Mari Hodges is a new specialty provider at Natura! She is an on-site Alexander Technique practitioner and pain coach. In this post, she shares more about the Alexander Technique and how it can help you.
With spring approaching, it’s easier to get out and walk more, and what better way to free ourselves up and get more movement! Alexander Technique can help you put some spring in your step as you walk or do any other activity.
Alexander Technique is a mind-body practice that helps you to have more choice in how to be and how to do the things you do in your daily life so that you can enjoy easier, more comfortable posture, movement, and “being.” The principles of the Alexander Technique are:
- Non-doing: This means stopping doing something that is working against us to allow something new.
- Observing: When we stop, we give ourselves an opportunity to notice – in a non-judgemental way – unconscious, habitual tension and patterns of reaction.
- Intention: In Alexander Technique, we use intention to invite the body to organize itself in a more helpful way, allowing the body to find an easier way of being without excess effort or muscular tension. This helps us to feel more relaxed and more lively at the same time.
Tips to Feel More Relaxed and Energetic
- Let your eyes be free. It can be tempting to fix our eyes on the ground in front of us, especially on uneven ground. Freeing up eyes to take in the view not only gives us a nicer experience, it helps the body to move more freely. Notice the space around you. You may find that seeing the big picture actually makes you feel more balanced and relaxed than concentrating on a spot does.
- Allow your body to uncurl. We may often find ourselves in a slumped, collapsed posture. Rather than trying to straighten your posture (which tends to add to muscular tension and strain), think of yourself as a young leaf unfurling and opening up as it grows. Notice what changes in your body as you imagine that. Do you find yourself a little more upright and open without the effort? Can you breathe a little more fully and easily?
- Let the ground take you up. Notice the contact of your feet with the ground. Appreciate the support you receive from.
- Mother Earth underneath you. Imagine the Earth sending you upward so that you don’t have to pull yourself up. Try combining this idea with your body uncurling like a new leaf. Notice what changes in the openness and ease in your body.
- Let your head balance at the top of your spine. If our head isn’t balanced at the top of the spine, we have to work harder to be upright and to move. We lose our “springiness.” Think of allowing the muscles at the back of your neck to soften so your head can lift up away from your shoulders. Imagine your head lightening up. Combine this image with your free eyes. Do you notice more ease in your neck?
- Let your arms swing. It can be tempting to fix arms to our sides or put hands in pockets to keep warm. Arm movement is tied with the movement of our legs and torso in walking, and if we hold arms still, that tension gets held in the back and other areas. Your back will thank you and you’ll move more fluidly (and get warmer!) if you allow your arms to swing freely opposite of your legs. You’ll probably find that your balance is better, too!
- Pause. Life can seem like a mad rush and it might seem like we’re always running to catch up. Try out a ‘mini-pause’ of just a few seconds to come back to yourself. This gives you an opportunity to reset and then carry on with a bit more ease. A pause can make all the difference in how we move and feel! One practice particular to Alexander Technique is “constructive rest.” Constructive rest helps us to train our body to release excess muscle tension as we stay connected and alert. A regular practice of constructive rest can help you to more easily notice and let go of what you don’t need in the moment.
- Notice what happens. Notice what happens without trying when you give yourself these intentions. What changes? Do you move with more ease? Do you feel more present in your body in the here and now? Notice what you notice without judgement – knowing that we are always changing, and that we can choose the direction of that process of change.
If you’d like help freeing up your body and mind, balancing, breathing, or sleeping better, or recovering your inner vitality in all your activities of life, schedule an Alexander Technique lesson or contact Mari to find out how Alexander Technique can help you. Find her online at discoverease.how or call her at 406-544-4625.