“I have to do it right, and I have to do it now!”

“I can’t do it. I give up.”

“I am at ease in my body, and have all the time I need.”

Mind Body Unity

What is the Alexander Technique? A way to improve posture and coordination A way to release tension in activity Uses awareness and thought (mindfulness) as a way to change long-standing habits

Alexander Technique... Is a missing piece of the wellbeing/wellness puzzle Concerns HOW we do what we do The mindful Pause is the secret ingredient in how we achieve change.

It is the ability to pause that allows us to choose one thought over another...

p a u s e Theme 1

Three Ways to Pause The Long Pause The Micro Pause The Active Pause

The Long Pause Constructive Rest

The Micro Pause While Working

The Active Pause While Walking

Expansion/ Contraction Theme 2

Exploration 1 For 2 minutes sit or stand with your arms and legs closely crossed together.

Exploration 2 For 2 minutes stand with your feet wide apart, and your hands on your hips.

Amy Cuddy Social Psychologist, Harvard Conducted experiments with low- power and high-power poses.

Low-Power Poses

High-Power Poses

Findings After two minutes of doing high-power poses: Testosterone higher, cortisol lower Described by others with words such as: confident, passionate, enthusiastic, captivating, authentic, comfortable, present Participants were not only perceived differently by others, but also by themselves.

Conclusions Our bodies change our minds And our minds change our behavior And our behavior changes our outcomes Tiny tweaks BIG CHANGES

What could Alexander Technique offer? Alexander Technique is about HOW you do what you do. Alexander Technique allows you to improve your posture by releasing tension!

Posture How do you think of posture?

Applying Alexander Technique to the “Wonder Woman” pose! Exploration 3

Exploration 4 Movement and imagination

Mind Changes Body Body Changes Mind

Discussion What thoughts lead us in contraction (“low power”)? What kind of awareness and thoughts might we use instead?

Exploration 5

“As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” – Henry David Thoreau

Exploration 6 Constructive Rest

“Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength.” - Sigmund Freud

Thank You!