This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Focal Dystonia Musicians, is published in a PDF format. It is written to address the problems of focal dystonia and poor technique in musical performance. What would have to happen for a performing musician with focal dystonia to be free of focal dystonia?
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)
WHY IS IT SO HARD TO SEE WHAT IS OBVIOUS?
It seems every time a “genius” comes up with a way that transforms the way we look at ourselves and the world, what they discover has been obvious and right in front of us.
This is like going to a therapist, and as we tell the therapist our life story, it is is instantaneously obvious to the therapist why we’re a mess, even though we don’t have a clue.
Using this analogy, is the reason we don’t see the world and humanity and ourselves and what we do with clarity, is we are unconscious?
I want to look at the founder of the Alexander Technique, F. M. Alexander, as a great example of what I’m talking about here.
I went through a three year teacher training program to become an Alexander Technique therapist. The impetus is that as a classical concert guitarist, I got into so much physical trouble I couldn’t play anymore without hurting.
As a stereotypical man, I had internalized some typical human/male beliefs: No pain, no gain. Real men play through the pain. A dedicated artist should suffer for his art form. Doing what you love that is highly repetitive guarantees over the years you will damage your body, so suck it up and do it until you can’t. You’re only allowed to stop, if you have totally sacrificed your body, destroyed it.
What Alexander demonstrated in his work, is that if you embody fully upright posture without compression in the joints and no excess muscular tension in everyday an specialized activities, then you can do whatever for endless hours and not damage your body.
ISN’T WHAT ALEXANDER DISCOVERED OBVIOUS?
It isn’t even obvious nowadays!
What do I mean?
That list of self destructive beliefs I listed above, most driven musicians and athletes live by now.
Most dedicated musical performers and athletes do what they do until they can’t, and they usually can’t long before their bodies really can’t anymore, because of aging.
THE TRUE GENIUS HAS AN EXTRAORDINARY SENSE OF CAUSE AND EFFECT, AND THAT’S WHY THEY COME UP WITH A WAY THAT TRANSFORM THE WAY PEOPLE EXIST CONSCIOUSLY IN THE WORLD.
Freud was able to see the cause and effect of what unconscious parents do to their children as they raise them.
Intuitive medical doctors were able to see the cause and effect of surgical procedures done under filthy conditions.
F. M. Alexander was able to see the cause and effect of bad posture and excessive tension on the body in something you may love to do, but believe you must ruin your body. That’s life.
Almost very musician or athlete who comes to me in physical trouble believes they are screwed They believe their instrument or sport is going to ruin their body. They are hopeful I can push this day of reckoning into the future.
If I do my job and they listen and learn and do what I teach them, they may never have to give up their sport or instrument.
SO, THE GREATEST GIFT F. M. ALEXANDER GAVE TO THE WORLD, IS SPORTS OR MUSICAL PERFORMERS INJURIES ARE NOT INEVITABLE, AND WHEN THEY HAPPEN, THEY ARE REVERSIBLE.
