Quick Tip: Don't Over (not) Do It

Its Spring.  That means The world is awakening from its winter slumber, and with it, our drive to get out, enjoy, and accomplish.

I've noticed a curious phenomenon among my students over the last week or two.  I spend a lot of time working on the Alexandrian concept of Inhibition with them--not reacting immediately to a stimulus to give time for consciousness, choice, and change. Normally, this serves as a check on the overwhelming urge to 'do'--Endgaining without examining the Means-Whereby one might accomplish a task. 

But with the advent of the active season, it seems this has turned. A couple students have reported to me that their Directions have not been as useful lately, and they have found Inhibition to be frustrating.  I ask them how often they try to apply the work. They say 'all the time'.

And here is the root of the problem.

It always pays dividends to apply Alexander work with a light touch.  There is such a thing as too much of a something good, and if you are constantly trying to Inhibit and Direct every moment, it is easy for it to turn into over-control, or even over-effort.  Our drive for life and accomplishment (which for many of us has an over-arching tension in it) takes over and starts infecting our efforts to be more free.

To minimize this, in times of stress or enthusiasm, rather than reacting to the stimulus to 'do' by over-Inhibiting, let your self have a moment of pause every couple hours or just once a day.  You will find more freedom without being tempted into anxiety or it feeling restrictive to your love of life.  

As my first teacher Betsy used to say 'Inhibition is really just saying Yes to everything'. 

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