March 2008 Archives
The Henry Moore exhibition at Kew Gardens finished at the end of March but leaves a wonderful memory for all those who saw it.
Mother and Child, although very abstract, evokes a strong sense of calm tenderness. Mother is portrayed holding the baby in a way that allows a safe, intimate connection with her.
I could also see the sculpture from an Alexander Technique perspective, as illustrating a common habit that many people have: contracting down on one side of the body and looking down with the head and neck to one side. Such patterns of mis-use can also be developed when writing, playing the guitar or using a mouse for instance.
If people habitually assume lop-sided positions, an imbalance in muscle use occurs, subjecting the vertebrae and intervertebral discs to an uneven, downward compression. This can cause back pain and problems such as scoliosis and sciatica.
So keep that tender intimacy with your child but remember to look after yourself at the same time. If a great work of art can also remind us to be aware of our own use, that is an unexpected bonus.
Henry Moore ~ Mother and Child ~ Kew Gardens
Mother and Child, although very abstract, evokes a strong sense of calm tenderness. Mother is portrayed holding the baby in a way that allows a safe, intimate connection with her.
I could also see the sculpture from an Alexander Technique perspective, as illustrating a common habit that many people have: contracting down on one side of the body and looking down with the head and neck to one side. Such patterns of mis-use can also be developed when writing, playing the guitar or using a mouse for instance.
If people habitually assume lop-sided positions, an imbalance in muscle use occurs, subjecting the vertebrae and intervertebral discs to an uneven, downward compression. This can cause back pain and problems such as scoliosis and sciatica.
So keep that tender intimacy with your child but remember to look after yourself at the same time. If a great work of art can also remind us to be aware of our own use, that is an unexpected bonus.
Henry Moore ~ Mother and Child ~ Kew Gardens
Do you enjoy running and would like to think more about your use whilst doing so? It is certainly possible to do this in your regular Alexander lessons, to great effect. Also, there are a couple of Workshops coming up in London with Malcolm Balk, author of Master the Art of Running, that will look in depth at how to improve your running technique.
The Workshops are designed to incorporate the Alexander Technique into your running, so that you can hone your skills, run more freely and avoid injury.
Dates: April 27th; May 4th
Contact: Brita ~ britafor@alextech.freeserve.co.uk
The Workshops are designed to incorporate the Alexander Technique into your running, so that you can hone your skills, run more freely and avoid injury.
Dates: April 27th; May 4th
Contact: Brita ~ britafor@alextech.freeserve.co.uk
How aware are you, of the way you use yourself when telephoning? Watch other people using a phone, it can be an eye-opener. You may well see habits that you can recognise as being similar to your own, so that you can learn from them about your own use (and mis-use).
The most exaggerated way of mis-using yourself when phoning, is to clamp the phone between your ear and your shoulder whilst you continue another activity with your hands free. With this habit, it is usually the same shoulder that always gets scrunched up. Just think about what happens to your neck, as you continually compress down on one side of the vertebrae. Neck and shoulder pains will soon be on their way, if they are not with you yet, unless you stop this habit.
Another common form of mis-use, often seen in busy open plan offices and noisy public places, is to thrust the neck forwards, curling in and downwards whilst talking, in an attempt to gain some sense of privacy. This is a particularly frequent form of mis-use seen in mobile phone users. This cannot create the private space we would like but it does create tension and problems in the neck, shoulder and upper torso. These become very tight, stiff and pulled down into a forward curve as we box ourselves in, often resulting in back and shoulder pain as a result of developing a pronounced kyphosis.
Our sensory appreciation is often faulty, so we can be unaware of such habits of mis-use, even when we are conscientious about applying the Alexander Technique in other areas of our life.
One young woman realised that this habit was so strong that it felt impossible for her to use her left hand and ear during a phone call, even though her hearing functioned perfectly well in both ears. Now that's a strong habit that was purely built around her perceptions. However, once aware of her pattern, the young woman could begin to let go of it and work to improve her use, both during Alexander lessons and during her phone calls.
This sort of habit is a good example of how our thoughts and attitudes get played out in our bodies, illustrating the way the body and mind interact and work as one.
If you would like to recycle your old mobiles, I can send them to various charities, including BackCare 'the charity for healthier backs' with whom I am registered as an Affiliated Professional Member.
The most exaggerated way of mis-using yourself when phoning, is to clamp the phone between your ear and your shoulder whilst you continue another activity with your hands free. With this habit, it is usually the same shoulder that always gets scrunched up. Just think about what happens to your neck, as you continually compress down on one side of the vertebrae. Neck and shoulder pains will soon be on their way, if they are not with you yet, unless you stop this habit.
Another common form of mis-use, often seen in busy open plan offices and noisy public places, is to thrust the neck forwards, curling in and downwards whilst talking, in an attempt to gain some sense of privacy. This is a particularly frequent form of mis-use seen in mobile phone users. This cannot create the private space we would like but it does create tension and problems in the neck, shoulder and upper torso. These become very tight, stiff and pulled down into a forward curve as we box ourselves in, often resulting in back and shoulder pain as a result of developing a pronounced kyphosis.
Our sensory appreciation is often faulty, so we can be unaware of such habits of mis-use, even when we are conscientious about applying the Alexander Technique in other areas of our life.
One young woman realised that this habit was so strong that it felt impossible for her to use her left hand and ear during a phone call, even though her hearing functioned perfectly well in both ears. Now that's a strong habit that was purely built around her perceptions. However, once aware of her pattern, the young woman could begin to let go of it and work to improve her use, both during Alexander lessons and during her phone calls.
This sort of habit is a good example of how our thoughts and attitudes get played out in our bodies, illustrating the way the body and mind interact and work as one.
If you would like to recycle your old mobiles, I can send them to various charities, including BackCare 'the charity for healthier backs' with whom I am registered as an Affiliated Professional Member.
Hilary King - BA (Hons) PGDip Psychol. Dip Couns. MSTAT - Tel: 020 7254 9206
Copyright © 2004 - 2007 Hilary King, All rights reserved.