Page 69 - Total War on PTSD

us uniquely displays. The discovery of why we move the way we do becomes a large part of the work to be done when studying the Alexander Technique. It occurs when the different movement experiences you have in a lesson awakens something about yourself. Our movement patterns and our emotional state are closely tied together. For example, a person who feels pressured to get as many things done as possible in their day might move in a rushed fashion. Their breath might become shallow, their footsteps and hand movements quick, their musculature tight or held, and their vision narrowed. A depressed or sad person may move slowly; they may carry themselves in a collapsed posture, sigh frequently and not want to make eye contact with their environment. Someone fearful might be hesitant in their interaction with others, hold their musculature rigidly, strain their eyes to see, and function in a constant state of caution. An overexcited individual might have quick, short movements, a high-pitched voice, and rapid speech. Another Veteran told me that the things he learned about himself in his lessons helped him become more aware of himself and then everything started to change. Are you aware of unnecessary tensions that you hold in your body?
Most of us are unaware of how we move. Fredrick Matthias Alexander, the founder of the Alexander Technique, tells us that our sensory perception is “debauched,” or faulty. This was one of Alexander’s first discoveries. Alexander was born in Australia in 1869. His passion was acting, yet he frequently struggled with the loss of his voice while on stage. He sought medical attention and was advised to rest; however, shortly after returning to the stage he would again lose his voice. His determination to continue acting led him to begin a process of self-observation. His doctors agreed with his thinking that he must be “doing” something to cause the loss of his voice yet they were not able to tell him what it was. Using a three-way mirror, he observed himself astutely and noticed several things. When he took a breath, he sucked his air in loudly and lifted his chest. Having been instructed to grasp the floor while acting, he tightened his feet. Until he took the time to see himself in the mirror, he had been unaware that he was creating muscular interference (tension), in his body. But, if he tried to move in the opposite direction from the way he was positioning himself in an attempt to reverse or undo what
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