Alexander Technique Lessons. #2 Head Forward and Up
“There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and this is your own self.”
Aldous Huxley, author, philosopher, Alexander student
Alexander Technique Lessons. #1 Oppositions.
Alexander Technique Lessons. #2 Allow my head to move forward and up.
But before we talk about the head, let’s talk about the butt; more specifically, the sit bones. The sit bones are the ‘U’ shaped bones at the bottom of the pelvis. If you put your hands under your bottom sliding in from the sides and then sit on your hands, (and your chair is firm enough), you might feel them. You want to be sitting on these bones rather than slumping and sitting on your sacrum (tailbone) Nor do you want to be sitting up rigidly straight, as in ‘military posture‘.
Now let’s head headwards. ‘I wish to free my neck to allow my head to move forward and up’. Ok, up is up, but what is forward? Is that the same as moving your face towards the computer screen? Nope. It’s easiest to think of the head moving forward as a forward rotation of the head on the spine. Slowly lower your nose as you let the crown of your head move up. Let your head lead your spine into length. When you want to get closer to the computer screen, use your hip joints and leave your spine alone.
Don’t force the forward rotation of your head, or even DO it, but allow it to happen. You allow it to happen by freeing your neck. We stop this forward rotation by unconsciously tightening the muscles of the neck bringing the head back and down compressing the spine.
Mark Josefsberg-Alexander Technique NYC
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