This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Inspired Musical Performance, is published on this website in a PDF format. It is written to give all performing musicians deep insights into the beliefs and bad habits and technique that performers have that can end careers with pain, strain, tension, and injuries.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF ILLNESS ON THE PRINCIPLES OF THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE, ON GOOD BODY USE AND GOOD POSTURE?
It depends on how long the illness lasts, and it depends on how much discomfort the illness causes.
When you’re sick you usually want to curl up into a ball and not be concerned with whether you’re shortening your spine, walking with a waddle, or carrying excess tension throughout your whole body.
What is the loving solution to taking care of your body posturally when you don’t feel like it, and when it may not be possible? What do I mean not possible?
If you have a long term illness like cancer, and you’re going through chemotherapy, the effects of the harsh drugs in killing the cancer may make it energetically impossible for you to direct the body to be fully and gently upright and to do things with ease.
If you’re going through a short term illness like the flu, again you may not have the energy or the resolve to not just curl up and hunker down.
Should you curl up and hunker down when you’re sick? Why not? WHY NOT CURL UP AND HUNKER DOWN WITHOUT EXCESS TENSION THROUGHOUT YOUR BODY, FULLY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WHAT YOU’RE GOING THROUGH IS TEMPORARY. Is this enough, even though you’re collapsed? Yes.
How can this be?
BECAUSE IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND INTENTION YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE FULLY BALANCED AND OPEN AND DIRECTED AND FULLY UPRIGHT, IF YOU WEREN’T SICK. NOW IS JUST NOT A GOOD TIME. Is intention enough? Yes.
Because the Alexander Technique teaches there is no such thing as perfect posture! The technique teaches us to do what is truly appropriate moment to moment. When you are sick, to surrender to what the body is asking of you is appropriate.
I also believe that if it is clear to you what good posture and what good body use is when you’re sick and can’t embody them, then that knowledge, having been internalized and embodied, will help guide you through your illness, knowing you will return to it.
When you’re sick, if you do not lock up your body to suppress the discomfort you’re suffering through, then you’re choosing to not let your illness damage your bones, muscles, tendons, discs, and ligaments.
This is especially important in a long term illness. If you’re going through chemotherapy for cancer, you can experience a whole lot of side effects, like nausea and muscle weakness. If you don’t lock up throughout your body to try to suppress these side effects, then when you are through with the chemotherapy, you won’t be returning to health with newly created physical damage.
This means listening to your body. Don’t force it to do what it is not capable of throughout your illness, whether a short term or long term illness.
IF YOU DON’T SACRIFICE YOUR BODY THROUGHOUT YOUR ILLNESS, THEN WHEN YOU ARE WELL, YOU WILL NOT FIND YOURSELF DEALING WITH NEW PERMANENT PHYSICAL PROBLEMS YOU COULD HAVE PREVENTED USING THE PRINCIPLES OF THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE.
