Jane’s weekly project.

1. Changing thoughts into awareness

I have been noticing a “buzziness” in my body these last few days. It’s my system’s way of saying “There’s something I have to do today. What is it?” Then I gently remind myself that this feeling and these thoughts are as a result of the deadline of writing a blog every day for 21 days. It is a product of busy-ness.

Along with all of that I was thinking  “I need to resist the urge to do something”.

I told my husband I felt like I needed to do something and he reeled off a long list of things I could be doing. I thanked him and said I have a similar list. I will always have a “to do” list but some things will have a higher priority than others.

I realised that starting to address those “to do” lists, wasn’t what I needed. Nor is resisting the urge to “do” the way. That’s doing.

So I have been noticing my urge to do. Saying “Ah, there it is again.” but not going for a conversation with it. My priority at the moment is rest and non-doing.

If you are human, you will have busy thoughts from time to time. The skills you learn via the Alexander Technique are a good way into the present moment, stopping those kinds of thoughts and finding out what is your priority.

Eckhart Tolle talks about the quickest way out of your head and to presence is through awareness of the body. The Alexander Technique is very much about thinking, yet is a mind-body process.

You might like to give the following a go when you find thoughts are going round and round or you are having a long conversation in your head:

Notice your thoughts, acknowledge them. Accept them. Thank them for being there. 

Open your awareness to your body. All of it or any part will do. I have been taking my attention to my feet (more on that soon). Be kind about what you notice. No need to judge it. Just notice the sensations. 

Some practices invite you to notice your breathing, or notice one of the senses. What you notice is going to be unique whatever route you choose.

Obviously you don’t have to link this to busy thoughts. You can do it any time.

Simply being aware of my body, I have to come into the present moment! I often find I sigh and take a deeper breath at that moment. Perhaps that’s because I have been restricting my breathing but unaware that I was. It’s often the first response.

The amount you do it is up to you. My experience is the more you do it, the more you notice your busy thoughts, the longer you remain in the present moment.

Let me know if you give it a go, what happens to you? What happens to the thoughts?

Jane Clappison, Alexander Technique Teacher
01759 307282
www.janeclappison.co.uk