Comments on: The use of the chair http://blog.dodman.org/archives/42 All flesh is as grass Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:37:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: dod http://blog.dodman.org/archives/42/comment-page-1#comment-28137 dod Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:49:14 +0000 http://blog.dodman.org/?p=42#comment-28137 Hello Magdalena, Thanks for your kind words. It's gratifying to know you've benefited from some of the things I've written. Virtually every time I write about the Technique it's done primarily to help explain it to myself. What I mean is, I start out not really knowing what I believe about an issue, or having only a rough notion of what I think, and I usually end up with a clear (or clearer) understanding. I find it very helpful, and I'm glad when others do, too. I'm still searching for greater clarity, because what the Technique is can seem vague, and this is often encouraged by the use of 'key' words, that are assumed to mean the same thing to everyone, but usually don't. Nicholas Hello Magdalena,

Thanks for your kind words. It’s gratifying to know you’ve benefited from some of the things I’ve written.

Virtually every time I write about the Technique it’s done primarily to help explain it to myself. What I mean is, I start out not really knowing what I believe about an issue, or having only a rough notion of what I think, and I usually end up with a clear (or clearer) understanding. I find it very helpful, and I’m glad when others do, too.

I’m still searching for greater clarity, because what the Technique is can seem vague, and this is often encouraged by the use of ‘key’ words, that are assumed to mean the same thing to everyone, but usually don’t.

Nicholas

]]> By: Magdalena Portmann http://blog.dodman.org/archives/42/comment-page-1#comment-28134 Magdalena Portmann Fri, 01 Jan 2010 11:17:27 +0000 http://blog.dodman.org/?p=42#comment-28134 Dear Nicholas, I have found your blog most helpful indeed! I have had quite a struggle with the chairwork (as a teacher). At times, it felt more like an exercise for myself: practicing getting people in and out of a chair - a lot of end gaining involved there! - so for a while I abandoned it (or rather the chair, but that brought its own problems). Since reading your articles, I have managed to bring back chair work, feel happier with it, and am at least able to put it in a wider context for my pupils. I am encouraging my pupils to play with their hinges, without loosing the feet (keeping a good sense of the floor supporting them and the floor taking the weight). The play element seems to help avoid the alexandroid stiffness. By the way, I qualified as an Alexander Technique teacher in July 08 and have been teaching for just one and a half years. At times, I ask myself how one can teach this thing at all.... I have also been quite preoccupied with the mind/body separation - the linguistic problem of the separation - the absence of a language that does not separate them - the whole notion of psycophysical unity. Whilst pondering this issue, I came across a review by you of Theodore Dimon's book "The Undivided Self". The review prompted me to get the book (you are right - not easy reading, but then he is treating a most difficult concept) - and via that route found your web site. I read your articles and essays with great interest - have found your writing very direct, honest, challenging, astute - you manage to write with clarity about issues that are rather complex, and you are careful not to become wishywashy (sorry - I cannot think of another term) when things get difficult. So: many thanks for your writings! Magdalena P.S. and best wishes for 2010! Dear Nicholas,
I have found your blog most helpful indeed! I have had quite a struggle with the chairwork (as a teacher). At times, it felt more like an exercise for myself: practicing getting people in and out of a chair – a lot of end gaining involved there! – so for a while I abandoned it (or rather the chair, but that brought its own problems). Since reading your articles, I have managed to bring back chair work, feel happier with it, and am at least able to put it in a wider context for my pupils. I am encouraging my pupils to play with their hinges, without loosing the feet (keeping a good sense of the floor supporting them and the floor taking the weight). The play element seems to help avoid the alexandroid stiffness.

By the way, I qualified as an Alexander Technique teacher in July 08 and have been teaching for just one and a half years. At times, I ask myself how one can teach this thing at all…. I have also been quite preoccupied with the mind/body separation – the linguistic problem of the separation – the absence of a language that does not separate them – the whole notion of psycophysical unity. Whilst pondering this issue, I came across a review by you of Theodore Dimon’s book “The Undivided Self”. The review prompted me to get the book (you are right – not easy reading, but then he is treating a most difficult concept) – and via that route found your web site. I read your articles and essays with great interest – have found your writing very direct, honest, challenging, astute – you manage to write with clarity about issues that are rather complex, and you are careful not to become wishywashy (sorry – I cannot think of another term) when things get difficult. So: many thanks for your writings!
Magdalena
P.S. and best wishes for 2010!

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