Learning About "Keisuke!" from Cathy at BodyChance

This week I spent several days as a student of Cathy Madden.

Cathy is an American teacher of Alexander's discovery – and teaches teachers in Europe, Australia, all over North America and England. She is now here in Japan working for BodyChance, so I decided to spend the day discovering new things with her.

We both discovered…

"Every year I come to Japan, I learn something new about KEISUKE."

On this occasion, one of our Yoga trainees was consulting Cathy about her sore neck – when she wakes up, often her neck is sore.

To look at what is happening, Kaho lay down face-up on a Yoga mat, with her arms outstretched, showing her sleeping position.

Cathy looked, wondered out loud why her upper arms (shoulders) were so flat on the floor. Cathy asked her to put her hands on her tummy, and her upper arm lifted away from the floor. 

"That's it's natural home," Cathy remarked. She then guided her arm back to being fully extended along the side of her body - but this time, Cathy used her hands to get in the way of that upper arm pressing down.

Kaho was amazed…

"eeeeeee!" she screamed. "I thought it was gravity that made my shoulder go down."

"No," said Cathy, "You were pressing your upper arm down. That's why your neck was hurting."

"Keisuke!" – the English equivalent being:

Stall tall! 
Shoulders back! 
Tummy in! 
Tuck your Tail Back!

Or any number of those.

This kind of instruction is probably one of the most harmful ways you can treat your arms, head and spine. It is a physical act of aggression against a delicate and sophisticated movement system. 

It is unnecessary and irrelevant to improving your postural well-being.

And yet, millions upon millions of Japanese (and Westerners) do it to themselves every day. At ATSuccess, my wish is to offer you an alternative way to manage your Alexander well-being. Success is the strongest opiate of them all.

Cathy is here a few more weeks, BodyChance is here permanently.

Next Golden Week I am putting together a tailored training program for a group of English-speaking teachers at my 5 Day residential near Mt Fuji. Wake up in the morning for a brisk walk up the hill to see Fuji-san is showing her white skirts today or not?

As there are only three spots, just write to me if you’re interested.