Being embodied is when we are “one with the task” and are organized as a whole in physical form. Our attitude is that of being absorbed, confident, free and resourceful. The totality of ourselves functions in a symphonic way, that is, we are unified in thought, emotion and spirit as a direct expression through our body and its coordination. We experience balance and integration in an activity, as well as having perspective and stamina to address obstacles.
In our daily lives we may not notice how, when facing challenge, we respond with excessive tension which frustrates our ability to be “one with the task.” In this constricted state we perceive a narrower range of choice and pursue options with less adventure, tending to become habituated and dull. Whether we are getting in our own way by succumbing to poor physical or psychological habits, we may often wonder why challenge does not bring out the best in us.
The Alexander Technique is a well proven method of intercepting and redirecting habituated response. The principles awaken sensory appreciation and heighten sensitivity to kinesthetic experience, which serve us in developing self-awareness. Enlivening how we engage with thought and movement allows us to become more specific and refined. This improves our coordination of both. Presence and poise give us deeper access to ourselves and unlimited potential for creativity. Often it is in pursuing the less familiar that we recognize seeds of progress. As we come to embody ourselves more fully we recognize that the answers are within us.
Read what John has to say about his experience of a series of six lessons:
I reached out to Teva seeking relief from a herniated disc that – despite two years of experimenting with everything from physical therapy to spinal injections to acupuncture to chiropractors to Feldenkrais – was still a persistent source of irritation. I still have trouble explaining to friends what exactly the Alexander Technique is, but I have no trouble explaining that it works. Beyond just the physical relief I feel, my work with Teva has triggered a deeper awareness of physical habits that have gone unnoticed for years. The quality of everyday things ranging from posture, to voice, to gait, to sleep, have all improved since working with her. Teva’s ability to attune herself to the subtleties of the body, and elucidate the connections between the mental and the physical, make her someone I would recommend to anyone looking to improve their relationship to their own body.
Below are samples of two actors moving, singing and acting at two moments in their first year of grad acting training. Note the difference in presence, ability to respond to requests in the moment with poise, and degree of connection they each have to their voice as well as the capacity to utilize impulse successfully as storytellers.
Click on blue box within the link to view footage.