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| Artwork by Paula Ziegman |
SO....I asked my class yesterday, "What is Love? What does it mean to you?" We discussed the meaning of Love, and many wonderful ideas came up: selflessness, acceptance, mutual understanding, connection, loving thy neighbor as thyself, comfort, safety, happiness, motivation, freedom........
What does this have to do with Alexander Technique? Everything.
To me, the Alexander Technique is all about making connections and joining things together that seem separate, and giving things that seem stuck and frozen space to move. Yes, it's about the dynamic relationships between head, neck, torso...limbs, bones, muscles, fluids.....everything that can be thought of as parts of the physical body. But, even more than that, it's about realizing that the mind is making those connections, and therefore connecting the mind and body....and the Consciousness that is realizing those connections. What is that Consciousness that connects and joins and realizes? Nothing other than Love, I believe.
I sometimes ask myself, "What am I teaching?" I believe that, through the use of the Alexander Technique, I am teaching people to realize, to know, to be, to LOVE....themselves....in relation to everything within and around them.
We are making these connections all the time without being aware of it. We are loving, joining, becoming one with everything that comes into our awareness, without being aware of it. To wake up and realize that is what we are doing is the purpose of the Alexander Technique, for me. To realize that we are already loving, already whole, already free.
Once we realize this and stop trying to DO all these things (trying to love, trying to be yourself, trying to be free, etc.), the obstacles that seem to be in the way of the specific things we want to achieve start to fall away. The arm starts to move, the legs start to release, the music starts to flow, the work starts to become easy. We start to enjoy life, right now. Because we begin to be aware that we LOVE it.
One student yesterday said that he was at a loss for words when asked what Love is. This is how I feel right now, as I do my best to write about my experience and vision...and as I find myself starting to try to do the integrating of my experience with my use of words....I realize that it would be best for me to stop and bring this post to a close.
I love you, dear Reader, whoever you are.
You and I are different, yet we are the same.
We are connected parts of One Infinite Whole.
Thank you for reading, and thank you for being, and thank you for the Love that you Are.
Your comments are very welcome.
*heart artwork by Paula Ziegman
In love we bloom ~ Thank you, Jennifer. This is an excellent piece.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Paula! Yes, in love we bloom, and your artwork shows that exquisitely!
ReplyDeleteLovely, lovely words, Jennifer. I am right with you, but you put it so well! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your comment and positive support, Annie. It's so nice to walk a path in good company - thank you! :)
DeleteI have been very touched by the responses I've received to this post, and wish to thank everyone who has commented, both here in public and in private messages. Some have attempted to post their comments here, but unfortunately, Google has not been cooperative with everyone who has tried! If you are one of those who is unable to leave a reply, I would love to hear from you personally and post your comment for you. You can contact me through my website: http://BalanceandHarmonyAT.com, or through facebook (click below). Thanks!
ReplyDeleteFrom Pedro de Alcantara: "The book seems to indicate that s/he said, 'Let there be light.' But we know, upon close reading, that s/he said, 'Let there be love.'"
ReplyDeleteFrom Michael Frederick:
ReplyDelete“Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn't matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair. come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times. Come, yet again , come , come.”
For me the Alexander Technique is a transformational process that is "non-dualistic" in nature. This allow us (when applied properly) to be free from our "likes and dislikes". This doesn't mean that we don't have strong likes and dislikes...on the contrary, it means that when necessary we have the ability to choose not to be controlled by them. Very Zen Buddhist in nature allowing us to be present within this moment mindfully.
The first line of M.F.'s comment didn't copy. Here it is: "What you write reminds me of the Rumi poem...Come, come...." etc.
DeleteDear Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI graduated a school in Israel, where "stay back, aim up, opposition and inhibition" were the common phrases.
Few months ago I started meeting a friend and a great teacher by himself to improve my work. It took me a while to reckon and than I told him that his added value to my work, is 'compassion'. Smiling with pleasure, he showed me your current post, saying that Love and Compassion are tween sisters. I think you know him.... his name is Yehuda.
I love following your blog and FB page, Warmest regards - Uri
Uri, thank you so much for your comment; your words means a great deal to me. Yehuda Kuperman has been a great inspiration to me for years, indeed, and I have had the good fortune to work with him on multiple occasions. It was this "added value" of love/compassion that I recognized with tears at the first workshop with Yehuda that I attended. I was so moved to finally hear someone speak so beautifully and openly about the spiritual depth and poetry of the Technique. I find that it is all too easy to lose heart if we don't recognize that the Technique is applicable to EVERYTHING in life; especially the Heart of Life itself. Since that first meeting with Yehuda, I have found more and more people around the world who are thinking in similar ways, and this can only be good for all of us, I believe; especially when we have the courage to put it into words when we can (not always easy!). I'm glad you enjoy what I write, Uri. Thank you.
DeleteLove, connection, light, energy, nature, the Universe, God....all just different words to express what we know is there but is seemingly intangible. Since beginning to study the technique four years ago, I am now certainly a more expressive and compassionate being than when I began. I enjoyed reading your post and am reminded to come back more often :)
DeleteMuch love,
Daniella
Thank you so much for your post, Daniella. Yes, you are a sweet being full of Love! I am so happy you are having the opportunity to continue your AT studies! Hugs! Jennifer
ReplyDeleteNot cliché at all!
ReplyDeleteWithout love, or should I say 'loving kindness' to ourselves and our audience, we as human beings and musicians do not have a rock-steady foundation to develop our skills and improve our performance technique and realise our true potential. Would you agree?
I'm very new to AT but coming from a Buddhist background, have an open mind, so am very keen to learn more about its benefits.
Thank you for sharing this post and your hard-earned experience Jennifer!
<3
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jennifer! This is what I love you for - your sincerity. When you talk about love, it is not a cliche at all.
ReplyDelete