1. I like how viewpoints kind of makes us step out of our comfort zone to learn how we can move and work together. The activities we did created such a sense of togetherness and I really enjoyed that. I wish I had been able to be in class for the second day of learning about viewpoints, I'm sure I would have got a lout out of it and had more to say about all of this.
2. I think the moment that felt most alive was when the group of us had to get in the diagonal line and we could not all see each other but a number of us had to be seated and standing at the same time. It's ironic since this was probably the most quiet moment we shared, yet I think it was the most alive. I could feel the energy and I could sense all of us working together in the silence and darkness once we closed our eyes, and somehow as an ensemble we were able to achieve what we set out to.
3. At times, the activities did seem a little forced, but I think it was all in my mind. For the most part I don't think it felt dead and forced. It is easy to lose focus on what we are doing and why we are doing so the second I was able to snap back into focus the activities seemed meaningful. It was easy to feel a little stupid jumping around or moving by body a certain way when people surrounded me all over the room. Many people like me are at least somewhat self conscious. But again, when you let go of that thought and allow yourself to fully grasp the thought of what we are learning with viewpoints the activities have a purpose and do not feel silly.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Body Learning part 2
Primary control refers to the importance of the relationship between the head neck and torso. It is not a specific button on your body so to say, but a relationship to help functioning in every position. It has to do with grace and ease in movements, and correct Use. Primary control leads to easier and more natural breathing and a fuller grasp of your internal experiences interacting with outside stimuli. You can't force your body into things, you have to allow it to maintain correct and upright posture, for example. "The primary control serves as a key to coordinating the organism as a whole."
Unreliable sensory appreciation refers to when your feeling of rightness of action is untrustworthy. How can we be sure we are actually doing what we think we are doing, when we are not really watching ourselves? It is easy for our bad habits of Use to become familiar and right to us, even when we have bad Use. We can feel at ease and correct when in fact, we are wrong. For example, we do not always know the correct amount of tension and energy we need to use for simple tasks and we often over exert, although it feels natural. Discovery an accurate sensory appreciation leads to finding and fulfilling our true needs.
Inhibition is the ability to stop and delay a response or choice until we are adequately prepared to make it. To improve your Use, one must not comply with our bodies habitual response. Humans have the ability to almost control their inhibition and choose the response to make, either right or wrong. In today's society it is easy to become worked up and tangled in problems. We need to stop and allow our inhibition to take charge and take more care of our responses.
Direction refers to how Alexander learned how to allow his body to do things, instead of doing something or putting his body in a certain position. He learned to direct his body into certain patterns of Use that became more habitual and like a pattern. This takes a high level of awareness because we are usually not aware of every movement and choice we are making. Direction sets out to energize the reflex that holds the body up against gravity.
Ends and means is about the process of attaining something, and being prepared to try and try again instead of simply focusing on the goal itself. We have a tendency to allow ourselves to be taken up by large focus on goals in our near future, However, ends and means is about finding a way to reach our ends intelligently. "Until one takes intermediate acts seriously enough to treat them as ends, one wastes one's time in any effort to change habits." The goal of this technique may be to ensure that our means are always rationally ans physiologically the best for our purposes.
The thing I find most interesting is when they talk about the real life examples of his teachings and how it affected certain pupils and even the author himself. This makes me very interested in these techniques and want to try them myself. It just blows my mind how these things that all seem so simple in retrospect, are actually very complex and have a way of changing a persons life. It is so cool to me.
Unreliable sensory appreciation refers to when your feeling of rightness of action is untrustworthy. How can we be sure we are actually doing what we think we are doing, when we are not really watching ourselves? It is easy for our bad habits of Use to become familiar and right to us, even when we have bad Use. We can feel at ease and correct when in fact, we are wrong. For example, we do not always know the correct amount of tension and energy we need to use for simple tasks and we often over exert, although it feels natural. Discovery an accurate sensory appreciation leads to finding and fulfilling our true needs.
Inhibition is the ability to stop and delay a response or choice until we are adequately prepared to make it. To improve your Use, one must not comply with our bodies habitual response. Humans have the ability to almost control their inhibition and choose the response to make, either right or wrong. In today's society it is easy to become worked up and tangled in problems. We need to stop and allow our inhibition to take charge and take more care of our responses.
Direction refers to how Alexander learned how to allow his body to do things, instead of doing something or putting his body in a certain position. He learned to direct his body into certain patterns of Use that became more habitual and like a pattern. This takes a high level of awareness because we are usually not aware of every movement and choice we are making. Direction sets out to energize the reflex that holds the body up against gravity.
Ends and means is about the process of attaining something, and being prepared to try and try again instead of simply focusing on the goal itself. We have a tendency to allow ourselves to be taken up by large focus on goals in our near future, However, ends and means is about finding a way to reach our ends intelligently. "Until one takes intermediate acts seriously enough to treat them as ends, one wastes one's time in any effort to change habits." The goal of this technique may be to ensure that our means are always rationally ans physiologically the best for our purposes.
The thing I find most interesting is when they talk about the real life examples of his teachings and how it affected certain pupils and even the author himself. This makes me very interested in these techniques and want to try them myself. It just blows my mind how these things that all seem so simple in retrospect, are actually very complex and have a way of changing a persons life. It is so cool to me.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Body Learning Part 1
a. Summarize the life of F.M. Alexander
Alexander was born in Australia to a large family on a large farm. He was raised to be self-sufficient and had many respiratory problems which led him to be educated privately. He continued to learn about his passion for theatre he had while growing up. He had trouble making money and holding jobs due to his illnesses and temper, so he decided to fully pursue acting. He found he had a persistent trouble with respiratory problems and hoarseness and his doctors suggested rest. This solution wasn't good enough for him so he began to observe himself in the mirror and found he had patterns of misuse in the way he used his body. By changing and fixing his manner of doing his voice problems improved. These experiments led to what we know as the Alexander Technique. His practice became more well known and controversial as he began training and treating people using this technique as he moved around, from Sydney to London. He wrote multiple books that reached out to supporters all around the world. After winning a lawsuit against him in 1948, he grew very well and it is said his best teaching was done in this time. He died in 1955.
b. Summarize Use and Functioning, The Whole Person
The Use of self is all about choices. "The choices he made about the Use of his organism were fundamental because they directly affected his functioning and therefore influenced all his other choices." We have a million choices to make every day. We can literally change our lives at any minute just by making a different choice, and that is very important. Alexander calls choice "man's supreme inheritance." It is important to make good use, and not bad use. Both bad and good use have effects of our emotional and physical beings. Learning how t use your body correctly will make you a healthier and happier person. Many of our problems arise from a separation of body and mind, causing a conflict with our emotions. The whole person is our mind and body together. Alexander "argued that all training, of whatever kind, must be based on the understanding that the human organism always functions as a whole and can only be changed fundamentally as a whole." Nothing you do is purely emotional or strictly physical, it all relates back to each other somehow. Learning how to integrate the two and how they work to make you who you are can help one gain their full potential.
Alexander was born in Australia to a large family on a large farm. He was raised to be self-sufficient and had many respiratory problems which led him to be educated privately. He continued to learn about his passion for theatre he had while growing up. He had trouble making money and holding jobs due to his illnesses and temper, so he decided to fully pursue acting. He found he had a persistent trouble with respiratory problems and hoarseness and his doctors suggested rest. This solution wasn't good enough for him so he began to observe himself in the mirror and found he had patterns of misuse in the way he used his body. By changing and fixing his manner of doing his voice problems improved. These experiments led to what we know as the Alexander Technique. His practice became more well known and controversial as he began training and treating people using this technique as he moved around, from Sydney to London. He wrote multiple books that reached out to supporters all around the world. After winning a lawsuit against him in 1948, he grew very well and it is said his best teaching was done in this time. He died in 1955.
b. Summarize Use and Functioning, The Whole Person
The Use of self is all about choices. "The choices he made about the Use of his organism were fundamental because they directly affected his functioning and therefore influenced all his other choices." We have a million choices to make every day. We can literally change our lives at any minute just by making a different choice, and that is very important. Alexander calls choice "man's supreme inheritance." It is important to make good use, and not bad use. Both bad and good use have effects of our emotional and physical beings. Learning how t use your body correctly will make you a healthier and happier person. Many of our problems arise from a separation of body and mind, causing a conflict with our emotions. The whole person is our mind and body together. Alexander "argued that all training, of whatever kind, must be based on the understanding that the human organism always functions as a whole and can only be changed fundamentally as a whole." Nothing you do is purely emotional or strictly physical, it all relates back to each other somehow. Learning how to integrate the two and how they work to make you who you are can help one gain their full potential.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Alexander Technique
Video 1- "Self-Observation"
1. The most important thing you can do when no one can help you is self-observation.
2. Self-observation is watching yourself and everything around you and observing things almost as if you were someone else. Self-absorption is being completely occupied with just yourself and not really focused on anything else going on.
3. We suffer because we can identify with these emotions and convince ourselves we are these emotions. We tend to define ourselves by suffering.
4. He uses the analogy of the clouds and sky saying that the self is the sky and we are observers of the clouds passing by.
5. If we understand things in our lives then they will change.
6. "What you judge you cannot understand."
7. I do not think my post precious qualities and characteristics account for all of my "I." We as people are so much more than the things we use to define ourselves, I don't think we will every be able to understand. I think other people see things about us that we do not even see about ourselves, and vice versa. We think things about ourselves that others do not. I really like what he says about this though, because sometimes when going through hard times it is really hard to separate yourself from that emotion and step back and say- this does not define me.
Video 2- "Alexander Technique'
1. When we experience fear, stress, and anxiety we basically shrink back into ourselves and a quick defense mechanism sort of like the flight or fight defense. We are preparing for what is happening by pretty much running away into our own selves.
2. The Alexander Technique allows us to have a different, and really better, reaction.
3. "Nature would prefer us to be in balance."
4. The three points of contact in the foot are the big toe, little toe, and the heel.
5. The three hinges is our legs are the ankles, knees, and hips.
6. The hip joints are below the pelvis and in line with the pubic bone.
7. Allow the pelvis to be heavy like an anchor.
8. The top of the spine is between your ears.
9. I think the connection between your mind and body is when you are really focused on what you are doing. The first thing that comes to my mind is when I am dancing. My mind is at peace, happy, and focused when I am dancing. As a result of this my body knows exactly what to do, and just does it. I am not really making any sense, but in my head I know what I am trying to say.
1. The most important thing you can do when no one can help you is self-observation.
2. Self-observation is watching yourself and everything around you and observing things almost as if you were someone else. Self-absorption is being completely occupied with just yourself and not really focused on anything else going on.
3. We suffer because we can identify with these emotions and convince ourselves we are these emotions. We tend to define ourselves by suffering.
4. He uses the analogy of the clouds and sky saying that the self is the sky and we are observers of the clouds passing by.
5. If we understand things in our lives then they will change.
6. "What you judge you cannot understand."
7. I do not think my post precious qualities and characteristics account for all of my "I." We as people are so much more than the things we use to define ourselves, I don't think we will every be able to understand. I think other people see things about us that we do not even see about ourselves, and vice versa. We think things about ourselves that others do not. I really like what he says about this though, because sometimes when going through hard times it is really hard to separate yourself from that emotion and step back and say- this does not define me.
Video 2- "Alexander Technique'
1. When we experience fear, stress, and anxiety we basically shrink back into ourselves and a quick defense mechanism sort of like the flight or fight defense. We are preparing for what is happening by pretty much running away into our own selves.
2. The Alexander Technique allows us to have a different, and really better, reaction.
3. "Nature would prefer us to be in balance."
4. The three points of contact in the foot are the big toe, little toe, and the heel.
5. The three hinges is our legs are the ankles, knees, and hips.
6. The hip joints are below the pelvis and in line with the pubic bone.
7. Allow the pelvis to be heavy like an anchor.
8. The top of the spine is between your ears.
9. I think the connection between your mind and body is when you are really focused on what you are doing. The first thing that comes to my mind is when I am dancing. My mind is at peace, happy, and focused when I am dancing. As a result of this my body knows exactly what to do, and just does it. I am not really making any sense, but in my head I know what I am trying to say.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Getting out of your own way
Playing the game of life:
1. Our society tells children they must abide by all these rules and follow a certain pattern and always be preparing for the next thin, and it never seems to end.
2. Society's preparation for life is really school. We are always preparing for the next thing, elementary, then middle school, then high school, then college, then a job, then whatever is next from that. Nowadays it is becoming harder and harder to get a job without adequate college education, so if you don't "prepare" the correct way, you can almost forget about what society determines as success.
3. Once you hit your "goals" you often feel cheated because it is just not all it lives up to. You've constantly been forced to prepare for you don't really know what. Once you reach it you think you would feel great, but most times it is not even what you really want.
4. Our final goal is retirement. Work all your life just so you can do nothing eventually. I personally think this is really sad, and in a perfect world people would be doing what they want in life and would happy with their work and not have a goal of retiring, but of making the world a better place by the work they set out to do.
5. The problem with living for the future is that you are missing everything that is happening right now! It can be really hard to not think about the future and what goals you have, but you will miss so much in life when you forget that the present moment is really the only important one.
The secret of life:
1. The Chinese word for nature is ziran, it means "that which happens to itself."
2. You stop the spontaneous flowering of nature by telling something it must do it.
3. According to Watts, humans are the fabric and structure of existence.
4. According to Watts, the secret of life is to be fully engaged in the here and now.
You're already awesome:
1. Dr. Brewer's flow experience was him riding his bike down a steep mountain side.
2. According to a Harvard study, we get caught up in thinking 50% of the time.
3. A wondering mind is an unhappy mind!
4. During meditation, the brain quiets down quite a bit.
5. In nine minutes, the test subject learned the difference of getting in his own way and being in the moment.
Reflection:
This relates to our yoga practice because it is something we do to help be in the moment and settle down our brains and stop worrying about the future. It is the same with killer ball and performing, these tasks require you to be fully in the moment if you are going to do them successfully. You have to be so focused on the present, and not let your brain run wild with everything else. Looking at it in another way, not only are these task that require you to be in the present, but they are tasks that should just naturally put you in the moment, When playing killer ball, it is obvious most of us become fully engaged in what is happening. Yoga is so relaxing and nice you easily stop thinking about your problems. And for an actor, acting is something we like to do. We don't do it because we have to, we do it because we want to. Being onstage as someone who is not yourself makes it so easy to let go and live in the moment, because really, why would you be thinking about your future as you take on another character?
1. Our society tells children they must abide by all these rules and follow a certain pattern and always be preparing for the next thin, and it never seems to end.
2. Society's preparation for life is really school. We are always preparing for the next thing, elementary, then middle school, then high school, then college, then a job, then whatever is next from that. Nowadays it is becoming harder and harder to get a job without adequate college education, so if you don't "prepare" the correct way, you can almost forget about what society determines as success.
3. Once you hit your "goals" you often feel cheated because it is just not all it lives up to. You've constantly been forced to prepare for you don't really know what. Once you reach it you think you would feel great, but most times it is not even what you really want.
4. Our final goal is retirement. Work all your life just so you can do nothing eventually. I personally think this is really sad, and in a perfect world people would be doing what they want in life and would happy with their work and not have a goal of retiring, but of making the world a better place by the work they set out to do.
5. The problem with living for the future is that you are missing everything that is happening right now! It can be really hard to not think about the future and what goals you have, but you will miss so much in life when you forget that the present moment is really the only important one.
The secret of life:
1. The Chinese word for nature is ziran, it means "that which happens to itself."
2. You stop the spontaneous flowering of nature by telling something it must do it.
3. According to Watts, humans are the fabric and structure of existence.
4. According to Watts, the secret of life is to be fully engaged in the here and now.
You're already awesome:
1. Dr. Brewer's flow experience was him riding his bike down a steep mountain side.
2. According to a Harvard study, we get caught up in thinking 50% of the time.
3. A wondering mind is an unhappy mind!
4. During meditation, the brain quiets down quite a bit.
5. In nine minutes, the test subject learned the difference of getting in his own way and being in the moment.
Reflection:
This relates to our yoga practice because it is something we do to help be in the moment and settle down our brains and stop worrying about the future. It is the same with killer ball and performing, these tasks require you to be fully in the moment if you are going to do them successfully. You have to be so focused on the present, and not let your brain run wild with everything else. Looking at it in another way, not only are these task that require you to be in the present, but they are tasks that should just naturally put you in the moment, When playing killer ball, it is obvious most of us become fully engaged in what is happening. Yoga is so relaxing and nice you easily stop thinking about your problems. And for an actor, acting is something we like to do. We don't do it because we have to, we do it because we want to. Being onstage as someone who is not yourself makes it so easy to let go and live in the moment, because really, why would you be thinking about your future as you take on another character?
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Mindfulness
What is Mindfulness
1. How does Dr. Kabat-Zinn define mindfulness?
Dr. Kabat-Zinn describes mindfulness as paying attention on purpose and being present in each moment that happens.
2. Why, according to Dr. Kabat-Zinn, does our "life depend" on mindfulness?
Dr. Kabat-Zinn said our lives depend on mindfulness because it simply keeps us aware. Not only does it make us more connected to everything going on around us and help us survive, but it helps in times of danger. You lose so many experiences if you are not mindful.
3. Does it matter what thing or things you pay attention to?
Not really, as long as you are really paying attention. However, it is still important to recognize what you pay attention to most or least.
4. Is mindfulness a technique?
No, mindfulness is not a technique. There are ways to help you become more mindful and get into that state of being, but it is not a technique in itself.
All it Takes is Ten Mindful Minutes
1. What does Andy suggest we do for at least ten minutes a day?
Andy suggests that for ten minutes a day we just stop everything, let it go, and do absolutely nothing.
2. What percent of time are our minds lost in thought?
According to Harvard study, 47% of the time our minds are lost in thought.
3. Is mindfulness about controlling our thoughts and feelings?
I don't think mindfulness is about controlling our thoughts and feelings. Yes, sometimes it can be hard to stop thinking about something or feeling a certain way, but I think mindfulness is about recognizing what you are feeling and then letting it pass naturally as the next one comes. It's more like relaxing and cleaning your head rather than controlling it.
4. How does Andy's juggling with the three red balls relate to our activity of balancing sticks?
Andy's juggling relates to the balancing sticks activity we did because it is something that requires us to be present. You have to focus on what you are doing and the environment around you and really nothing else.
1. How does Dr. Kabat-Zinn define mindfulness?
Dr. Kabat-Zinn describes mindfulness as paying attention on purpose and being present in each moment that happens.
2. Why, according to Dr. Kabat-Zinn, does our "life depend" on mindfulness?
Dr. Kabat-Zinn said our lives depend on mindfulness because it simply keeps us aware. Not only does it make us more connected to everything going on around us and help us survive, but it helps in times of danger. You lose so many experiences if you are not mindful.
3. Does it matter what thing or things you pay attention to?
Not really, as long as you are really paying attention. However, it is still important to recognize what you pay attention to most or least.
4. Is mindfulness a technique?
No, mindfulness is not a technique. There are ways to help you become more mindful and get into that state of being, but it is not a technique in itself.
All it Takes is Ten Mindful Minutes
1. What does Andy suggest we do for at least ten minutes a day?
Andy suggests that for ten minutes a day we just stop everything, let it go, and do absolutely nothing.
2. What percent of time are our minds lost in thought?
According to Harvard study, 47% of the time our minds are lost in thought.
3. Is mindfulness about controlling our thoughts and feelings?
I don't think mindfulness is about controlling our thoughts and feelings. Yes, sometimes it can be hard to stop thinking about something or feeling a certain way, but I think mindfulness is about recognizing what you are feeling and then letting it pass naturally as the next one comes. It's more like relaxing and cleaning your head rather than controlling it.
4. How does Andy's juggling with the three red balls relate to our activity of balancing sticks?
Andy's juggling relates to the balancing sticks activity we did because it is something that requires us to be present. You have to focus on what you are doing and the environment around you and really nothing else.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Second Circle
1. Rodenburg defines presence as the thing that allows experiences to happen and is crucial to survival. It is something that comes from truly being in a moment and it connects you to the rest of the world.
2. When others are not being present with you, you can feel it. It feels like being ignored and there is no connection between you and the other person or people around you. It can be lost when people don't care to maintain a relationship, want to keep to themselves, or even when people have a lot on their mind and have a hard time focusing on what is happening right now. Even technology now is distracting us from being present.
3. The first circle is when you are completely inward and keeping to yourself. It tends to be limiting but can also be good for reflection and introspection. I tend to find myself in this circle when I am becoming upset or stressed out. I lose my focus on everything else and usually want to be alone. It is easy to push others away and sink into my first circle when I feel like that.
4. The third circle is like being a fake version of yourself. You are pushing your energy outward, but almost too much and not in a true manner. It is like shielding yourself from letting people see the real you. I know I have done this before at times when I've met new people. It is easy to be overly nice and enthusiastic because it almost seems like it will make the new people like me better. Of course that is not necessarily true, but I find myself in this circle in those situations at times.
5. The second circle is when you are giving and receiving the right amount of energy, it is when you are most present and responsive. You truthfully react. I have definitely been in this circle when performing. I would say I have felt myself truly here most often when dancing. Performing in dance competitions especially will allow me to reach the second circle without me even having to think about it because it happens so naturally.
2. When others are not being present with you, you can feel it. It feels like being ignored and there is no connection between you and the other person or people around you. It can be lost when people don't care to maintain a relationship, want to keep to themselves, or even when people have a lot on their mind and have a hard time focusing on what is happening right now. Even technology now is distracting us from being present.
3. The first circle is when you are completely inward and keeping to yourself. It tends to be limiting but can also be good for reflection and introspection. I tend to find myself in this circle when I am becoming upset or stressed out. I lose my focus on everything else and usually want to be alone. It is easy to push others away and sink into my first circle when I feel like that.
4. The third circle is like being a fake version of yourself. You are pushing your energy outward, but almost too much and not in a true manner. It is like shielding yourself from letting people see the real you. I know I have done this before at times when I've met new people. It is easy to be overly nice and enthusiastic because it almost seems like it will make the new people like me better. Of course that is not necessarily true, but I find myself in this circle in those situations at times.
5. The second circle is when you are giving and receiving the right amount of energy, it is when you are most present and responsive. You truthfully react. I have definitely been in this circle when performing. I would say I have felt myself truly here most often when dancing. Performing in dance competitions especially will allow me to reach the second circle without me even having to think about it because it happens so naturally.
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