Alexander Technique and a Bowl of Blueberries
Tuesday March 16, 2010 • Filed in: Alexander Technique
blueberries paint their bowl. iphone photo: frank m sheldon
How we learn is essential to the Alexander Technique. In our early youth, cultivating the ability to direct attention is often missed. Instead, maybe someone simply told us to “pay attention” and we became distracted and reacted either to whoever was telling us this, or by whatever they were telling us. As we got older, we became that someone, yet it wasn’t any more effective and never will be until we go back to the missed step: not only what we give our attention to, but how we give it: voluntarily as an inclusive affirmation, and aware of our moment, our surroundings and our fellow inhabitants. If we can manage to shift even a little in this direction, we are opened up to an expanded present where true freedom, learning and creativity are possible.
If it seems too hard, begin with something simple. Perhaps a bowl of blueberries…