This week sees my 86th Dad’s birthday. He’s one of the oldest ever Alters – from our family at least. (If I’ve got that wrong, I’m sure he’ll let me know when I see him tomorrow.) The picture was at his 80th. There were 80 candles – it was pretty warm! Max, the restaurant owner … More Ageing gracefully
This week I was at the Royal Academy of Music teaching a workshop on Reducing Stage Anxiety to the undergraduates in the Performance department. I threw them in at the deep end, and asked them to perform, in order that they could observe in each other what each did physically in manifesting nervousness on stage. … More Awareness: Your Superpower (part 2)
I was reading a Masters dissertation on Dorothy DeLay this week. She was a famous violin pedagogue. She taught Hilary Hahn, Itzak Perlman, Midori, Simon Fischer, and a veritable who’s who of the great names in the violin canon of the last 60 years. I mention it as it brought up the work of Bandler, the creator of NLP. … More Awareness: Your Superpower
What if it’s not really useful to breathe into the belly? What most people mean when they tell you to breathe into the belly is diaphragmatic breathing- a version of it, to access the lengthening of the lungs as well as outward expansion. What most people mean by breathing into the belly is diaphragmatic breathing. … More Belly breathing: A hidden cause of back pain?
When I talk to clients and students about where they hold their tension, many talk about the jaw. That it feels tight, or uncomfortable. How much space do you have in your jaw? If you have jaw tension, you’ll often feel it in the area in front of the ears. It’s where the ‘fork’ of … More How much space do you have in your jaw?
What is interoception? It’s your body’s ability to sense and perceive its internal sensations. These include basic needs/sensations such as hunger, thirst, pain, heart rate. But also includes your thoughts and emotions- everything we feel on the inside. Why is it important? It plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis, the body’s balance and stability. … More Interoception
In the 21st century, we still don’t understand our bellies. We’re taught to pull in the belly. Hold it, keep it under control. To make it flat.Or with the current fashion for core strength, to pull in the belly and the back at the same time. Which is very useful if you’re lifting something heavy, … More How Free is Your Belly?
I started doing Feldenkrais to improve my physical health and mobility. I kept doing it because it transformed my mental health. Language affects how we visualise the world around us Traditionally, mental health solutions separate mind and body.Feldenkrais’ genius is that he realised that there was no separation. That every action has four indivisible parts … More Mental Health Month
These last few weeks I’ve been part of the Royal Opera House’s performance of Arminio, a Handel opera. And as I was sat in the pit this afternoon, I was thinking about the large amount of people involved. Some we see clearly, like the singers, artists, ushers, and service staff, and others offer their part … More Looking at the Bigger Picture
A topic that came up a few times in my individual sessions this week was the question of self talk. Self-talk refers to the internal dialogue, our inner voice. Its a conversation that most of us have with ourselves throughout the day. It can be either be positive and supportive, or for some of us, … More Silencing the Inner Critic: How Self-Talk and Feldenkrais Can Help Tame Anxiety
Transform how you move, feel and live 