Writer

Maxime at 48, an accomplished writer and poet, called me for her first Alexander Technique lesson just three weeks after major life-altering surgery. She had severe scoliosis. Surgeons replaced bone and vertebrae with rods along remaining spine to straighten her posture. Before surgery she navigated her body: an anomaly, her spine bent to her left side 80˚ with a slight rotation forward and up. She negotiated doors, stairs, getting in and out of cars, daily living, from this curved point of view.

Our first lesson, Maxime was in bed, slightly inclined unable to sit up, fatigued by her body’s healing process. It was clear she had a willingness to be with herself, differently, in simple everyday movement activities. Movement patterns that were once ordinary had been removed.

I asked Maxime to observe what ever she noticed while resting. She felt the contact she had with the bedding, her clothing, and the mattress. Next, I asked her what thoughts she was aware of, without getting involved or attached to the words, just simply noticing. She wondered when she would regain her energy and strength. Maxime observed herself honestly. Her expression was both frail and without judgment. I asked if there was anymore information she was aware of? She was ready to continue. After a moment, I asked her to become aware of her breathing, the gentle rise and fall of her ribs with each inhalation and exhalation. By paying attention to her self, Maxime was setting a foundation for the study of FM Alexander’s method.

With gentle hands-on guidance and verbal feedback Maxime and I mapped out her whole body: head, neck, collar bone, shoulders, upper arm, lower arm, wrists, hands, fingers, torso, ribs, hips, upper legs, lower legs, ankles, feet, toes. Our first lesson was simple, fitting.

The next week she had more energy. Maxime lying down with a pillow propping her up wanted to be shown how to sit up on her own. I brought out photographs and simple drawings of anatomy that involved sitting. We spoke of what would be useful to her, in order to sit up by herself. I introduced some ideas, using sensible support from her structure, the influence of Inhibition* and Primary Control**, and her muscles working in coordination. With hands-on I guided Maxime turning onto her side, then using her hands and arms to bring her to a sitting position. She discovered a quality of ease throughout the sitting process, and gained a clearer awareness of using her muscles efficiently.

The next five lessons progressed from sitting, to standing up, to walking, to sitting in a chair, and finally to sitting at her writing desk comfortably.
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*Inhibition - To stop or to pause a habitual movement pattern so the body can inform the student as to a new quality of movement which is natural and inherent in the body.

**Primary Control – Alexander observed that within his body including head, neck and back held the key responsibility for the body’s movement and coordination while in activity. Primary Control is the ‘mechanism of the total pattern’ in Alexander’s view of the use of the self. We are born with Primary Control. Primary Control is inherent and natural with each of us