I’m on the train home after a couple of hectic days with AT Success. I don’t know if I’m coming or going, I’ve got brain ache on the train. I thought I should get some sleep on the train but with my buzzing brain I’ve got no chance. Jeremy’s ideas in running an Alexander Technique are inspirational. It’s all about getting people interested indirectly in Alexander’s discovery. Introducing the discovery to strangers of the discovery, is full of traps;  we speak a strange vocabulary and we put hands on people. To strangers this can be quite strange and abnormal in society.

Jeremy’s ideas, that’s from someone who in absolutely knackered, is to stand back a little and explain the discovery by vocalising and student participation. Getting the students involved from the start so that they can start their own voyage of discovery from the very beginning. Students can do a lot of things during the workshops without the involvement of the teachers hands. Getting students to work together in activity and then discussing their discoveries from the activity is empowering and they own experience and discovery, they can take it home and develop further.

Today we worked though how our ideal students would be, the simple answer is the ones that are seeking answers to what I was seeking answers for when I started my journey of discovery. To understand what I was seeking starts with writing my own story so far. Difficult to start but from a place of safety and me being present, it became quite easy and the words flowed, I was shocked and emotional at the outcome. Yes, there where tears.

The workshop on Sunday was about how to create my niche, I discovered that my niche is to release people from the constraints of anxiety and allow them to develop into happy wonderful people. Some may say that’s approaching a shrinks type of work; it may be if I approached their problems directed, but Alexander discovered that these problems can be approached indirectly  via their use; the way they move, the way they react to stimuli. By observing the way they move and asking them why they move that certain way will start a chain reaction that will release something in themselves and the problems that anxiety will be lessened. There is a caveat; they need to want to go on this voyage of change, I’m only the catalyst or facilitator, it is their journey of discovery. It all sound so simple, it is, but it’s not. To have any chance of working I need to be there in the room, not dreaming of being somewhere else. Then I can and only then invite them into the room with me; what I mean in the room is not physical, they already physically there with me, it’s not dreaming about somewhere else or worrying about what I’m going to say, what I’m going to ask them to do , etc. I just want them to be present in all ways in the room with me.

I’ve discovered that the only place worries can be resolved is in the present. It’s a bit difficult if you’re thinking is the past or future, these places don’t exist. You can’t address issues from a place that doesn’t exist. I’ve found it quite easy to get people to be present for a moment, anything longer takes practice and it takes energy and trust to stay there for any length of sometime.

• It’s a place of vulnerability, people can see you for what you are.
• It’s a place of strength, people can’t hurt you as they can’t reach you.
• It’s a place where you are naked, your personas have been removed.
• It’s a place of beauty, time slows down and you have time to enjoy every moment.
• It’s a place of joy, peace and happiness just appear.

I normally like to have a flow and story to my blogs, tonight is just a rambling, I have an excuse I’m absolutely knackered.