“The brain is quiet and alive, listening out for the new direction which the teacher is giving.” From Aspects of a Lesson in Not to ‘Do’ by Fiona Robb
It is break time chez Alexander Technique teacher training…Thanksgiving break…time for me to reflect. On this Thanksgiving day here in the USA, this is how I’m feeling right now while training: quiet, really quiet, tranquil, observant, and alive. I feel I am disentangling with the speed of lightening…shedding toxicity. I am feeling better and better physically…waiting for the psycho part of myself to catch up. 🙂
In my hands-on work I’m now taking shoulders, and guiding my co-trainees and trainer into and out of a chair. I try to keep all my directions going to do all this successfully: hands come from feet and back, no gripping in arms and legs, stay up up up, hands connect to each other through the student, etcetera. If I am not “successful” at times I laugh it off rather than get all upset. Joyous is so much better than stressed out in trying to end-gain. It’s a much better space to be in. I do not question how it is that I have entered this calm space. I am just totally enjoying hanging out in it! As I feel my sensory perception getting more reliable, I feel I am understanding more and more what I am undergoing…
Monsieur le squelette hangs out in the corner and keeps us company…
magdalenaportmann
Rena , keep posting! I am learning from your reports – especially the one about taking someone out of and into the chair. 6 years after qualifying I still learn – all good stuff!
Rena Anya Devéza
Magdalena! Thank you so much! Your comments mean so much to me! I intend to keep this going throughout my training! It should be interesting to look back upon…
Rena Anya Devéza
And I think that the important thing about this work is that we can all keep learning all the time…training is just the beginning!
Yvette Daoust
Best thing to do with those persistent pesky old habits — laugh at them. Thank you for your crystal clear descriptions of the directing process too. One can never read/hear/rehearse them enough!
Rena Anya Devéza
Yvette, always best to laugh. Trying hard to do so…trying hard not to get angry at myself for not doing so! Thank you so much for your kind comments!