How can what seems so innocuous be as damaging as it is. Nail biting, just a little nibble can lead to damage to nail beds, infection. Hair twirling, teeth clenching and grinding, knuckle cracking all seem so quiet and unobtrusive which could not be further from wrong. Stuttering, smoking, face touching or rubbing and crossing and uncrossing the legs; these are all signs of tension.
These above the line (consciously operating) activities do not indicate the deeper unconscious expressions of the same tensions.
Try this: as you sit there, what do you notice you are doing?
• Are you biting your cheek or worrying your tongue?
• Is your tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth or your jaw tight?
• Perhaps you are throwing your head to one side, or are your fingers are worrying each other?
• Are you raising your shoulders; or is your neck tense?
We do so many things without knowing! Often it is buried deep in our subconscious.
Hidden inside and unacknowledged is the tightness in the chest, spinal collapsing, digestive tightness, clamped breath and more.
Have you ever noticed how a small child
- has no worry wrinkles,
- moves easily and has boundless energy;
- sleep so well too!
- moves freely from one activity to another;
- doesn't fiddle and squirm; except when being restrained against the will of the child;
- is ever interested in everything;
- has no extra tension?
This is the legacy of every human, no matter what age or stage of life.
In order to have the better, easier way of living without the tension, what I do is teach you to understand how you are causing your own dis-ease (tightness and stress). I help you peel back the layers with gentle hands on experiencing of less and less tension. Once you know what you are doing, you have a better chance of getting to the very subtle causes and stopping them.…….(actually getting out of your own way!)
Know the truth (your innate liveliness); the truth will set you free!
Mario Demiraj, Auckland teacher, singer and musician says: I was recommended to Jann and Alexander Technique to help release tension from my jaw, everything felt very tight.
I’ve found that I am able to release
a lot more of that tension and it’s given me much more freedom in me. My whole posture feels much more
comfortable and I’m releasing tension throughout my whole body.
Really experiencing how good it feels when you
allow your body to go where it really wants to.
Overall it’s been a great experience and I’m definitely glad I decided to do it.
Sign up now for a chance to win a place in the up-coming workshop:
Email: jann@alexandertechnique.co.nz
