anxiety

Embracing Serenity: A Glimpse into Life Without Anxiety


In a world where stress seems to be the norm, imagining a life without anxiety might feel like a distant dream. Yet, for those who have experienced the transformative journey of overcoming anxiety, it’s a reality that is both liberating and empowering. In this blog, we’ll explore what life is like without anxiety – a life filled with peace, confidence, and boundless possibilities.

Understanding Anxiety

Before delving into the beauty of life without anxiety, it’s essential to understand what anxiety truly entails. Anxiety is more than just feeling stressed or worried from time to time. It’s a persistent and overwhelming sense of fear, apprehension, and unease that can interfere with daily life and relationships.

For many, anxiety manifests in various forms – from generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety to panic attacks and phobias. The physical and emotional toll of anxiety can be debilitating, affecting everything from sleep patterns and concentration to physical health and overall well-being.

Breaking Free from the Grip of Anxiety

The journey to a life without anxiety is often marked by courage, resilience, and self-discovery. It begins with acknowledging the presence of anxiety and making a commitment to confront and overcome it. While the path may be challenging, the rewards are immeasurable.

Therapy, mindfulness practices, and lifestyle changes are often instrumental in managing and reducing anxiety. My work using the Alexander Technique and EAM , in particular, has been shown to be highly effective in helping individuals challenge negative thought patterns and develop coping strategies.

Mindfulness techniques, such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation, can also be powerful tools in cultivating a sense of calm and presence. By learning to observe and accept thoughts and emotions without judgment, individuals can reduce the intensity of anxiety and regain a sense of control over their lives.

The Beauty of Life Without Anxiety

So, what does life look like on the other side of anxiety? Here’s a glimpse into the beauty of living without the weight of constant worry and fear:

  1. Inner Peace and Calm: Without the constant chatter of anxious thoughts, life becomes more peaceful and serene. There’s a newfound sense of calmness that permeates every aspect of daily life, allowing individuals to navigate challenges with clarity and grace.
  2. Confidence and Self-Assurance: Anxiety often undermines self-confidence and self-esteem, leading individuals to doubt their abilities and worth. In its absence, there’s a profound sense of self-assurance and belief in one’s capabilities. People are more willing to take risks, pursue their passions, and step outside their comfort zones.
  3. Deeper Connections: Anxiety can isolate individuals, making it difficult to connect authentically with others. Without the barrier of fear holding them back, people are able to forge deeper and more meaningful connections with friends, family, and colleagues. Vulnerability becomes a strength rather than a weakness, fostering genuine intimacy and trust.
  4. Enhanced Well-Being: The physical and emotional toll of anxiety can take a significant toll on overall well-being. Without the constant strain of stress and worry, individuals experience improvements in sleep quality, digestion, and immune function. There’s a newfound vitality and zest for life that permeates every aspect of their being.
  5. Embracing Possibilities: Perhaps most importantly, life without anxiety is filled with boundless possibilities and opportunities. With the weight of fear lifted, individuals are free to dream big, pursue their passions, and embrace new experiences wholeheartedly. The world becomes a canvas waiting to be painted with the colors of adventure, joy, and fulfillment.

Embracing the Journey

It’s important to recognize that overcoming anxiety is not a linear process – it’s a journey filled with ups and downs, triumphs and setbacks. There may be moments when old fears resurface or new challenges arise, but with the tools and techniques learned along the way, individuals are better equipped to navigate the twists and turns of life with resilience and grace.

Ultimately, life without anxiety is not about the absence of fear, but rather the ability to embrace it with courage and compassion. It’s about reclaiming control over one’s thoughts and emotions, and living each moment with intention and authenticity.

So, if you find yourself longing for a life without anxiety, know that it’s possible. With dedication, support, and a willingness to embrace the journey, you too can experience the beauty of serenity and freedom that awaits on the other side.

Conclusion

In conclusion, life without anxiety is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. It’s a journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and transformation that leads to a life filled with peace, confidence, and boundless possibilities. By confronting and overcoming anxiety, individuals can reclaim control over their lives and embrace each moment with clarity, courage, and grace. So, if you’re ready to embark on this transformative journey, know that you’re not alone. With the right support and resources, you too can experience the beauty of life without anxiety.

Alexander Technique, anxiety, depression

Do you ever feel down?


Well, I do, far more often than I’d like. It is normally when I’m not in control of things and I’m using responses from a time long ago. It is strange, I can be happy as Larry then something out of the blue pops up and I flop into worry and despair for no logical reason.

I do understand the mechanics of these behaviours but I still keep doing doing it. Admittedly, a lot less than a several years ago.

But it still happens!

Some old habits just don’t want the go!

I know how to get out of this state however sometimes I just wallow in the mire.

My way of getting out of this state is to firstly notice I’m having a bad time, this seems pretty obvious, from the outside its easy but, as probably many of you know, its difficult form in inside. I tend to need to fester for a while as I wrote above. There seems to be a moment when I sense enough is enough and I’m ready to get out of the mire, today was different, I was ready then I learnt about the death of an EAM mentor, i had never met her physically, only ever on Zoom, her energy was such a bright star burning in the dark, i will miss her as will many other. To me it feels like the day Steve Wright passed, grief and shock keeps flowing over me, I sense a collective grief and sadness.

Coming out of this gloom has been slow today, in fact I’m still there!

You my have read or heard about the power of now, this is what i use for my clients and also for myself. Being in the Now is a magical place where there is no place for doom and gloom, Now only happens for a moment, in fact its less than a moment, it’s the shortest period of time you can imagine. Holding on to Now means that you have held onto the past, this past may be only a moment ago, it is still the past!

To be in the Now you have to let go of what was Now a moment ago and then welcome in the new Now and instantly let that Now go to welcome the next Now in, then repeat and repeat. You may notice your mind clears, sometime your mind gets louder as if protesting about the intrusion of Now!

Give it a go, find somewhere to sit quietly, don’t drive etc as your eyes will be closed.

  • Close you eyes
  • Welcome the Now by silently saying Welcome
  • Let now go by silently saying Let Go
  • Repeat over and over again getting faster and faster, you may get so fast that there is no time for the words.

You my have some mind wandering, if you do, pause and start again, please don’t tell yourself off about it, this takes practice.

Calmness will appear, continue letting go and open yous eyes, your vision may have softened and you feel calmer. This certainly works for me.

I did this practice whilst writing this, I now feel grounded and present: i’m out of the gloom and mire.

How about you?

Contact me to discover more about being in balance in time and space.

Alexander Technique

Alexander Technique


The Alexander Technique: A Comprehensive Guide

The Alexander Technique is a method that aims to retrain habitual patterns of movement and posture. Named after its founder, Frederick Matthias Alexander, this technique is centered around the idea that the mind and body are interconnected, and that improving awareness and coordination can lead to greater ease and freedom of movement. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the principles, history, benefits, and applications of the Alexander Technique.

History and Development

The Alexander Technique was developed by Australian actor Frederick Matthias Alexander in the late 19th century. As a young Shakespearean actor, Alexander faced challenges with vocal projection, which led him to develop chronic laryngitis. Frustrated by the lack of medical explanations for his condition, Alexander began to observe his own habits and movements, eventually discovering that excessive tension and poor posture were the root causes of his vocal issues. Through self-observation and experimentation, he developed a unique method for retraining his movement patterns, which not only resolved his vocal problems but also led to a significant improvement in his overall health and well-being.

Over the years, Alexander refined his technique and began to teach it to others. He attracted attention from the medical and scientific communities, and his method gained recognition for its effectiveness in addressing a wide range of musculoskeletal and stress-related problems.

Principles of the Alexander Technique

At the core of the Alexander Technique are several key principles:

  1. Awareness: Practitioners of the Alexander Technique are trained to bring conscious attention to their movements and habits. By increasing awareness, individuals can begin to identify and release unnecessary tension in their bodies.
  2. Inhibition: In the context of the Alexander Technique, inhibition refers to the ability to pause and prevent the impulse to react in habitual ways. This pause allows individuals to choose a more conscious and beneficial response to stimuli.
  3. Direction: The concept of direction involves redirecting the body towards a more balanced and aligned state. Through gentle guidance and mental intention, practitioners can cultivate a sense of lengthening and expansion in their bodies.
  4. Use of the self: This principle encompasses the idea that individuals can learn to use themselves more effectively, allowing for improved coordination, balance, and overall functioning.

Benefits of the Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique offers a wide array of potential benefits for individuals who study and apply its principles:

  1. Improved Posture: By becoming more aware of habitual patterns, individuals can learn to release tension and reorganize their bodies for better alignment and posture.
  2. Pain Management: Many people turn to the Alexander Technique to address chronic pain conditions, as the method can help individuals identify and alleviate muscular and skeletal imbalances that contribute to discomfort.
  3. Enhanced Performance: Athletes, musicians, and actors often utilize the Alexander Technique to optimize their movement and coordination, leading to improved performance and reduced risk of injury.
  4. Stress Reduction: The practice of mindfulness and conscious movement can contribute to a greater sense of ease and calm, which can be particularly beneficial for individuals dealing with stress and anxiety.
  5. Efficient Breathing: The Alexander Technique often involves work on breathing patterns, which can lead to improved respiratory function and overall well-being.

Applications of the Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique has been integrated into various fields and disciplines, including:

Healthcare: Many physical therapists, chiropractors, and other healthcare professionals incorporate elements of the Alexander Technique into their practices to help patients improve body awareness and movement patterns.

Education: The principles of the Alexander Technique are often taught in educational settings to help students develop better posture, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being.

Performing Arts: Actors, dancers, musicians, and other performers utilize the Alexander Technique to refine their movement, enhance stage presence, and prevent performance-related injuries.

Corporate Wellness: Some companies offer workshops and training in the Alexander Technique as part of their employee wellness programs, aiming to reduce workplace-related stress and improve posture among employees.

Conclusion

The Alexander Technique continues to gain recognition and popularity as a method for transforming movement, posture, and overall well-being. With its focus on awareness, inhibition, and intentional direction, this technique offers a unique and holistic approach to improving the mind-body connection. Whether applied in healthcare, education, performing arts, or corporate settings, the principles of the Alexander Technique have the potential to enhance physical, mental, and emotional functioning, fostering a greater sense of ease and freedom in daily life.

Alexander Discovery, EAM

When Alexander met EAM


Recently I attended a weekend retreat for EAM mentors, I volunteered to present for an hour on how I work with clients.

I personally really enjoy my presentation, it flowed and I got my message across, those who watched and participated looked like they enjoyed it and got a lot out of it. After the presentation I had a flow of people wanting to experience what I presented; during the presentation I demonstrated with two volunteers and they wanted some of what I did. I can’t remember their exact words the two volunteers said something on the lines for feeling light and free.

The presentation was a mix of Alexander and EAM, helping those attending to be more present and more knowledgeable about how their body works, I focused on the head neck joint, and the hip joints, getting greater awareness of these three joint ( you have two hip joints) your use will change dramatically.

You may have read that I’m very intuitive and can sense what’s going on in others bodies; don’t worry I only use my intuition when requested.

Using my intuition and the body mapping I introduced helps me to sense the angsts in people. The two volunteers got to sense my touch and I got the opportunity to help them where things in their bodies tight, where there was unnecessary tension. By me noticing and telling them they had the opportunity to release this tension.

Releasing tension is very difficult without help, you have probably been to a massage to help you with this. When I’m working with someone or a groups of people I invite space into the room and into their bodies. When I’m touching someone I can be more direct and invite space into a particular limb to show them what it is like to have freedom and aliveness. Sadly, this won’t last as they will normally return to their old habits over the coming days.

What I was experimenting with at the retreat was to include the above, part of the Alexander Technique and the next thing I’m about to write, EAM.

My thought was what would happen if I helped clients to improve their body awareness and also released the trauma that was causing their limbs and body to be in tension. With the queue of volunteers over the remaining day and the next, I experimented and had wonderful results extremely quickly. I could notice, resolve and release their angst within a few minutes with lasting effects.

I did get the comment that it looks like you put your hand on their shoulder, say a few words and they go away free, full of liveliness, big smiles and glowing.

I’ve since worked on my clients with the same rapid transformations. I am happy for you to contact me and tell me what I can help you with.

I’ve included two videos of what they thought of my work.

Alexander Discovery, Alexander Technique, attention, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, happiness, intention, love, mindfulness

Having breakfast


Photo by Sam Lion on Pexels.com

Yesterday was Saturday and we have started having breakfast at The Art of Coffee in Coleford, the coffee is great as is the breakfast, during our weekly shop. Yesterday was the Faddle Fair at Coleford, we didn’t realise the Fair was on so the town was busy as was the Cafe. I must have sensed it was busy as I rushed to the Cafe to book our breakfast and find a table to sit at. It was quiet however moments later the cafe filled up.

Our breakfast arrived and so did the cacophony of noise from the very chatty clientele, it was getting louder and louder. My wife wanted to eat up and leave quickly; most weeks it’s been a quiet place with couples and singletons enjoying a quiet breakfast reading the newspapers or quietly planning their day.

Not today!

I had a brain wave, why don’t I connect with everyone in the cafe and ask for quiet, I didn’t stand up and in my best loud voice say ” Excuse me but can you all talk quieter the cacophony is getting too loud” I don’t think that would have gone down too well!

Instead I did what I’d learnt during my Alexander training, that is to invite quite into the room. It does sound crackers, trust me it does work, my wife can testify as this is what I did yesterday.

How to do it is the complete opposite of what you may think you need to do. There is no doing involved, there’s letting go of trying to do anything. Letting my energy be at peace, letting my energy be calm and allowing the calm to spread to everyone in the room. When those in the room received my calm they quietened down and either stopped speaking or lowered the volume of their voice. My wife was impressed at the speed they quietened, then we enjoyed our breakfast in full cafe with everyone enjoying a few moments of calm with their breakfast. I do hope the other clientele enjoyed their calm moments and return to the The Art of Coffee for more chilled moments and of course their fabulous coffee.

This practice of quiet is what I use when I work with groups or when working with an individual client. It is the first stage of helping them with whatever angst they bring to me. As several of my clients have said to me on various occasions, this calm is better than drugs, I guess this is the calm what some people seek through drugs, I digressed.

Being calm is one thing, it is fantastic, what I’m seeking with my clients is a change is being able to be calm and also in activity at the same time. Two focuses at the same time, the focus of being calm, that’s having a full attention to their body and the place they are in and the focus on what they seek to do, the intent to achieve something.

Simple ah!

What stops everyone, including me, is the self-doubt and unworthiness in whatever form it takes that prevent you from having the attention to your body and space around you, and the intent to achieve something. I’ll help you with letting go of this self-doubt and unworthiness. When you watch my testimonials this is exactly what they are saying.

If you are seeking calm and or want to manage your the self-doubt and unworthiness then do contact me, i can help you.

See you soon.

John

Why not watch my Testimonials

Alexander Technique, breathing, depression, EAM, freedom, habit, trying

Kintsugi for the soul


Kintsugi is a Japanese practice of repair broken pottery by using gold to lovingly and carefully join the broken pieces together again, hence making the piece even more precious than before.

What I do is Kintsugi for the soul, people come to me because they have physical pain and or emotional pain in the form of depression and anxiety. My techniques and methods are the gold to their cracks of pain.

The gold that seals the cracks in their soul.

Turning these cracks into gold so that you can show up for every moment of every day your precious beauty and magnificence.

EAM, love, mindfulness

Real Excitement


Today I discovered that I’ve been fooling myself for many years, I really knew it already but have been hiding from the truth until today.

It was ok to admit it, I did get the help from someone else, they supported and guided me through my discovery.

I was overjoyed at my discovery, then I had a huge mental collapse for the afternoon. I stayed with my collapse, living and accepting it as I was realigning, now these events don’t take too long, once they used to take days now a few hours. I really don’t like these mental collapses, when I’m in them they never seem to end, I loiter around allowing things to happen, sleep helps, being kind to myself helps, waiting helps even if its painful.

Then it’s all over.

Clarity, I know my way ahead.

You may be wondering what it was?

It was the discovery that I’ve been stuck in a metaphorical box which has been constraining me and preventing who I really am. It’s been going on for years in fact decades and I haven’t even noticed it, obeying the rules with a little wiggle room to help me believe I’m a free spirit. I guess you may be like this as well or you haven’t yet noticed your own box.

I’ve been pushing against my box for sometime, it’s exhausting and futile. I had emptied my core, I felt like a doughnut with no centre, my centre hole all burnt, scarred, cracked and blacked, there was nothing in the centre. All my effort and energy was pushing outwards and burning my core as it went. I felt the only way out of the box was to be in service to others and ignoring my service to self. I’ve been burning myself out from the inside. The charred empty burnt feeling felt very real earlier today, I can still sense its emptiness. I hadn’t noticed before today, today opened up my senses!

This has been smouldering for a very long time.

Now the smouldering has been put out!

I’ve now burst out of the box with excitement and now getting on with my life.

What an awful Image, I guess its got your attention!

The excitement isn’t the head sort of excitement which I see as a frenzy, being over ecstatic with excitement. What I sense is the heart and gut excitement that is driven and focused, it has it’s own beauty to this excitement, there is a vision and goal to it, there is a clarity and joyfulness that drives this excitement, its very personal excitement, its the energy you see in motivated people. There a love of life!

This may have happened this morning, it now seems such a long time ago. A lot went on in the session I had.

Simply put my energy, yin and yang and auras were aligned.

Post Note:

I wrote the above yesterday, today I’ve been busy doing practical stuff, clearing out old paperwork from my office, there was a lot of it! Helping my wife with things and being happy with whatever I’ve done, a strange concept that I’m very happy to get used to.

Going through all this anxiety and depression has really opened my eyes to how difficult it is without support and love from others.

Please get in touch if you ever need a chat or help, I’m here and I understand.

Alexander Technique

These thoughts will change your world


Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Pexels.com

There are many wonderful people out there, more than you think. People who you can trust and they can trust you, they accept you as you are as you can accept them.

The niggly bit about trusting those wonderful people is that you have to trust yourself first, that’s really trusting yourself, none of this playing at it. You know when you when you are playing at it as things just don’t feel right. You say “yes” to yourself or others, maybe more like “maybe”, “perhaps later”, you know your cop-out words that you use! You use these words to placate you and other as know you will never do what you promise. It is common and its ok to think and behave like that, well, for several years then you will fall off the rocks or whatever your favourite metaphor is for your emotional crash.

Not being truthful to yourself always ends up in a mess, your energy is in a mess with opposing thoughts and beliefs.

I know I’ve recently been there!

Coming to terms with being honest to yourself is difficult as your inward and outward beliefs and thoughts need to align with each other and be in harmony, a tall ask after years of the opposite especially if you keep doing what your always do.

This is where being present really helps and allowing yourself to feel all your emotions.

You will get overwhelm, listen to your body and respond as your body requests. If you need to sleep, then sleep don’t put it off else you’ll slip into your past behaviours.

Say NO to yourself and others when your body says so, this is the hardest thing if your are a YES person, the people pleaser, wanting to be nice all the time, thinking others know best for you: how can they, they probably don’t even know themselves.

Be kind to yourself and love yourself, these thoughts will change your world. They have changed my world.

Do get in touch and I can teach you ways to say yes and no honestly and truthfully to yourself.

Asthma, depression, EAM, mindfulness, present, Rediscover your Freedom, trying

Those emotions!


It’s a difficult life learning to live with all my emotions, it was so much easier living between my glass floor and ceiling. Things just felt right and in control though I wasn’t getting anywhere fast. I had my gut that went tight when I sensed danger, whether true or false, this stopped me in my tracks with thoughts of I can’t do that. I remember back when I used to shake with fear when asked to do a presentation of some sort or speaking to a group, I’d start by pumping up my energy with fear lurking and hiding behind, I’d rehearse my script, not very well as I knew I was going to fail. I’d start with false confidence then doubt and fear would cut in, my throat would tighten, the dry cough would appear and my asthma would awake. When I was in the height of my asthma I’d also over use my inhaler before I started.

Then I’d look for a friendly supportive face and tell them what I planned to say, ignoring everyone else. Job done and then I could breathe again. There was an elation that I’d survived the ordeal.

Does this resonate with you?

These events now seems so long ago, I’m happy to present and talk to anyone, the secret is to speak from the heart and speak authentically. You may be wondering how I’ve managed to change me? Simply put I’ve stopped doing stuff I’m now being me. All that stuff is fear and other low energy emotions, which I still have, I now manage by being present and honest with myself, when I’m present fear can’t enter the stage, though its waiting in the wings for its opportunity.

The art of being present is a long journey, there are many blind alleys and rabbit holes; all these are thoughts, beliefs and emotions that are unhelpful and need to be accepted and allowed to leave, many have been here for a long long time and are deeply attached and need to be visited several times to encourage their energy to change.

I thought I had cracked it, that’s being present between my glass floor and glass ceiling then the floor smashed and now I realised I was only playing at life in my little sphere of protection, now there is a whole lot more to life and I can see what is holding me back (until the next glass floor smashes).  I’ve had many glass floors in the past, I’ve assumed I’d known enough then something happens to show me there is more than I thought. This time it seems such a huge a shift, perhaps the other ones did at the time, these ah ah moments that introduced a paradigm shift. It’s now been three weeks since I crashed and I still feel that I’m still in the healing phase with lots to assimilate and lots to let go of. My personal work on my energy, thoughts, beliefs and emotions is on-going as I assume will continue well after this healing phase has finished. You may think why continue, well, if I stop I’ll then create another glass floor and glass ceiling and this doesn’t serve me as well as being without them.

Over the past few years I’ve come along way from being scared of my own shadow to being present and have a vision for my life.

If any of this interests you then please get in contact, I run workshops and 1:1 sessions on-line and in person.

anxiety, depression, EAM, habit, Rediscover your Freedom

When the glass floor smashes


I came to a halt a couple of weeks ago, a real halt, I simply couldn’t do anything. My energy was in turmoil, I was swinging from despair to happiness in a few seconds and back again this lasted for most of the morning. I’d hit the enough is enough button and enough was enough and I wasn’t going anywhere soon. Later I discovered that driving my car was scary and very exhausting so I was really not going anywhere soon!

You may have heard or read about the glass ceiling, where you restrict yourself from achieving your dreams. I discovered that we also have a glass floor, I broke this floor and fell to the bottom of the basement where grief, hatred, guilt and despair live.

We all tend to live within the boundaries of the glass floor and glass ceiling, it is safe here as we know what is going on even though we aren’t meeting our full potential. It is like being a battery that we just partially top up to the glass ceiling and let drop to the glass floor before we recharge, eventually our potential and the batteries potential is restricted to this range. We wouldn’t do this to a battery so why do we do it to our bodies. Perhaps habit and comfort are our reasons.

The glass floor is where we set measures so that we don’t have to visit our low energies, we model these energies instead, manning up, stiff upper lip are a couple of terms that describe my glass floor. The fear of fear is the essence of what the glass floor is protecting, not wanting to feel or sense the fear, we may not know why we need to do this though it is there in your psyche. I believe it is healthy to have the gamut of emotions from shame to joy and beyond. What is not healthy is hanging on to the energy that was created when an emotion is visited, this is applicable to all emotions on the scale, I know it is wonderful to linger in joy and love, this doesn’t serve you, the only thing that serves you is the emotion in the moment, the authenticity and sovereignty of being present. 

Until I came to a halt I wasn’t aware I wasn’t with my lower energy emotions, I was living with my glass floor, manning up with the occasional crocodile tear as I didn’t know how to allow myself to mourn, how to feel grieve; I played at all this. Crashing to the bottom is a blessing as it has allowed me to engage with my full potential. Allowing me to be me for the first time that I can remember.

My yoyoing of my emotions, I assume, was myself wanting to get to the place of safety above the glass floor, only to realise the floor wasn’t there and I crashed back down. It was only when I let go of trying to escape that things settled. I may have a head start with some of you reading this as I’ve been doing energy work for some years, once I was settled I could do some work on myself and asked for help from other colleagues. Each one brought something different to help me, each was timely and a timely benefit to me.

In hindsight, though it was only a few weeks ago, I’ve needed this crash for sometime, to smash my glass floor and ceiling to allow me to develop further in my energy work, I was holding myself back at the very beginning when i discovered energy work and throughout my other careers. I’ve read, done the training, understood the concepts, what was missing was embedding what I’d learnt into my soul; being it instead of, what I’ve done for years, doing it. There is a huge difference between being and doing, many people have tried the tell and teach me without success. I simply wasn’t ready to listen, I needed to crash and live it.

Thank you for reading my post, if this resonates with you, why not come along to my workshops or take a personal session with me,