In my post Head Over Heels I write about the Alexander Technique Primary Control; the important relationship of the head to the neck and the torso. Here is an exercise to practice this relationship. What is most important is that you do nothing. The AT has at its heart to get out of the way of the natural functioning of the body by simply thinking about the intention and direction of the change without physically doing anything. It sounds a little wacky, but I guarantee that it works once you get it.
Sit in a comfortable position and begin to breathe as described in Umbrella Breathing until you are fully relaxed and present in your body with a comfortable breathing rhythm.
Root your sitz bones into the chair/floor and imagine your spine is the trunk of a tree growing up towards the sunlight- energy up the spine and out the top of your head.
Take your finger and press it into the center of the crown of your head with enough pressure to commit the place to your sense memory; hands back to the thighs.
Imagine your head is a basketball and from the center of the crown, imagine lobbing the basketball into a basket 10 feet high and 10 feet away.
Inhale rooting your sitz bones and with each exhale, feel energy rising up the spine and lob the basketball forward and up without changing the position of the head. Simply think about the intention and direction as the energy rises up the spine and continues out the top of the head.
Ideally, you should feel a release of tension in the torso and a lengthening and widening of the back as a result of repeating this 20 times. Take heart, this requires concentration and letting go of some old patterns (our comfort zone), but within a short time you will start to feel the benefits.
Practice this a few times a day in a seated position and then try to integrate this awarenes into all of your daily movements; walking, sitting at your computer, rising from a chair, working out, etc.
Notice the impact of this upward energy on your posture and your outlook.
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