Category: Retreats

What affect does duality have on our bodies?

I was noticing as I go through my day, how the effect of duality in my thinking effects my body. Examples of this for me are: Is this hot or cold ? Am I late or early? Am I right or wrong? And a big one, Am I better than or less than whatever situation or whomever is at hand?  This feels awkward and also comfortable. As a culture we seem to be very “result driven”, and we base how we are feeling on that “result”. Does our body reflect that “result thinking”?  We know that what we “think” is expressed in our body tissue, whether we are conscious of it or not.

I know when I am in meditation or doing a “yummy” yoga asana, being in my body with presence, the duality slips away…I am just there in the middle ground, not good not bad; not rigid or tense.

I noticed this place of “middle ground”  in my cat as she was preparing her passing; she would sit and just be…not wanting anything, not feeling “better than”; not expecting anything.  The calm and peace in her body was beautiful to see…she was with “all there is”.  As we were with her when she passed, I was in awe of her surrender and her peace. I was sad “for me” that I wouldn’t hold her again; and for Lilly, she was not “attached” to the physical world and me; she was just passing through and would continue to share her love.

As you go through your week, notice places where you are just “there”, not wanting or expecting or anticipating a “result”. A place to experience “middle ground” might be in your body:   Notice my feet? Can I feel the chair under my sit bones? Allow the breath to move freely? Can I expand my awareness to the space in the room? Can awareness without “attachment” to an outcome be a way to just be at ease in your body?

Explore and find places in your day that you can experience “middle ground”.

Look at an object across the room, look hard and fiercely at it.  Notice how you are seeing peripherally.  How is your breathing?Now  another way…notice your breathing as you are looking, feel the chair under you, your feet on the foor and the chair’s connection to the floor.  This time look at the object with “soft” eyes, not sharp or hard gaze…allow the image to come to you, don’t go get it or “try” to see it.  Feel your Whole Body receiving the image.  Now be aware of the other objects around you.

Go back and forth using these two different ways of receiving sight.  How is your breathing with each one? Are you tensing your muscles anywhere?

What can you discover about this exercise in seeing?

“At the age of 43, I thought my active lifestyle was at an end.  The doctors informed me that the constant acute pain I experienced after three back surgeries, was permanent and not curable.  Then I met Karen Loving; she was my salvation.  After she taught me the Alexander Technique, I  had my life back.  Now at age 51 I can play golf, chop wood, lift weights and do activity without pain or fear of injury.  Karen didn’t “fix” my problem; she taught me how to “fix” it myself, permanently! ”  J. K., Insurance Executive

We all want someone to “fix” our pain and make it go away, or correct our posture easily. However, if we learn what we are doing ourselves that could be creating discomfort, then WE CAN practice the principles that create ease and natural movement.  These princples are in everything that we do and we learn about our own bodies.  The Alexander Technique principles give us long term results because we are directing how we move and learning it can be simple and therefore natural.