knee!” My right knee, the one I fell on, is the knee I tweaked in training when we were practicing lunges in my…
Radiolab: Where Am I?
Radiolab is an excellent program produced for NPR that features lively and entertaining explorations of scientific and philosophical topics. In 2006, they aired a show about the mind/body connection, and included a fascinating segment on a man who suddenly and permanently lost his kinesthetic/proprioceptive sense. You can hear the entire fascinating program here: Radiolab: Where…
My Journey to Middle Age with Yoga and the Alexander Technique
(Photo by Gina de la Chesnaye) I came to Yoga in my mid-twenties suffering from anxiety and the effects of stress as a result of my job. I was working at the time as an assistant in the acting department at a boutique talent agency in New York. My work environment was aggressive and competitive….
Why Are Habits So Hard To Break?
A recent cover story in Scientific American revealed how the brain creates habits and why they are so hard to break. In their article, researchers Ann Gaybriel (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Kyle S. Smith (Dartmouth College) outline three stages to laying down a habit: Explore a new behavior Form a habit Imprint it into…