Comments for Alexander Technique with Sarah Chatwin

Comment on Spring Cleaning by Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:09:34 +0000

Hi Julie-Anne.

Great question! I’m hatching another blog post on that very topic, so watch out. What can be done – Alexander Technique, of course! in addition, noticing and gently labelling what comes up emotionally, psychologically and as memories as we do this work can be very helpful. But I’ll write a proper post about it – thanks for the prompt.

Comment on Do Less Body And Mind by Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:05:31 +0000

You’re right – but keep it a light focus. Explore, enjoy.

Comment on Do Less Body And Mind by Adrienne McLean

Adrienne McLean — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:55:42 +0000

Thank you, a great concept. Sounds easy but think it will take focused effort.

A great concept and will apply.

Comment on A Cautionary Tale by Karen

Karen — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:01:26 +0000

Hi Sarah,
love the post. it makes me wonder what you would see if you could line up all the clients of these two personal trainers. would they all have pinned shoulders, tight abs and a held spine as well?? Either through specific instruction or just through wanting to look like their trainer. Scary thought…

Comment on Spring Cleaning by Julie-Anne Grey.

Julie-Anne Grey. — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 00:04:48 +0000

Hello Sarah,

” Muscle memory ” is a most interesting topic as is ” cell memory “. I wonder if you could expand on this and whether you believe that ingrained, chronic and unhelpful/habitual muscle/cell memories can be changed to helpful ones and , if so, what can be done to aid this change?

Thankyou.

Comment on I-Spine: five and a half things you need to know about your backbone by Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:49:56 +0000

Hi MaryJean,

Thanks for your kind words. Here’s the missing piece that will solve the puzzle for you. The spinal cord stops growing in infancy but the bones of the spine don’t -obviously! This means the actual cord is different lengths in different people. In some cases it stops where the ribs do, in others it continues to L1, 2 or even 3. Following on from the cord itself is an amazing structure called the cauda equina (horse tail) which is a bundle of nerve fibres that emerge from the base of the cord. So the nerves that you can see on your model will come from there. Hope that clarifies things for you. All the best.

Comment on I-Spine: five and a half things you need to know about your backbone by MaryJean Allen

MaryJean Allen — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:06:29 +0000

Hi there, I read your nice post just now due to Rick Rickover sharing it on Facebook. I’m an Alex Tech teacher, too, and I have taught Barbara Conable’s Body Mapping course “What every Musician Needs to Know about the Body” for 12 years. The course covers the basics about the musculo-skeletal system. I was intrigued you said in your post that the spinal cord doesn’t go past your rib cage — could you please tell me where you read that info — as I’d love to read more about that? I had learned the spinal cord goes down to the 1st and 2nd lumbar vertebrae, (a bit lower than the bottom of the false ribs) — and even then there are many spinal nerves that splay out from L2 all the way down to the coccyx, which I can see on one of my skeletal models. Looking forward to your response when you have time! I just love our musculo-skeletal system!

Comment on Lenny Henry Stands Tall With Alexander Technique by Padmini Menon

Padmini Menon — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:22:34 +0000

I was fascinated when I first grasped the idea that the Alexander Technique is not about standing straight and free, but about being straight (read ‘released’) and free even when you’re curled up in a ball – or hunched over playing Quasimodo. That brings a whole new dimension into ‘good posture’.
Thanks for a thought provoking post.

Comment on The Luggage Lowdown by Josephine

Josephine — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 05:54:22 +0000

Thanks Sarah I will print it and refer to it often! I don’t need any shoulder pain!

Comment on Listen Up! Alexander Technique and Sound by Catherine LeGrand

Catherine LeGrand — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:45:27 +0000

Great suggestions! I had not specifically considered how listening carefully while playing music can narrow greater awareness.