Use It Or Lose It
‘Use it or lose it’ is a phrase commonly heard when speaking of the desire to build muscles, or when speaking of not letting muscles atrophy. This term applies to the brain and the mind as well. The importance of creative thinking and renewed learning throughout our lives has been documented. New neural pathways are created during the Alexander Technique process.
Specific parts of the brain control various functions, down to smallest of details. This has been called localization. The brain is also capable of changing these areas or developing new neural pathways, and this amazing capacity is known as plasticity.
‘Use it or lose it’ has applications to the Alexander Technique. The part of the brain concerning itself with forming new habits might have been dormant for years. We get up, do our morning routine, our afternoon routine and so forth. “We plastically reenforce our habits through repetition”, says Norman Doidge in The Brain That Changes Itself.
The Alexander Technique, however, helps you do your morning routine or any other routine in an un-routine way. The way you’ve sat down, stood up, walked, and so on might not have changed for decades. In the utilization of the Alexander Technique principles all these simple movements will be thought of differently, and performed differently. Developing and possibly changing the part of the brain dealing with these habits (localization) might lead to developing other areas (neuroplasticity).
So, if your back hurts or you have bad posture, take some Alexander Technique lessons. One day it might help you remember your phone number.
Mine is…(917) 709-4648
Mark Josefsberg-Alexander Technique NYC
One day as I was driving into a dental appointment (sigh) I heard on an NPR podcast that posture influences the mind so that if you assume a defensive posture in say, a dental chair while waiting for the pain to begin, your posture will actually increase your sensitivity to pain.
So, when I arrived in my treatment chair, I made a point of opening up my trunk, stretching my shoulders wide and relaxing my legs and — Ta Da! It worked! Less pain!
That’s great Nina! The neural connections between the brain and the rest of the body are bi-directional, so they go from the body to the mind. when the Alexander Technique suggests to free your neck, you’re doing much more than just freeing your neck muscles. It can help you ease your mind as well.