I say ‘that is the question’ but, until I encountered the Alexander Technique, it was a question I had never thought to ask. Why? Well I believed wholeheartedly in ‘good posture’. It made sense, it seemed helpful and everyone I knew believed in it as well. Maintaining a good posture was very important to me and I would blame any aches or pains I had on not doing so. When I began to learn the Alexander Technique I started to think differently.
I realised our bodies are designed for movement. Why else would we have so many moving parts? And not just big movements, such as getting up and moving around, but also tiny movements, the continual small adjustments we make, even when sitting or standing ‘still’.
If we are designed for movement it follows that fixing ourselves into any ‘posture’ is unhelpful.
Initially I was disappointed to realise this. My belief in ‘good posture’ was something I had held on to for a very long time. It was, however, great to lose the tension, pain and stiffness, that had resulted from my belief, and to stop wasting energy on holding my body in a ‘posture’.
So to posture, or not to posture, is a question I am pleased that I asked. By asking it I have decided that posture is an ‘act’ I no longer plan to engage in.
Questioning, however, is something I am more engaged in than ever. What other questions, I wonder, do we all have waiting in the wings, ready to be called on stage, explored and learnt from?