Balance and Vitality

After the last session, I asked Alexis about the application of AT to running. She lent me a copy of Master the Art of Running: Raising Your Performance With the Alexander Technique, which gave some interesting tips. Looking forward to trying them out to see if it will solve the problem of the recurring blister on the arch of my left foot. Alexis also lent me another book, Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre, not an AT book per se, but a thought-provoking read all the same. The recommended section was called "Status" and discussed the motivations behind every word we speak and every gesture we make. I was particularly interested in the sub-section on "Space", since I seem to get trampled and bumped into everywhere I go in Paris -- a real source of stress for me.

Because I asked about running, we did a little bit of walking today with Alexis holding my head in a particular position and reminding me to use my hip joints. Now that felt weird. I felt light and a little bit glamorous, even. Unfortunately I haven't been able to achieve that effect on my own thus far.

Otherwise, the AT sessions have proceeded in much the same format: 20 minutes of chair work, followed by 20 minutes of table work. I find that I really look forward to the sessions as a way to relax and feel hopeful about my future.