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But we are proud to say that Elyse Shafarman contributed 142 entries already.
Dear friends, Join me for my next Alexander Technique class starting at Berkeley Rep, Sept 19th. This class will hone your conscious awareness inside your body and up-level your presence and ease. You will find these skills helpful in high stakes performance and daily life. I’m also integrating some cutting edge material from the Reembody […]
Just finished reading “Into the Magic Shop – A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart” by James Doty, founder of Stanford’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research. The book is a beautiful parable about overcoming adversity and the power of ancient meditation techniques to relax the […]
Took my first Ballet class in 25 years (with the encouragement of my friend David Cho). From the deep unconscious, I obeyed the piano and Piqué’d, Frappéd, and Dégagé’d en Cloche…steps I haven’t practiced in decades. If I paused to give it a moment’s thought, the choreography fell apart. But if I listened to the […]
Tight Jaw? Tension between your shoulder blades? Landing heavily on your heels when walking? Make sure your rib cage is not lifted up! The cue I use in Alexander Technique lesson is to drop the xiphoid process, which is the little bony point at the end of the sternum. If you look at the image […]
Some thoughts on my return from Tassajara Zen Mountain Retreat. I was only at Tassajara for 3 days, but I stayed off Facebook from May 29th through today – June 24, a record for me who has posted daily updates since 2008.’ Without Facebook I felt the portals of my mind close. Remember Being John […]
The Three Breathing Spaces exercise encourages calm: Breath into your Lower Space (Pelvic floor and lower belly), make a Shhhh sound on exhale, 5 – 10 times. Breathe into your Middle Space (Solar plexus, lower ribs front and back), make a Sssss sound on exhale, 5 – 10 times. Breathe into your Upper Space (Upper […]
Notice the moment before you engage in action (or speech). See if you can sense how your body prepares. What are the habitual gripping spots? Then pause. In the pause, tell yourself that you are: Free to act, Free to just be, Or free to do something different. Observe how you (whole self, body […]
Re: “I enjoyed reading your website and was wondering if you have any specific pillow recommendations for side and back sleeping?” Yes, I do, although my suggestion is on the, “It depends…” side, remembering that the Alexander Technique does not advocate perfect positions, it advocates helpful “Directions” to coordinate our movement. There are a lot […]
Interesting day teaching playing with the difference between direction as motor imagery (i.e. imaging yourself riding a bike) versus visual imagery (imaging a tree). Re-reading the very pop science, “The Body has a Mind of its Own,” and was reminded that it’s only motor imagery that seems to modify the brain’s body schema. It’s motor […]
Reading the first round of student homework from the University Somatics Course I am co-teaching, was a great example of the multiple positive results from simply being aware of living in a body. Students chose to practice a body scan meditation, a walking meditation, or a Feldenkrais exercise five days in a row. After a […]
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