I was very interested to read an article – ‘Is there too much stress on STRESS?’ in one of the Sunday papers*. Coined by Hans Seyle in the 1940s, the term ‘stress’ must be one of the most used words in our language. It has been a dirty word, but increasingly there is recognition of the benefit of appropriate amounts of stress.
I was particularly interested to read about a study that demonstrates the way in which ‘the effects of stress can be mitigated by a certain cast of mind’ (p 11) – a project from the University of California, published in ‘Biological Science’, has found that certain people can build resilience so that when they are subjected to stress, they are able to modify the fight/flight reaction, and maintain a degree of calm, rather than panic and subsequent exhaustion. An exciting possibility!
It made me think about the way in which the Alexander Technique can help: by developing the ability to recognise habitual responses to stressful situations, and learning how to choose a more appropriate response.
Definitely food for thought.

*The Observer 14.02.2016 THE NEW REVIEW pp 8-11

January 5th 2016: a beautiful sunny spring-like day. We have started giving our sheep a supplementary feed because it is only 8 weeks until lambing! Thinking about new lambs reminded me of a morning spent with the ‘small shepherds’ club’ I belong to, a few years ago. We were gathered in the lambing shed of a large commercial farm in Surrey: The shepherd was demonstrating how to tube feed a premature lamb, when his ears literally pricked up. He handed the little lamb to someone else, stepped over the hurdles, and made his way through the hundreds of expectant mums to a ewe struggling to give birth. He delivered the lamb, got it breathing and settled, and then resumed his talk without any fuss. He was absolutely ‘in the moment’ – relaxed, and yet acutely aware, ready to respond to any situation.

This state of being is probably one to which we would all aspire, and the Alexander Technique can help you – learning how to recognize when stress is making you tense, and teaching you how to use thinking to bring about a more desirable state, of both relaxation and awareness, like the shepherd, well-oiled and ready to spring!

Tip of the week: sat at your desk, or dining table, notice the effect of your thinking: say to yourself: eyes relax; notice what is within your visual field, and at the limit of where you can see, let your ears take over hearing sounds, so that you have a 360 degree sense of being. How do you feel?

Leading up to Christmas, I will be offering a series of free taster sessions, introducing you to the Technique, and the way in which it can help you:

• Let go of stress
• Release tension in your shoulders, neck and back
• Improve your posture,
• Recharge your batteries
• Find a moment of peace

Dates: Thursdays 10th and 17th December 19.30-20.30 and also 10.30-12 noon on the 17th

Venue: St. James’ Church, Rowledge, GU10 4EN

To find out more, and to book, contact me by phone or through my contact page