Table Of ContentPlaying with Posture
Positive Child Development using the Alexander Technique
by
Sue Holladay
First published in 2012 by HITE
HITE Limited, 10 Harley Street, London W1G 9PF
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.hiteltd.co.uk
Copyright © 2012 Sue Holladay
The rights of Sue Holladay to be identified as the author of this work
have been asserted in accordance with
the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher.
A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library.
Book and cover design by Nalini Thapen
ISBN: 978-0-9568997-2-9
4
Note to readers
This book conveys the opinions and ideas of its author. It is sold with the
understanding that neither the author nor the publisher are providing medical
advice. If the reader has any concerns, or requires advice, a doctor should be
consulted.
The ideas and games outlined in this book may not be suitable for everyone, and
are not guaranteed to produce any particular results. The reader will gain most
benefit from reading alongside having lessons with a qualified Alexander
Technique teacher.
Both the author and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any
liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence,
directly or indirectly, of use and application of any of the contents of this book.
Some names and identifying details of the individuals mentioned in this book
have been changed to protect their privacy.
If you would like to contact the author or publisher with any comments, requests,
or suggestion, then please email: [email protected]
To my three children, Oliver, Nicholas, Lucilla, and six grandchildren,
who have led me along this delightful and rewarding path of learning, with my
love and thanks.
Contents
Foreword
1. Introduction Searching for ideal posture
Posture is conditioned by habitual movement
Why the Alexander Technique is unusual
Education and positive child development
Can the Alexander Technique help your child
2. Foundations Alexander Technique origins and now
Building up integration
Concepts in the Alexander Technique
3. Not so common sense Indirect means
Alexander thinking
4. Alexander and positive child development Stages of development
Early years
Primary years
Secondary years
5. Mapping the body Eliminate strain
Increase freedom
Body Mapping
Importance of head balance
Importance of breathing
The back and limbs
How it all goes wrong
6. Reset and restore Releasing the spine
Lying down the Alexander way
Waiting time
7. Putting it into practice Listening and communicating
Internal discipline
Sensitivity to touch
Keeping mind and body in step
8. Thinking in action The daily round
Standing – the plumb line test
Lifting with leverage
Sitting in an armchair
Lying in bed
Dealing with stress
Integration – your mindset
Reminders for thinking in action
9. School life Sport and fitness
Music, dance and drama
Arts and crafts
Special needs
10. The home environment Support and nourishment
Rhythm
Play
Joy
11. Conclusion Appendix 1: Games to play with children
Appendix 2: Scientific Support
Acknowledgements
References
Foreword
Sue brings to this work the same quality of lightness of being, playfulness and
delight that I experienced from her teaching when I began my own journey with
the Technique some 12 years ago. My first encounter with the Alexander
Technique had been through musicians describing the greater ease with which
they created sound. As a violinist (albeit amateur), I was intrigued.
Subsequently, in my role as a chiropractor, I questioned the use of external
functional appliances to ‘correct’ or optimize the mechanics of the foot and
temporo-mandibular joints, and I began taking lessons myself.
With this experience I recall observing that primary school children would
benefit if the teaching of the Technique were part of their formal learning
experience. Over the years this instinct has been borne out as I have observed the
benefits in children of all ages who have taken lessons. There are, of course, the
direct and more tangible benefits of effortlessly making a fuller sound when
playing a musical instrument, or improvements in coordination. More
profoundly, the ease within the body that they develop seems to help these
individuals navigate the challenges of transitional periods in their lives, or what
we might call ‘rites of passage’, like puberty.
However ‘Playing with Posture’ has a far broader scope. The book excels at
communicating the essence of the Alexander Technique in such a way that is
very readable and also highly kinaesthetic - immediately I read the directions ...
‘Let the neck be free
To let the head go forward-and-up, To let the back, lengthen and widen,
And let the knees go forward-and-away’
... I feel my body responding! Head forward and up, back opening and I notice
that I carry this reawakened awareness with me in all the normal comings and
goings that make up my day. What a joyful, peaceful and delightful space this is!
It’s a place from which there is space to chose my perspective in any given
moment. I particularly like Sue’s short form, ‘Stop, Think, Act’, as I feel it’s a
useful translation of the directions both for those who have not yet had the
experience of one-to-one Alexander Technique lessons and for those who have.
It shortens the directions to a form that both children and adults can very easily
integrate into their lives making all the benefits of being truly present in one’s
body, and therefore present in all activities, accessible in a new way.
When I recommend patients take Alexander Technique lessons it can be a
challenge to convey the essence and therefore value of the Alexander Technique
in a way that makes the potential benefits meaningful to an individual. This book
easily and clearly communicates this message by demonstrating its applicability
to the everyday, through examples of activities and tasks that most people can
relate to, such as pushing a supermarket trolley, sitting at a desk or washing-up.
The inclusion of games for parents and teachers to play with children provides
ample opportunities for practical exploration and fun.
The author brings to this work the unique combination of the authority of a
teacher who has a wealth of experience in many different contexts and a
compassionate understanding of the ‘human condition’ - our lapses, our
forgetfulness as we fall into old patterns of postural strain and compromise. The
material is readable and accessible through the sharing of personal experience
and the lightness of approach. Those ‘slouching’ postural tendencies are
explained when we understand that too much tension in one muscle group pulls
us into a place of compromise. As we comprehend the roots to such patterns we
can let go of the idea that it is about laziness – and then there is room for a
different choice, beginning with freeing the neck, – breakthrough!
Neuro-developmental delay and the remediation of persistent primitive reflexes
is an area of special interest in my work with children. Sally Goddard-Blyth has
been profoundly important to the area as a whole and to my personal practice
and references to her work within this book give further validation to ‘Playing
with Posture’. I have observed some of the most rewarding and dramatic results
as the retained reflexes are inhibited, allowing age appropriate neurological
development to be restored and completed. It is an area of work that is huge in
terms of positive consequences for the individuals enabling them to reach their
full potential. It is also an area which, despite compelling evidence, continues to
be largely neglected at huge cost to individuals and their families with the
consequent implications for society as a whole. It is particularly gratifying that
this topic is covered in a straight forward and encouraging manner in this book
and in such a way that the material will be relevant to parents, teachers, both
mainstream and special needs, and to the wider field of health practitioners.
‘Playing with Posture’ is relevant to the individual who wishes to gain an initial
understanding of the Alexander Technique, perhaps before embarking on
lessons, and for different reasons would be equally helpful for those already
having lessons. It is highly relevant for parents and carers of children and its
scope is sufficiently broad to be a manual for parenting. Sue’s commonsense
style is refreshing and her message is ultimately uplifting and inspiring.
Alison Edwards
Chiropractor
Cambridge, England
