Each person I'm certain feels pain and is hurtin' as they tense up their necks and have aches in their heads. pain's Driving them crazy their aWareness is hazy, they Seek sweet reLief from their docs and their meds. Cause we're ploppin' and we're floppin' and we're slumpin' down and dropin'. [...]
The Alexander Technique is just what the doctor would order, if he knew about it. What does the doctor order? For back pain or neck pain, the doctor might order X Rays or an MRI, which could be helpful. She might write a prescription for pain medication or muscle relaxers which are sometimes helpful, sometimes harmful. He might order physical therapy which can be helpful, or harmful. An orthopedist or neurologist might propose surgery which is sometimes helpful, sometimes harmful. She may suggest yoga, pilates, massage, rolfing, and other well-intentioned modalities, which are sometimes helpful, sometimes harmful. And, finally, some doctors recommend the Alexander Technique, which is just about never harmful, and often extremely helpful...
Buddhism offers the idea of "two arrows.", which has relevance to Alexander Technique. The first arrow strikes when pain comes upon us; an inevitable occurrence. The second arrow is the mental anguish we experience, or put ourselves through, because of the original pain. Mental pain enhances and prolongs physical pain. It's as if when shot [...]
Alexander Technique teachers help you improve your posture, but not your military posture. Alexander Technique good posture feels good; military posture, not so much. Military posture requires a lot. You have to throw your shoulders back, suck your stomach in, stick your chin back, thrust your chest out; stiffen up. That's a lot of throwing, sticking, sucking, thrusting, and stiffening.
