• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
Climbing the Pleasure ScaleFour Tips for Reducing Chronic Pain with the Alexander TechniquebyLeland VallCertified Alexander Technique Instructor New York, NYwww.freeyourneck.comClimbing the Pleasure Scale
Many people find relief from chronic pain through the Alexander Technique. If that is why youare reading this, you may have seen a medical professional who asked you to rate your painon a scale of 0 to 10—the pain scale. The Alexander Technique is different because itdoesn’t involve measuring you by your pain. Instead, by improving your posture, movementand breathing, the Alexander Technique helps you rediscover your body as a source of pleasure. I like to think that the Alexander Technique helps you forget the pain scale andshows you how to climb the pleasure scale.
How the Alexander Technique Works
An Alexander Technique teacher uses a gentle guiding touch and verbal instructions to helpyou rediscover your natural posture and movement. People are often surprised at the suddencomfort in their bodies, as well as the ease they experience doing familiar activities likebending, standing or walking.
Alexander Technique Tips for Reducing Chronic Pain
Because it involves experiencing your body in a new way, learning the Alexander Techniqueusually requires an instructor’s guidance. However, you can get started on your own by tryingout the following tips and other resources available at my website, www.freeyourneck.com.One important thing to remember is that the Alexander Technique reduces pain by helpingyou feel better generally. As you explore these tips, try not to link them directly to curing your pain. Like any enjoyable activity, it’s better when you don’t think so much about what isbothering you.www.freeyourneck.comPage 1 of 4©2010 Leland Vall
 
1 Allow for openness in your body.
Pain often makes people pull inward toward the pain. This habit tends to increase tension,making pain worse. Sometimes giving pain a little extra room can cause it to dissipate. Trythinking of your body as expansive and avoid responding to pain by pulling inward or drawingyourself toward the pain. Take some time every day to lie down as shown with your headresting on a soft-cover book and imagine your body as expanding from the extremitiesinward. Without stretching or pulling, imagine your body as internally spacious. During anAlexander lesson, I use my hands to gently encourage a feeling of openness. You can alsofind a more detailed description of lying down in my manual,
The Secret to Using Your Body 
.
2 Try to think of your body as light in weight.
There is a general perception about the relentless pull of gravity making us feel heavy anddragging us down. But look around and you can see the most delicate flower reachingskyward. You can also see lightness in a large animal like a horse, or even an elephant.Thinking of your body as light in weight can help you stand taller and improve your posture.Standing taller better aligns your bones so that they can support you instead of your musculature. Standing taller also makes movement easier and more efficient. A feeling of lightness is a hallmark of the Alexander Technique.www.freeyourneck.comPage 2 of 4©2010 Leland Vall
 
3 Allow for softness in the back of your neck.
Learning how to release your head from the top of your spine is a unique and primaryconcern of the Alexander Technique. Excess neck tension is not only uncomfortable, it pullsthe head downward, decreasing the length of the spine, and restricting easy movement andbreathing. As you are reading this, (and without doing any special movements), try simplyallowing for a softness in the back of your neck and see what happens.
4 Learn to improve the coordination of your breathing
.Breathing is a significant activity for the body. Not only does the action of breathing providethe oxygen that keeps you alive, the movement that occurs with each breath also gentlymoves and massages the internal organs and the muscles of the back and entire torso.Properly coordinated breathing is more efficient (easier) and it better supplies that gentleinternal stimulation. Poorly coordinated breathing is less efficient (more of a burden on thebody) and can be a contributor to excess tension. To improve your breathing coordination onyou own, visit www.freeyourneck.com/html/breathing.html.www.freeyourneck.comPage 3 of 4©2010 Leland Vall
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...