Anna McConnell, Actor
Recently after an Alexander lesson, I needed to run around the city doing errands. It ended up becoming a great AT exercise: I noticed that I habitually tensed up when I felt cold, when I had to wait in line, when I was calmly sitting in the train but just thinking about the audition on Saturday, etc. I noticed that my body/mind system indeed OVERreacts to mundane, trivial, essentially insignificant situations as if they were questions of life and death. I also noticed that it was fairly easy to release the tension, breathe and let it go, and that even in the middle of an argument it’s possible to be in a more neutral, relaxed physical space than I’d realized. Looking around me in traffic I realized how most people around me were indeed frowning, tightening up their whole bodies and staying in this physical and mental space that no longer looked natural, in a way, but rather like something painful, exhausting and unnecessary. Another thing I’ve noticed is that the more aware I am of the tension in my body, the more I breathe and let it go and return to a neutral space, the less I desire external artificial stress-reducers like cigarettes or sugar. I’m very excited about all these small discoveries and I’m looking forward to my next lesson
Barbara Materna, Ph.D., CIH. Chief, Occupational Health Branch, California
Learning the Alexander Technique from Constance has helped me in all sorts
of ways. I am more conscious of how much ease (or lack of ease) I feel in
everything I do, from sitting in meetings to walking by the Bay. Once I
learned the basics, I have worked with Constance on my most challenging
activities; these include working on the computer, playing flute, doing
gardening work, and exercising. As a musician on a wind instrument, I am
now much more aware of where tension arises in my body and how it affects my
breath or causes my fingers to move less easily. I have learned some
techniques for relaxing prior to performing, to help overcome the
nervousness that typically could take over in negative ways. Last night I
played my first concert as first chair flutist in a symphonic band (meaning
that the solos were mine); I was able to stay relaxed, play well, and
enjoyed the performance thoroughly!
AMSAT Certified Instructor
