[R-2] The Top-Down Level of Becoming Me Again
Jan 21, 2025
I recently watched an Alexander introductory video with London-based teacher Anthony Kingsley, both talking and teaching. There's plenty of them on YouTube - just take a look. Given the strong influence of Marjorie Barstow's (1899-1996) way of communicating Alexander's Discovery in my work, I was startled to see his radically different approach.
What he does and what I do almost seem like two different Alexander Techniques!
This is one reason I don't like using the term Alexander Technique but, instead, use "Alexander's Discovery". When I think about Alexander's discovery, I can see in Anthony's way of teaching the same ideas and principles that drive my work.
So what is the difference?
Anthony is following FM's way. In FM Alexander's four books, a new word, "conditioning", appears in his final book "The Universal Constant in Living". FM didn't use this word previously, but if you include the Contents page, FM uses this new word 22 times in reference to his teaching process.
What does "conditioning" mean?
It means using lots of touch when you teach.
You give lots of "hands-on" work - as the expression goes - and not necessarily much verbal explanation, other than saying initially something like: "let me do this for you".
I trained and worked this way for 10 years before I met Marj. Marj gradually moved away from working this way because she didn't want students to rely on her hands "conditioning" them; instead, she wanted her students to start thinking and moving on their own from the very first lesson.
But this requires lots of "bottom-up" explanations: touch and explain, touch and explain.
However, when an Alexander teacher continuously relies on this special touch to activate the Postural Movement System (PMS) - teachers refer to this as "giving them [PMS] direction" - they can cause layers of Voluntary Movement System (VMS) derived complexity to dissolve into nothing.
And then, what is left behind?
This is a gripping psychological story...
VMS is where your idea of you is created. This "you" doesn't spring from the essential person you were at birth - it happens as your reaction to life's vicissitudes. As life intrudes, you start wrapping a VMS-derived envelope of personality around your essence, often suppressing your authentic expression.
As a simple physical example: at an early age, I may start to think I am too tall. So through voluntary movements that eventually become unconscious - stooping down, trying to make myself smaller - I generate a "feeling shorter" identity. This feeling-identity now accompanies me all day; it nestles into my life's gestalt.
I forget I even did it - it's just me now.
But it isn't.
And this is but one trite example. We have hundreds of them!
How about the person who feels criticised and responds by lifting their chest, pouting at the mouth and defensively declaring that they know more than you do! I could fill a book with all the physically-based psychological strategies individuals undertake to develop their protective personalities. The ego always defends itself through voluntary movement "armouring".
None of this has a scrap to do with your Postural Movement System (PMS).
Postural movement is innate; it is the same in everyone - not just humans, but all mammals. PMS is not part of your personal narrative, it is part of your evolutionary narrative. As such it is pure, authentic and has a clean-clear essence. When you experience PMS rising up within you - which Alexander's special touch can activate - you start to feel an affinity to all beings, to all life. You realise the nature of your true human Self.
Any creature with a vertebral column inherits a version of this Postural Movement - we are truly part of them, and they are truly part of us. We are one.
The calming, quietness, and "coming back to self" Anthony describes during the demonstration lesson I watched is the Postural Movement System reasserting its primary function of optimising your movement abilities.
I wrote about this previously as "The Terminator" effect.
PMS is simple to understand and activate - what is hard is the cacophony of conflicting and now unconscious voluntary movements (VMS) we have deployed as part of our defensive strategy to life. This is why it takes so long to train as an Alexander teacher - our personality has become so complex. These new strategies have become unconsciously woven into the psychological fabric of my ego-identity: the who I imagine myself to be, the who I am trying to be for others.
Postural movement doesn't care about that. It is not involved. It can only be authentic.
PMS is a movement optimisation system - 500 million years in development - representing a purity of who we have evolved to be. It's why cats all move alike. PMS lives in readiness to support, optimise and guide you on how to move as you gradually dismantle the VMS encumbrances you have erected against it.
PMS is the door leading you back into your essence.
Getting back to Anthony/FM - by using his touch (and voice, presence, etc.) as a "conditioning" force - he leads individuals to contact this deeper, truer PMS Self that lives inside us all. At least, that's how I understand it. FM described this in his final book - where he wrote that it was necessary to "condition" the student. FM insisted you come to 30 lessons - starting daily - so he could "condition" your postural movement through his touch.
This "top-down" way of working is still very common and effective.
There are multiple ways to approach Alexander's Discovery - when I think of my/Marj's "bottom-up" way compared to Anthony's/FM's "top-down" way - I can say this:
Both are true, and neither is right.
NEXT: [RECRUITMENT-3] Rehabilitation - PMS Style
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็งใซใชใใใใฎใใใใใฆใณใฎใฌใใซ
ๆ่ฟใใญใณใใณๅจไฝใฎๆๅธซใขใณใฝใใผใปใญใณใฐในใฌใผใซใใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใปใใฏใใผใฏๅ ฅ้ใใใชใ่ฆใใYouTubeใซใฏใใใใใฎใใใชใใใใ็งใฎไปไบใงใฏใใใผใธใงใชใผใปใใผในใใฆ(1899-1996)ใฎใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใฎใ็บ่ฆใใไผใใๆนๆณใๅผทใๅฝฑ้ฟใใฆใใใใๅฝผใฎๆ นๆฌ็ใซ็ฐใชใใขใใญใผใใ่ฆใฆ้ฉใใใ
ๅฝผใจ็งใฎใใฃใฆใใใใจใฏใใพใใง็ฐใชใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใปใใฏใใผใฏใฎใใใงใใ!
ใใใ็งใใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใปใใฏใใใฏใใจใใ็จ่ชใไฝฟใใฎใๅฅฝใพใชใ็็ฑใฎไธใคใงใใใไปฃใใใซใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใฎ็บ่ฆใใจใใ่จ่ใไฝฟใฃใฆใใ็็ฑใงใใใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใฎ็บ่ฆใซใคใใฆ่ใใใจใใขใณใฝใใผใฎๆๆๆณใซใฏใ็งใฎไปไบใจๅใ่ใๆนใๅ็ใๅๆ ใใใฆใใใใจใๅใใใ
ใงใฏใไฝใ้ใใฎใ ใใใ?
ใขใณใฝใใผใฏFMใฎใใๆนใ่ธ่ฅฒใใฆใใใFMใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใฎ4ๅใฎ่ๆธใฎไธญใงใๆๅพใฎ่ๆธใThe Universal Constant in Livingใใซใใณใณใใฃใทใงใใณใฐใใจใใๆฐใใ่จ่ใ็ปๅ ดใใใFMใฏใใใพใงใใฎ่จ่ใไฝฟใฃใฆใฏใใชใใฃใใใ็ฎๆฌกใๅซใใใจใFMใฏ่ช่บซใฎๆๅฐใใญใปในใซใคใใฆใใฎๆฐใใ่จ่ใ22ๅไฝฟ็จใใฆใใใ
ใใณใณใใฃใทใงใใณใฐใใจใฏไฝใๆๅณใใใฎใ?
ใใใฏใๆๅฐใใ้ใซๅคใใฎใฟใใใณใฐใ็จใใใใจใๆๅณใใใ
ใคใพใใใใ่จใใใใใใซใใใณใบใชใณใใฎใฏใผใฏใๅคใ่กใใๅฟ ใใใๅคใใฎๅฃ้ ญใงใฎ่ชฌๆใฏๅฟ ่ฆใจใใชใใใใ ใใๆๅใซใ็งใใใใ่กใใพใใใจใใใใใชใใจใ่จใใใจใฏใใใ
็งใฏใใผใธใฅใซๅบไผใใพใงใฎ10ๅนด้ใใใฎใใใซใใฌใผใใณใฐใ่กใใๆๅฐใ่กใฃใฆใใใใใผใธใฅใฏใ็ๅพใใกใๅฝผๅฅณใฎๆใซ้ ผใฃใฆใ่ชฟๆใใใใใใจใๆใใงใใชใใฃใใใใๅพใ ใซใใฎใใใชๆๅฐๆนๆณใใ้ขใใฆใใฃใใไปฃใใใซใๅฝผๅฅณใฏๆๅใฎใฌใในใณใใ็ๅพใใกใ่ชๅใง่ใใๅใใใใใซใใใใฃใใฎใ ใ
ใใใใใใฎใใใซใฏใใใใ ใขใใใใฎ่ชฌๆใใใใใ่กใๅฟ ่ฆใใใใ่งฆใใฆ่ชฌๆใใ่งฆใใฆ่ชฌๆใใใจใใๅ ทๅใ ใ
ใใใใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใปใใฏใใผใฏใฎๆๅธซใใๅงฟๅข้ๅใทในใใ (PMS)ใๆดปๆงๅใใใใใซใใใฎ็นๅฅใชใฟใใใ็ถ็ถ็ใซ็จใใๅ ดๅ(ๆๅธซใฏใใใใPMSใซๆนๅๆงใไธใใใใจๅผใถ)ใ้ๆ้ๅใทในใใ (VMS)ใซ็ฑๆฅใใ่ค้ใชๅฑคใใไฝใใใๆถใๅปใฃใฆใใพใใใจใใใใ
ใใใฆใไฝใๆฎใใฎใ?
ใใใฏ่ๅณๆทฑใๅฟ็็ใช่ฉฑใงใใ...
VMSใฏใใใชใใจใใๆฆๅฟตใๅฝขๆใใใๅ ดๆใงใใใใใฎใใใชใใใฏใ่ช็ๆใซๆฌ่ณช็ใชๅญๅจใงใใฃใใใชใใใ็ใใใใฎใงใฏใชใใไบบ็ใฎๆตฎใๆฒใฟใซๅฏพใใๅๅฟใจใใฆ็ใใใใฎใงใใใไบบ็ใไปๅ ฅใใใจใใใชใใฏๆฌ่ณชใๅ ใฟ่พผใใใใซVMS็ฑๆฅใฎๆงๆ ผใฎๅ ใฟ็ดใๅทปใๅงใใใใใใฆใใใฐใใฐๆฌ็ฉใฎ่กจ็พใๆๅถใใใ
ๅ็ดใช็ฉ็็ใชไพใๆใใใจใๅนผใ้ ใ่ชๅใฏ่ใ้ซใใใใจๆใๅงใใใใใใใชใใใใใฆใๆ็ต็ใซ็กๆ่ญใจใชใ่ช็บ็ใชๅใใใคใพใ่บซใใใใใฆ่ชๅใๅฐใใ่ฆใใใใจใใๅใใ้ใใฆใใ่ใไฝใใใจใใใขใคใใณใใฃใใฃใไฝใๅบใใใใฎๆๆ ใจใขใคใใณใใฃใใฃใฏใไปใงใฏไธๆฅไธญ็งใซไปใใพใจใใ็งใฎ็ๆดปใฎๅ จไฝๅใซๆบถใ่พผใใงใใใ
็งใฏใใใใใใใจใใๅฟใใฆใใพใใใใใไปใฎ็งใชใฎใ ใ
ใใใใใใใงใฏใชใใ
ใใใฏใใใตใใไพใฎใฒใจใคใซ้ใใชใใ็งใใกใฏไฝ็พใใฎไพใๆใฃใฆใใ!
ๆนๅคใใใใจๆใใ่ธใๅผตใใๅฃใใจใใใใ่ชๅใฎๆนใใใชใใใ่ฉณใใใจ้ฒๅพก็ใซๅฎฃ่จใใไบบใซใคใใฆใฏใฉใใ ใใใใๅไบบใ่ชๅใๅฎใใใใซ่กใใ่บซไฝ็ใชๅฟ็็ๆฆ็ฅใซใคใใฆใๆฌไธๅๅใๆธใใใจใใงใใใใจใดใฏๅธธใซใ่ช็บ็ใชๅใใซใใฃใฆใ้งใใพใจใฃใฆใ่ชๅ่ช่บซใๅฎใใ
ใใใใฏใใใชใใฎๅงฟๅข้ๅใทในใใ (PMS)ใจใฏไฝใฎ้ขไฟใใชใใ
ๅงฟๅขใฎๅใใฏ็ใพใใคใใฎใใฎใงใใใไบบ้ใ ใใงใชใใใในใฆใฎๅบไนณ้กใซๅ ฑ้ใใใใฎใงใใใPMSใฏๅไบบใฎ็ฉ่ชใฎไธ้จใงใฏใชใใ้ฒๅใฎ็ฉ่ชใฎไธ้จใงใใใใใฎใใใ็ด็ฒใงๆฌ็ฉใงใใใๆพใฟๅใฃใๆฌ่ณชใๆใฃใฆใใใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใฎ็นๅฅใชใฟใใใซใใฃใฆๆดปๆงๅใใใPMSใ่ชๅใฎไธญใง้ซใพใใจใใใใใๅญๅจใใใใใ็ๅฝใซๅฏพใใฆ่ฆช่ฟๆใๆฑใใใใซใชใใใใใฆใ็ใฎไบบ้ใจใใฆใฎ่ชๅทฑใฎๆฌ่ณชใซๆฐใฅใใ
่ๆคใๆใค็ใ็ฉใฏใในใฆใใใฎๅงฟๅข้ๅใฎใใผใธใงใณใๅใ็ถใใงใใใ็งใใกใฏๅฝผใใฎไธ้จใงใใใๅฝผใใฏ็งใใกใฎไธ้จใงใใใ็งใใกใฏใฒใจใคใชใฎใ ใ
็งใ่ฆณใใใขใณในใใฌใผใทใงใณใฌใในใณใงใขใณใฝใใผใ่ชฌๆใใใ่ฝใก็ใใจ้ใใใใใใฆใ่ชๅ่ช่บซใซๆปใใใใจใฏใๅงฟๅข้ๅใทในใใ ใๆฌๆฅใฎๆฉ่ฝใงใใใๅใใฎ่ฝๅใๆ้ฉๅใใใใจใๅใณไธปๅผตใใฆใใใ
็งใฏไปฅๅใใใใใใฟใผใใใผใฟใผใๅนๆใจใใฆๆธใใใ
PMSใฏ็่งฃใใๆดป็จใใใใจใ็ฐกๅใงใใใ้ฃใใใฎใฏใไบบ็ใฎ้ฒๅพกๆฆ็ฅใฎไธ้จใจใใฆ็งใใกใๅฑ้ใใฆใใใ็ธๅใใ็กๆ่ญใฎ้ๆ้ๅ(VMS)ใฎไธๅๅ้ณใงใใใใใใใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใปใใฏใใผใฏใฎๆๅธซใซใชใใใใฎใใฌใผใใณใฐใซใใใปใฉ้ทใๆ้ใใใใ็็ฑใงใใใ็งใใกใฎๅๆงใฏใใใปใฉใพใงใซ่ค้ใซใชใฃใฆใใใฎใ ใใใใใฎๆฐใใๆฆ็ฅใฏใ็งใฎใจใดใฎใขใคใใณใใฃใใฃใฎๅฟ็็ใช็นใ็ฎใซ็กๆ่ญใฎใใกใซ็นใ่พผใพใใฆใใใใคใพใใ็งใ่ชๅ่ช่บซใใฉใๆณๅใใฆใใใใไปไบบใซๅฏพใใฆใฉใใใใใใจๆใฃใฆใใใใใจใใใใจใงใใใ
ๅงฟๅขใจๅใใฏใใใใชใใจใฏๆฐใซใใชใใ้ขไธใใชใใใใ ๆฌ็ฉใงใใใฎใฟใ ใ
PMSใฏใ5ๅๅนดใใฎ้ฒๅใฎ้็จใ็ตใฆใ็งใใกใ้ฒๅใใฆใใๅงฟใฎ็ด็ฒใใไฝ็พใใๅใใฎๆ้ฉๅใทในใใ ใงใใใ็ซใ็ๅใใใใชๅใใใใใฎใฏใใฎใใใ ใPMSใฏใใใชใใVMSใฎ้่ทใๅพใ ใซ่งฃไฝใใๅใๆนใๆ้ฉๅใใๅฐใใใใฎใตใใผใใใใๆบๅใใงใใฆใใใ
PMSใฏใใใชใใๆฌ่ณชใธใจๅฐใๆใงใใใ
ใขใณใฝใใผ/FMใซๆปใใใๅฝผใฎใฟใใ(ใใใฆๅฃฐใๅญๅจๆใชใฉ)ใใ่ชฟ็ฏใใฎๅใจใใฆไฝฟใใใจใงใๅฝผใฏ็งใใกๅ จๅกใฎๅ ใซๅญๅจใใใใใๆทฑใใใใ็ๅฎใฎPMSใปใซใใซ่งฆใใใใๅไบบใๅฐใใๅฐใชใใจใใ็งใฏใใ็่งฃใใฆใใใFMใฏใๆๅพใฎ่ๆธใงใใใ่ชฌๆใใฆใใใใใใงใฏใ็ๅพใใ่ชฟๆใใใๅฟ ่ฆใใใใจๆธใใฆใใใFMใฏใๆฏๆฅ30ๅใฎใฌใในใณใๅใใๅฝผใฎใฟใใใ้ใใฆๅงฟๅขใฎๅใใใ่ชฟๆใใงใใใจไธปๅผตใใฆใใใ
ใใฎใใใใใใฆใณใใฎๆนๆณใฏใไปใงใไธ่ฌ็ใงๅนๆ็ใงใใใ
ใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใฎใ็บ่ฆใใซใขใใญใผใใใๆนๆณใฏ่คๆฐใใใใขใณใฝใใผใF.M.ใฎใใใใใใฆใณใใฎๆนๆณใจๆฏ่ผใใฆใ็งใใใผใธใฎใใใใ ใขใใใใฎๆนๆณใ่ใใใจใใใ่จใใใ
ใฉใกใใ็ๅฎใงใใใใฉใกใใๆญฃใใใชใใ
ๆฌก: [RECRUITMENT-3] ใชใใใชใใผใทใงใณ - PMSๆต
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