In this series, I will share ideas and activities to provide a practical context for Alexander’s 5 step process* as written in the chapter “Evolution of a Technique” in his book “The Use of the Self.”
The Use of the Self is considered by many as Alexander’s most accessible and practical text, and I have heard it referred to as the “textbook” that he wrote to support the teachers-in-training when he began group training in 1931. Up until that point, he had trained teachers in an apprenticeship fashion.
STEP 2
"Project in their sequence the directions for the primary control which I had reasoned out as being best for the purpose of bringing about the new and improved use of myself..."
Alexander applied this to speaking, I will continue to apply this to reaching to lift my cup. You can apply this to any activity you choose.
In practice, this part is the same regardless of your stimulus, although you may develop your own specific directions that assist with particular activities. For instance, I think more detailed directions when I am preparing for a fine motor task, like typing, than I do when I am walking.
The primary control is not a discrete physical structure in the body, it is a term F. M. coined to signify the primacy of the influence head balance on the top of the spine has on a balance, posture and coordination. Improving efficiency in the specific relationship of head/neck/back improves more general balance, posture and movement throughout our system.
When in doubt, prioritize influencing the quality of supporting tone in your neck, and the placement of the weight of your head. This is accomplished indirectly, through the skill of inhibition from Step 1, and how you project the sequence of directions. Thoughts can help the muscle action become more efficient, and reduce bracing or stiffening in any position.
The sequence of directions Alexander used evolved over the years. This is a version I was introduced to early on:
Let the neck be free to
Let the head move forward and up to
Let the back lengthen and widen to
Let the knees go forward and away
You can read a blog about the directions here https://www.brookelieb.com/blog/2017/6/22/musings-on-alexanders-directions].
Step 2 gives you time to let go of any residual attention and the corresponding postural, balance and movement habits you bring to the activity inspired by the stimulus from step 1.
Hit the "pause" button to give yourself time to reconfigure and reprioritize. "How I do what I am going to do" is of the greatest interest. Alexander advocates that we perform life in a more poised, efficient state. These directions are distilled from his years of experience to help us avoid, prevent or reduce a common tendency to "pull in". Pulling in can include compressing in the spine and/or joints, stiffening or bracing with muscles, overworking in some muscle groups and underworking in others.
The directions are aspirational thoughts. They describe what happens if you stop tightening your neck, pulling your head back and down (or forward and down), shortening and narrowing your back, and locking or bracing your knees.
How you might learn and practice projecting the directions in lessons
Your teacher might turn your head, or guide you to look up and down while helping you maintain more length and expansion in your body. Your task while your teacher guides this movement is to think the directions while maintaining your balance, posture and availability to be moved. You are ultimately generating any state that arises in you. The teacher's touch, words and quality of her hands are communicating to you, and informing and influencing how you generate your state. Your agency is what you are working with.
Your teacher might lift and move your arm while you are on the table. You project the directions to reduce or eliminate activity in your neck, shoulder, trunk or legs that is not needed when someone else is lifting and moving your arm for you.
Your teacher may ask you to bend your leg so you have weight on your foot and your knee is pointing to the ceiling. This will involve movement and muscle stabilization to maintain the shape once you arrive. The task of bending is the stimulus. You will put action on pause and spend time thinking the directions before you consider when or if to carry out the action. At some point, you may decide not to move, or you might move. That comes AFTER Step 2.
How you might learn and practice projecting the directions on your own
While you are walking, you start thinking the directions. Their meaning will be informed by your self-exploration and experiences you have had in lessons and classes. You might think about what they mean while you are walking.
Take an inventory of your perception about yourself while standing. Then lay down with some books behind your head, look at the ceiling (I recommend eyes open, and that you gaze eyebrow level and above and stay aware of your peripheral field of vision) and think or speak the directions. You can do this for 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes. Stand up and compare your before and after perception of yourself.
Before you stand up from dinner, pause and repeat the directions, relating to what they mean in your experience, 6 times. Then rise from the table.
Next time we will explore step 3, "continue to project these directions until I believed I was sufficiently au fait with them to employ them for the purpose of gaining my end"
*From the chapter Evolution of a Technique in Alexander’s third book Use of the Self
Supposing that the “end” I decided to work for was to speak a certain sentence, I would start in the same way as before and
1) inhibit any immediate response to the stimulus to speak the sentence,
2) project in their sequence the directions for the primary control which I had reasoned out as being best for the purpose of bringing about the new and improved use of myself in speaking, and
3) continue to project these directions until I believed I was sufficiently au fait with them to employ them for the purpose of gaining my end and speaking the sentence.
At this moment, the moment that had always proved critical for me because it was then that I tended to revert to my wrong habitual use, I would change my usual procedure and
4) while still continuing to project the directions for the new use I would stop and consciously reconsider my first decision, and ask myself “Shall I after all go on to gain the end I have decided upon and speak the sentence? Or shall I not? Or shall I go on to gain some other end altogether? “ - and then and there make a fresh decision,
5) either
not to gain my original end, in which case I would continue to project the directions for maintaining the new use and not go on to speak the sentence;
or
to change my end and do something different, say, lift my arm instead of speaking the sentence, in which case I would continue to project the directions for maintaining the new use to carry out this last decision and lift my hand;
or
to go on after all and gain my original and, in which case I would continue to project the directions for maintaining the new use to speak the sentence.