The Pause That Delivers

Whether at the beginning of or in the midst of an activity, to pause and consider your actions requires a choice.  To choose to pause and direct our thinking with the Alexander Technique or to follow our breath introduces freedom and change.  Our energy shifts as does our relationship within and to the space around us.  If we are interacting with others, we are now more fully engaged, alert, and aware.

Why then does the act of pausing require so much discipline?  Habit, habits and more habit is the quick answer.  Over decades I have developed the habit of pausing and my relationships to myself, the guitar, and to others has shown improvement.  For this I am truly grateful.  So I continue to instill the discipline of pausing to foster my development.  What has been delivered far outweighs the occasional agony of "what again?" that sometimes arises within.  Pause right now, before you surf off.  Connect with your body, your thinking, perhaps even your heart.  Consider your aim.  How does it feel to be alive?

Photo by Anders Sandberg

Release

                                                

Having a relatively good practice session tonight. The last few days I have been hampered by effects of a recent medical procedure complicated by tiredness. But tonight I was ready, willing, and able. I began with a 20 minute Alexander Technique lie down. So delicious after a days work to release the muscles of my neck, back, arms, & legs. This also serves to quiet my mind But of course there was resistance to beginning my practice session with the lie down.


Why is this? I know from experience that when I begin with one I am engaged with my body and thus my playing on a different level. But my habit is to rush and to dive in. So I remind myself of my intent to engage with my guitar in a qualitative manner. By the end of the lie down I was asking myself why do I ever resist doing what I know works?

As I moved to the guitar I explored an exercise for my right hand and then addressed some issues in three pieces. Two of these pieces share a similar issue with harmonics. While working with the first harmonic related issue I found myself thinking "release" as my hands moved to invite the harmonic to sound. Success. I continued with this and sensed a freedom in my neck & shoulders. Moving onto the other related issue I again thought of "release" as I moved to play the harmonic. Success and ease spread through this section.

As I moved onto playing through a different piece I found myself thinking about what had just transpired. Wondering if I should write this up for the blog. When I noticed that my playing was being adversely affected I told myself to be quiet and pay attention to what I was doing. Yet the internal dialogue persisted. Why is this happening and why now? I knew I needed to stop playing and re-center myself.

I can not change this problem of internal chatter while playing from within the problem. I must pause, find my breath and body and allow the chatter to dim. I know this from experience, yet over and over again I attempt to "muscle through" in a sense and continue to play and continue to chatter. The acot of pausing is another form of releasing. This particular release took me to my computer to begin capturing and examining this experience. Now I may resume my guitar work.

What are you releasing?

Photo by Ian San.