Saturday, June 30, 2012
Living Body-Wisdom with Cecile Raynor: One distinction came up today so I decided to post...
Living Body-Wisdom with Cecile Raynor: One distinction came up today so I decided to post...: One distinction came up today so I decided to post it on my blog. Distinction #3 Going with the Flow of what? We often justify doing wh...
One distinction came up today so I decided to post it on my blog.
Distinction #3
Going with the Flow of what?
We often justify doing what we want to do by saying we are going with the flow assuming it is always a good thing. But is it always so? It seems to me that going with the flow of life in full awareness is definitely a good thing as we are embracing what is in the present moment instead of fighting with it.
However, going with the flow of our unconscious drive may be a way to cater to our fears and desires. And in that situation, going with the flow may not be the appropriate nor beneficial thing to do as it strengthens the unconscious drive.
Does that ring true to you? :)
Monday, June 25, 2012
Distinction #2
Reaction vs Response
The Alexander Technique helps us respond to life instead of react to it.
The difference between the two comes from taking the time to stop and think about what it is we want to do and how we want to do it, a bit like checking for cars right and left before crossing a road so we can do it safely. A fraction of a second is all it takes sometimes.
When we learn to be less reactive, we create less unnecessary tension in our body and we function from a place of integration and expansiveness instead of a place of disconnect and contraction.
So be on the look out for your desire to react to situations, people, words and choose not to so you can respond from a place of choice and awareness. Life becomes so much easier and enjoyable!:)
The more we do it, the easier it becomes......although it does take some determination at the beginning!
We always have a choice. Not always in what comes to us but in how we deal with what presents itself.
Reaction vs Response
The Alexander Technique helps us respond to life instead of react to it.
The difference between the two comes from taking the time to stop and think about what it is we want to do and how we want to do it, a bit like checking for cars right and left before crossing a road so we can do it safely. A fraction of a second is all it takes sometimes.
When we learn to be less reactive, we create less unnecessary tension in our body and we function from a place of integration and expansiveness instead of a place of disconnect and contraction.
So be on the look out for your desire to react to situations, people, words and choose not to so you can respond from a place of choice and awareness. Life becomes so much easier and enjoyable!:)
The more we do it, the easier it becomes......although it does take some determination at the beginning!
We always have a choice. Not always in what comes to us but in how we deal with what presents itself.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
A friend of mine told me he liked the distinctions he heard me come up with. Noticing it was helping others in different ways, I decided to create periodical entries sharing these distinctions in the hope you may find them interesting and helpful.
Some will be related to the Alexander Technique, others about the business of living and how we make decisions. Please let me know if you like them!
My distinction #1
Relaxing vs releasing!
Relaxing is more commonly known and often connotes a desire to melt into a puddle or at least slouch on a couch or lay down
Releasing on the other end, is a letting go of unnecessary tension that allows us to expand into our space like bread dough rising so that we feel taller, wider, lighter and we can breathe better.
The Alexander Technique teachers you how to release unnecessary tension which are constricting your skeleton so it can expand back into its full length and width.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Hi Everyone! This is exciting....my first blog entry to date.
My name is Cecile Raynor. Have been teaching the Alexander Technique for over 20 years in the Boston area and Paris where I am from and where I studied. At some point also trained as a Thai Yoga Massage Therapist, a healing modality, also called "Lazy Men's Yoga" because the practitioner does all the work while the receiver is chilling out blissfully!:
The Alexander Technique and my 25 years meditation practice permeates all I do from my way to practice Thai Yoga to my Kinesthetic Artwork, my parenting, my personal yoga practice, my relationships...when I say everything, I mean it! It even helped me teach myself how to ride a bike this past month after a lifetime of believing it was too late to start!
Although many teachers specialize in working with dancers or musicians or whatever their complementary profession is, I tend to embrace people of all backgrounds and can help everyone with the same dedication. I feel fortunate to be able to communicate well both through my hands-on work and verbally. As importantly, I am a compassionate and patient teacher and even after 20 some years of practice, I remain just as passionate about my work as I did when I started. :)
As far as I know, I am the only Alexander Technique teacher who offers Alexander Technique based Thai Yoga and combo sessions tailored to each individuals according to their needs and preferences. These sessions have become very popular as individuals feel they are receiving the best of both worlds and they are!:)
With the Alexander Technique, you learn to stop using your body in a way that creates excess tension as you go about your daily activities. As a result, discomfort and pain ease away, often to never return. It is a preventive mind/body method to reclaim better postural balance and ease of movements, shedding harmful habitual patterns of body and mind in the process!
When you come to a Thai Yoga session, you enjoy the benefits of a Yoga practice but I do all the work relieving you from muscular tension, improving circulation, boosting your immune system, and balancing the natural flow of energy of your body. It can help you if you do not do yoga on your own or it can expand your comfort zone in your yoga practice if you already do yoga. My Alexander Technique hands are an assurance that no matter where I place my hands, I am actually working with your whole body in mind.
When you sign up for a combo session, you get some benefits from both yet it is very clear to you which one I do when. Despite the overlap between both modalities, the feel of my Thai Yoga hands and the feel of my Alexander hands differ very clearly! An experience to have!
For more info about my Alexander Technique and Thai Yoga work go to www.AlexanderTec.com
To peek at my artwork, go to www.studiocecile.com
My name is Cecile Raynor. Have been teaching the Alexander Technique for over 20 years in the Boston area and Paris where I am from and where I studied. At some point also trained as a Thai Yoga Massage Therapist, a healing modality, also called "Lazy Men's Yoga" because the practitioner does all the work while the receiver is chilling out blissfully!:
The Alexander Technique and my 25 years meditation practice permeates all I do from my way to practice Thai Yoga to my Kinesthetic Artwork, my parenting, my personal yoga practice, my relationships...when I say everything, I mean it! It even helped me teach myself how to ride a bike this past month after a lifetime of believing it was too late to start!
Although many teachers specialize in working with dancers or musicians or whatever their complementary profession is, I tend to embrace people of all backgrounds and can help everyone with the same dedication. I feel fortunate to be able to communicate well both through my hands-on work and verbally. As importantly, I am a compassionate and patient teacher and even after 20 some years of practice, I remain just as passionate about my work as I did when I started. :)
As far as I know, I am the only Alexander Technique teacher who offers Alexander Technique based Thai Yoga and combo sessions tailored to each individuals according to their needs and preferences. These sessions have become very popular as individuals feel they are receiving the best of both worlds and they are!:)
With the Alexander Technique, you learn to stop using your body in a way that creates excess tension as you go about your daily activities. As a result, discomfort and pain ease away, often to never return. It is a preventive mind/body method to reclaim better postural balance and ease of movements, shedding harmful habitual patterns of body and mind in the process!
When you come to a Thai Yoga session, you enjoy the benefits of a Yoga practice but I do all the work relieving you from muscular tension, improving circulation, boosting your immune system, and balancing the natural flow of energy of your body. It can help you if you do not do yoga on your own or it can expand your comfort zone in your yoga practice if you already do yoga. My Alexander Technique hands are an assurance that no matter where I place my hands, I am actually working with your whole body in mind.
When you sign up for a combo session, you get some benefits from both yet it is very clear to you which one I do when. Despite the overlap between both modalities, the feel of my Thai Yoga hands and the feel of my Alexander hands differ very clearly! An experience to have!
For more info about my Alexander Technique and Thai Yoga work go to www.AlexanderTec.com
To peek at my artwork, go to www.studiocecile.com
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