Antigravity

Another day with two turns, yet with less revelations than yesterday. The first turn was with Duncan, and therefor more on the verbal side of things, which sometimes overstimulates me a bit. Nevertheless, this gives me the opportunity to exercise using directions as a background process, and I learned a bit more of the relation between my knees and back.

I worked with Ferry for the first time, and had to adjust to his firm hands. I plunged into the chair when I sat down, as I didn't use my hip joints properly, while he directed me by putting hands around my neck. When Libby started working on him while he worked on me it felt much lighter, and I responded much better to a more gentle approach. However, I could collect useful information while doing it "wrong", especially about releasing with verbal suggestion, which worked very well to increase the mobility of my arms.

We came back to ordering and directing in the group work with Libby. We started observing each other undirected, and I happily plunged and collapsed into the chair. The most amazing change happened (with me) when we tried to keep the directions during the movement. A simple "neck free" allowed me an easy getting in and out of the chair, and the other group members (and me) noticed some drastic difference between directed and unconscious movement.

The anatomy session with Anne covered unfamiliar territory, and I liked especially the idea of the antigravity reflex that can kick in once the neck is released. I went into a bit of disagreement about the kind of nerves for muscular control - I brought up intramuscular nerves in addition to those connected in a spinal reflex cycle and those ending in cortical motor area. I better research whether those exist (or not, as David and Anne insisted), as well as the concept of the antigravity reflex (or positive support reaction).

Revelations

I had the pleasure of doing two turns today, I just have no idea why. The turn with Libby happened nearly like a private lesson. We went to the back room to get in and out of the chair, and I worked to eradicate my funny concept of standing. I still consider it more of a pose than an activity, which stiffens me a lot. Nevertheless, staying aware of my weight traveling through my joints into my feet can replace the idea of standing, although it's hard to inhibit the habitual thought.

I just had time for a bit of semi-supine when I had my turn with Bronwyn, still excited about something new to play with. And after I learned more about my idea of standing, she revealed to me a very comfortable position to sit in. She asked me to sit deep in the chair, sitting bones nearly at the back, so that the back of the chair could support my back slightly. It felt even more comfortable than the position of mechanical advantage, probably because we used an Alexander chair.

The reading for this week dealt with directing and ordering, a differentiation that most Alexander teachers understand idiosyncratic. However, Libby encouraged us to find our wording (and range) of directions - no golden bullet for directing oneself exists, as students differ the teacher have to find the best approach always individually.