Dartington Summer School 2022 Alexander Technique Wellbeing Summaries
It has been with delight that I have been able to offer the Alexander Technique at this year’s Dartington International Summer School with Sara Mohr-Pietsch at the helm.
Thank you to all those of you who got up early to attend our wellbeing sessions. Your attention and curiosity and the way you applied some of the ideas during the week was a joy to see! There were many smiles growing!
As promised, here is a brief summary of the content of weeks 1 and 3, which I hope you will find useful as you return home.
For those of you who have expressed an interest in attending ongoing online groups for musicians, I will be in touch in the autumn.
1 Sunday
“Coming to our senses”
Being intensely focused reduces our sensitivity.
By briefly shifting our attention ( thought travels at an astonishing 700 mph!) to what we can feel, hear, see and smell we can dissipate accumulated tension, help to calm the nervous system and return to ease.
With practice this can become a way to bring micro-interventions into our days and music making.
As musicians we want to be able to respond naturally, with the peace of delicacy and joy of sensitivity.
It is always with gratitude that I acknowledge my mentors and teachers.
Much of the content I share these days is thanks to my studies with Bruce Fertman and the material from his ongoing course titled “Grace of Sense” and Robyn Avalon and her unique approach to body mapping ‘Living in a Body’ ™
2 Mon
Are you sitting comfortably?
With our feet connected with the ground and our pelvic feet ( sitting bones) with the chair we can find stability which then lends itself to freedom.
Along with appreciating our senses we can find a sense of balance which is both stable and fluid.
The torso is not unlike an elongated egg.
Narrow at the top ( the first rib and collar bones)
Wider in the middle and then similarly narrow again at the base of the pelvis
Being aware of the 360 degree volume of the torso and of the subtle balance of pelvic, rib and head spheres in relation to each other, we can begin to move in such a way that each sphere is in response to the others and the spine can be a beautiful flexible connector. This is an inner quality of movement which is softer than soft.
No pushing. No pulling. Not trying. Not right or wrong.
Exercise benevolent curiosity.
3 Tuesday
what is body mapping?
Often our perceptions of our structure can be at odds with the truth. This can lead to much unnecessary effort. Experiments show that the brain will organise our movements according to our misperceptions so that sometimes all it takes is a piece of information to radically upgrade the map. The most vital of these geographical areas is the location of the ( astonishingly heavy) head atop the spine.
We can trust the incredible nervous system to help us without our interference.
Again, curiosity is the perfect ally to help us reveal our mis-maps…. very valuable information
4 Wednesday
wings and tails
Yes we do have tails and how we wear them has a direct influence not only on our rib and head spheres but also on the freedom of our wing fabric.
Imagine a pianist sitting on their coat tails…. Shortened and restricted sleeves will hamper their freedom of movement!
This has enormous consequences for those of us who spend hours and hours in seated practice.
Get those dinosaur tails!
We touched on the extent of the diaphragm and that the lungs are draped over this double dome and respond intimately with its fall and rise with the in and out-breath.
5 Thursday.
Presence.
So far we have made connections to the ground through our feet and pelvis.
Centred our balance by paying attention to our senses.
Found harmony and relation between the pelvic, rib and head spheres with their linking spine.
Found the kind of tail that enhances both freedom in the wings and easy poise.
A very common mis-map is to wear our backbone at the back!
In fact the lower ( lumbar) spine curves forward into the belly and occupies 50% of the volume from front to back. It literally is a belly spine. Combine this with the awareness that the internal organs occupy every possible space in the torso ( there are no spaces) we have a natural, reliable weight and invincible presence that is such a comfort on stage and in stressful moments.
We also talked about the egg metaphor again. This time, using the image of a series of Russian dolls to invoke first a torso -sized egg, with its firm fluid filling. Then a secondary egg, rather larger and gradually filling up. And finally a vast third egg that extends and connects sensitively with the environment. With each other. With our music making and listening.
That we can direct the sentries of our boundaries to filter inwards that which is nurturing and healthy and to form a shield to repel entry to unhealthy or negative influences.
This is a wonderful support and antidote for stage fright, anxiety, escalating tension.
This morning the quality of presence in the room was so spacious, delicate, sensitive.
here is a video link to help you recall the “egg contemplation” and the “Russian doll” idea
6 Friday
that special smile
The wing fabric we now know extends to the tip of the tail.
But did you know that your leg suit ( the famous psoas) extends up to just beneath the diaphragm and attaches to the upper front of the belly spine?
It has fibres that interconnect with the diaphragm and at its lower end, sweeps across the front of the hip joints to attach to the tops of the thigh bones .
So any fixing of the knees or hips will also reduce the freedom of the breath.
A very effective way to add even more tension to this, thereby further limiting our capacity to breathe freely, is to squeeze the buttocks!
How about allowing those butt muscles to smile?
Take your smiling dinosaur tail into town!
There’s a story about a choir who changed their sound so much by smiling out of their backsides that instead of coming in as regular runners up, they won the finals in their competition!
Lastly, of vital and profound importance is our love and gratitude for music.
Of all qualities this is surely our foundation.
Two poems
She is so beautiful.
“Stay right there”
There, where she can receive herself.
Where she can perceive herself.
As she is .
No judgement, only warm, friendly curiosity.
The curiosity that simply asks a little question,
here and there.
We take in the beauty of her form.
A sculpture worn by many years of life’s mouldings and brushings.
Bumps and blips.
The slights and slips that pass in the night.
A foot tells a tale of turning in.
A curl of the elbow, shrug of the shoulder.
A twist, a shallow breath, a chewed lip.
“How are you doing?”
A whisper of smoke drifts in with the question.
It coils and spreads, sings and croons, apparently aimless, yet not so.
“Be here”
A coyote calls on the plain, howls to the moon and remembers.
She settles back a little.
Shifts her weight.
Takes a look around and eases out..
Softens and spreads.
A spell unbound.
She is so
Beautiful.
Come take a walk.
Come Home
(a poem written in response to seeing my mentor work with somebody sitting. )
by Jonathon Quick
and
“Your Shape of Laughter” by Hafiz
Let my words become like a skilled
Potter’s hands,
Quieting,
Smoothing your life
With their knowledge,
Reaching into your tender core
And spreading you out
Like the morning
That leaps from the sun’s amused wink
Onto hills, brows and backs of so many
Beautiful labouring beasts.
God’s duty is to make perfect
All your movements of mind, of limb,
And your ascending shape of laughter.
Watch the way my hands dance
With their diamond-edged brilliance
“Cutting you open with music,
Reaching into your heart
And spilling the night sky-jar you carry
That is always full of giggling planets and stars.
My words area divine potter’s wheel
If you stay near to me
Please,
Stay near to me …..
And Hafiz will spin you into
Love ”
To all the participants who took part, thank you so much for your attention and curiosity. It has been a deep pleasure to spend these early half hour sessions together.
Happy onward journeys.
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