: Shift in focus

[sraj]

Hello List,

Strangely enough the focus in my use correction has now shifted to a region where the straight line joining the eyes intersects the nose. It may be what is called the 'bridge' of  the nose. This focus seems to be necessary to make my eyes more mobile. The scalp seems to be involved in this correction. Hope this soon leads to better Head-Atlas-Axis balance.

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello List,

For the last few days I also find myself pushing back with my fingers positioned centrally at my eyebrows. Evidently some kind of correction (strengthening) is taking place, related to head-atlas-axis alignment. It is not that I am pushing at all times, I might have pushed say five times so far, for periods not exceeding five seconds. 

Regards,

Selvaraj 

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[sraj]

Hello List,

I did not expect to be doing this, but I find myself pushing back at the centre of my eyebrows more vigorously than earlier. Evidently some major correction is taking place at the head-atlas-axis juncture which needs external assistance.

My fear is that this juncture is far critical than most of us imagine. Once the balance here is upset, that's it, it will be very difficult to correct. It also explains to me the dramatic changes I have observed in young people. You see them fresh faced and then within a couple of months their whole configuration is changed.

I am beginning to feel enormous change in the fluidity of the body from toe to head.

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello List,

Very small muscles are involved in Head-Atlas-Axis alignment. The action of these muscles is most likely very crucial for good postural balance. I think I will have to continue to push back at my temples for some time to help get these muscles back into action.(There may not be much point is pushing the head back arbitrarily without taking the overall body balance into account).

Does the action of the head provide primary control? Most likely to be true.

Very comfortable and strong body balance is possible If we can get everything right from the tip of the toes to the tip of the nose. A goal worth aiming for.

Regards,

Selvaraj

[Michael Mossey]

Hi Selvaraj,

More and more I see my own traits, in particular those that have comprised my functioning and happiness. It's frustrating, yet only by acknowledging with candor the conditions of the present can they become unstuck.

I see some of my own traits in you. For instance, stubbornness. My family and myself are pretty stubborn people. We get an idea about "what's right" and then don't listen to anyone else. I'm improving but the basic trait is there.

It's not very often that you listen to anyone else or accept advice. You show no sign of altering course because of someone else's input. In fact I fully expect you to give a brief reply to this message dismissing it. Okay. But in case it does any good, you might want to reflect on the alternate possibilities, what it would be like to involve other people in your exploration.

Another trait we have in common is this extreme analysis of natural functioning. Reflect on the difference between a human who is aware of the minutia of every movement and an animal with no capacity for higher thought that nonetheless moves with simple grace. Or a child who has never given a thought to movement.

Will analysis, more and more of it, ever lead you to a place free from analysis? Will the unceasing attempts to "correct" yourself ever lead you to a state that needs no correction?

Something to reflect on.

Mike

[sraj]

Hi MIchael,

Stubborness may be required to pursue a difficult task. Extreme analysis helps to bracket and define a difficult problem. Perhaps all explorers have these traits?

"Will analysis, more and more of it, ever lead you to a place free from analysis? Will the unceasing attempts to "correct" yourself ever lead you to a state that needs no correction?"

... I don't see the attempt to "correct" my use as an obsession. I am not particularly worried whether I succeed or fail. The journey is the destination.

(I very much agree with you we must let things happen naturally- only we must be smart with our directions.)

Regards,

Selvaraj   

[Keith Bacon]

Hi Selvaraj.

To me you stubbornness is in not seeking to learn from elsewhere. I mean learning by direct experience..

However aren't we all the same?Has any of us learned  anything from any other?.

I learned the AT mostly from hundreds of hours of hands on work. Seeing how it affected and changed me.

I learned about the culture of AT from reading. I learned some basic science of it from Barlow's book. This was interesting and validated the learning by direct experience but didn't add much to it.

Then I learned how to keep the process of change going without hands on teaching. This was in yoga and meditation classes. Then eventually I learned how to do it on my own. This took a long time. 

What I am talking about is my concept of mind body change. It is not your concept I think. I don't see how its could be without you experiencing the same somatic changes as me. 

But then I don't replicate your experiments so maybe I am missing out on something. 

One thing I think you should consider is the science. Do you think the stuff I mention has any link to what I claim I have learned from experience of personal somatic change? Scientific backing of yoga and meditation has got to the point they are entering mainstream medicine and sports science.  

Maybe I'm just being stubborn but to me you are floundering at the very start of this area of knowledge and ignoring a way of gaining it from others. 

Alexander seems to be one of the few who got a long way mostly on his own. But now we have access to his teachings and those of countless other methods and lineages. There is no need to do it the slow hard way. And you will never get very far on your own. 

Regards

Keith

[Keith Bacon]

"y much agree with you we must let things happen naturally- only we must be smart with our directions"

From my experience somatic work is doing something to change yourself. But learning what to do is difficult. Very difficult.

There are many instructions designed to help people find out what to do. 

Once people have got a grasp those instructions become no longer useful.

Somatic work is stimulating our natural distressing functions. So it is not purely natural. It is deliberate intervention. Initially it is quite indirect as you can't feel or understand the mechanisms. Once you can you intervene more directly and effectively. 

Once a person has distressed considerably they can continue to move more towards enlightenment. This is no longer natural. It is pushing the distressing process to an unnatural level and putting a person into an unnatural but quite wonderful state.

I found nondoing concepts no use at all. I think I was very well taught that I was going to change in a way I could not understand or control and trying to do anything using my existing conceptions would get in the way. I gave myself up to the hands of my teachers. That is what I did.

Keith

[sraj]

Hello List,

I am genuinely surprised that pushing back at the center of my eyebrows using my finger tips, which I started at the beginning of the year, is continuing. The Head-Atlas-Axis balance (linked to balance of the rest of the body) is a serious issue - not easy to correct. I might push back for a few seconds, say, once in two days.

Meddling with the balance of the head can be tricky, leading to dizziness - any forceful change must be done gently.

Regards,

Selvaraj

On Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at 8:20:13 AM UTC+5:30, sraj wrote:

Hello List,

For the last few days I also find myself pushing back with my fingers positioned centrally at my eyebrows. Evidently some kind of correction (strengthening) is taking place, related to head-atlas-axis alignment. It is not that I am pushing at all times, I might have pushed say five times so far, for periods not exceeding five seconds. 

Regards,

Selvaraj 

On Sun, 20 Jan 2019 at 09:57, sraj <sra...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello List,

Strangely enough the focus in my use correction has now shifted to a region where the straight line joining the eyes intersects the nose. It may be what is called the 'bridge' of  the nose. This focus seems to be necessary to make my eyes more mobile. The scalp seems to be involved in this correction. Hope this soon leads to better Head-Atlas-Axis balance.

Regards,

Selvaraj

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[sraj]

Hello LIst,

It is July now and I continue to push  back at my temple as my overall body balance CHANGES and improves. My suspicion is the proper kinematic movement of the body will be something simple and obvious - the problem is movement must be synchronised from the tip of the nose to the tip of the toes - which is easier said than done :-( 

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello List,

I appear to be pushing back at the center of my eyebrows at more frequent intervals (looks like once a day), as my overall body balance continues to improve. Quite clearly my Head-Atlas-Axis alignment is not quite right as yet - it is also linked to the balance over the rest of the body.

Earlier my use correction used to largely bypass my chest region (breathing), shoulder and arms; now these are all coming into the loop.

I have gone through a tough period over the last one month:

- Over the last seven or eight months my weight has come down from 66 Kg to 60 Kg, of this I must have lost two to three Kg rapidly over the last month. I was worried that I may have a medical problem and breathed a sigh of relief when my wight fell below 60 Kg, stabilized and then began to move up. A couple of years back I went through this cycle when my weight which was stable at 60 Kg climbed to 63 Kg, remained stable there for some time, dropped again to 60 Kg before climbing to 66 Kg. At one point when my weight was 66 Kg I had the ambition to reach 70 Kg, my BMI limit; now I am not sure. One thing that intrigues me is that when young adults are at their athletic best they appear to weight less?!

- I am reasonably certain that much of my weight loss is from my bottom - the lower gluteal region. I had boils in this region, which started somewhat inside and moved outward (no puss). My gluteal muscles appear to be trimmer than earlier. (I think I still need to get rid of some fat from my abdominal region)

- I had an interesting time over two weeks when it became painful to sit on the hard stool I sit on. The main problem was not due to boils, I think my gluteal muscles were readjusting in some way, and did not have the muscular tension to take the load. 

- I got a catch in the region of my gluteal muscles (difficult to describe) and had to take rest for about three days. I think I have had this problem before but not this long. 

- Major change appears to be taking place in my gait, which involves better use of the feet and amazing new flexibility in the pelvic region. When I do my bare feet walking exercise now I start off at a very slow pace.

.... Best way to engage with USE correction is to view it as an adventure :-)

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello List,

I find that I am pushing back at the center of my eyebrows more frequently of late. Of late this itch to push back seems to occur when I am squatting (I use a squatting toilet.)

This pushing back at the center of my eyebrows is (I think) linked to toe to heel movement and  getting my muscles in the crotch region in order. I had posted earlier that my crotch appears to have moved backward, once in a week or so I find myself pulling on 'you know what', to move things forward. (I had wondered how women will do this correction.) Warning: Please do not try to artificially engage in any of these activities; in my case these are outcomes of my attempt to improve my body balance. 

My ideas on 'balanced waveform' is also evolving. I am now toying with a model where a looser waveform (say five waves, which integrates movement over the length of the body) is superimposed on a tighter waveform, say 20 waves, which ensures bone to bone continuity.

Although I sat cross-legged yoga style at the computer for more than ten years, a posture I find very comfortable, now I am actively resisting the temptation to sit that way. If and when my legs become stronger I will rethink my strategy. 

(I am very keen to test out the idea that the magic of mind-body equilibrium will happen when both the mind and the body are in order.)

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello LIst,

I think I started pushing back at the center of my eyebrows in January 2019 and I am continuing to do so to date. I don't think I was engaging in this activity earlier; evidently major changes must have taken place in my postural balance.

The frequency with which I push back also seems to be on an increasing slope:

I..........................................................................................*

I................................................................................*

I.....................................................................*

I........................................................*

I............................................*

I..............................*

I..................*

I.........*I
I......Jan.....Feb.....March......Apl......May.....Jun......July......Aug2019

Evidently getting the Head-Atlas-Axis alignment right is a challenging and an important task.  

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Mathematically the graph I have drawn has the same slope throughout. 

Better to modify my statement to .....The frequency with which I push back also seems to be increasing.

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello Friends,

Now it is September end, it appears as if I am pushing back less frequently! Will the graph now get modified?

I..........................................................................................*

I................................................................................*.............*

I.....................................................................*................................*

I........................................................*........................................................*

I............................................*

I..............................*

I..................*

I.........*I
I......Jan.....Feb.....March......Apl......May.....Jun......July......Aug......Sept.......Oct......Nov.......Dec 2019

Change in balance of my head is taking place lock-step with major changes over the length of my body. Now I am able to better understand why people following the Alexander Technique get themselves 'adjusted' once in a while. If primary control relates to proper balance at the head-atlas-axis interface, it may be difficult to make changes without application of external force. 

Regards,

Selvaraj

On Monday, August 26, 2019 at 12:56:16 PM UTC+5:30, sraj wrote:

Hello LIst,

I think I started pushing back at the center of my eyebrows in January 2019 and I am continuing to do so to date. I don't think I was engaging in this activity earlier; evidently major changes must have taken place in my postural balance.

The frequency with which I push back also seems to be increasing. 

[sraj]

Hello List,

Now it is November, I am pushing back less frequently, but pushing back I am.

This pushing back aligns the head in a better way, helping to create a proper waveform integrating the whole body. 

As I have mentioned earlier, in my view the proper waveform will be created when the undulation at the feet is 'toe to heel' and the head is balanced as in

 https://headbalance.blogspot.com/

If we balance the body properly, the body will take on a logical shape, where there is good mobility of the thighs, the abdomen is well shaped and the chest takes on a proper shape to permit free and easy breathing. The aim should be not to lock the body at any place.

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello LIst,

Now it is more than a year since I started pushing my head backwards - in coordination with changes taking place over the length of the body. I continue to do so of date. Evidently proper  skull-atlas-axis alignment is very critical and must be synchronized with the rest of the body. 

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello LIst,

I am surprised that I am continuing to push my head backwards even now, though the frequency is reducing (may be once in a day). Pushing my head back and toe to heel movement seem to go hand in hand, one reinforcing the other. During this covid-19 lock down, I move around in hawai slippers inside the house (many Indians are habituated to being barefooted inside the house). I have around three sessions of 15 minutes each when I walk/run barefooted inside the house. I also have a morning session outside the house on soil, when I wear flat leather slippers and walk/run. (I have no difficulty running in flat leather slippers). It looks as if my foot movement is moving more towards the toes. I also have a session of about 5 minutes a day, barefooted, when I experiment with putting a basket ball into a hoop - right hand, left hand and backwards.

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello LIst,

I am finding it interesting to note that I am now applying considerable force when I push my head backwards! So far I think I was applying gentle force - the structure was not strong enough to resist a higher force. 

It is logical I think that the human body must be integrated from the tip of the toes to the head in such a way that the mechanism moves freely and naturally. There must be a natural waveform.

The idea of Primary Control provided by the Head, which Alexander sensed, but could not fully explain was a stroke of genius. Appendix B in the book 'The Universal Constant in Living' authored by A.Murdoch, M.B., CM.  Paper read at the Hastings Division of the British Medical Association, May 5, 1936, completes the picture.

(Observe How Patrick Macdonald is moving the head of the subject backwards in this video 1:12 to 1:16)

Regards,

Selvaraj

[noel]

Cheers all

Another way is to see the Technique as 

being a launch pad. It set you on your way 

to explore areas of more immediate 

interest. The thing is what wisdom have 

you distilled? You can see the fear in 

people's eyes. They want answers -not 

questions (viz.My own Conscious comment  

on that thread)

NoelH.

[Keith Bacon]

Hi Selvaraj

Thanks for that I have spent some time watching AT videos. I was trained in the 'lineage' of McDonald.

His style is different from most AT teachers I experienced. He seems to be much more directly 'adjusting' the person. This is inline with the warning from Joe Armstrong that modern teachers were not getting such dramatic improvements in Conditions of Use as the earlier generation.

I think I'm going to be practicing chairwork  on few people......

I still think it can give the quickest most powerful adjustment to the ANS I've seen anywhere. But there's lots I haven't seen. It also reminds me of the muddle in the AT world abut what is actualy going in with this chair work.

But you can see how the person moves with the habituated slumping, pulling the head back and down etc then how things change after he adjusts and guides them - giving them that 'exoerience of good use' ...

cheers

Keith

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[sraj]

Hello LIst,

I continue to push back at my forehead - not more than once or twice a day. Many times I do so when using a squatting toilet, with a region close to my elbows resting on my knees. Correcting forward head posture - adopted by 99% of adults - is not an easy task. Proper use of the feet is related to proper head balance and vice versa. 

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello List,

Today I caught myself pushing back at my forehead when I was doing my 15 minutes 'exercise' routine indoor (I must have been doing this earlier also). As I mentioned earlier now a days I push back with more force than I used to do earlier. Pushing is never arbitrary, it is only in response to any internal urge I have when I try to balance my movement, centered around (1) toe to heel movement, (2) balance of the head as in Norman Rockwell's famous painting and (3) undulation of the rest of the body.

Today is an important day, because I found myself washing vessels I had used to have my lunch with exceptional ease. Normally most of us will be stiffening the body and using only part of it for any activity. The body however has the hardware to move in three dimensions over its full length. I was surprised that my body had discovered this good USE on its own! We must 'memorise' any good USE we stumble on for future use. This also gives me confidence that there is a good probability that my USE correction plan is on the right track.

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello LIst,

If you Google "Proper Breathing" in U Tube, you will come across endless videos trying to explain the problem and suggesting routines to correct your breathing. The conclusion you will come to is that, very few people breathe properly. 

This is a reader's comment from the site https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1a91xXn1Ts  :

cspace1234nz2 years ago

With an extensive background in martial arts followed by yoga, teaching breathing techniques and practicing daily for over 40 years I can say that I have never once come across a single person able to breathe correctly who hasn't be specifically taught and have been disciplined enough the make the necessary adjustments, that includes a great number of professional athletes. Breathing is poor for a number of long-term lifestyle related reasons and very difficult to change, requiring dedicated practice over a relatively long period of time. I usually tell students they must practice every day for four years and if they miss a day they must start again, that's how challenging it is if you want to control your breathing rather than have it control you. The emotional/psychlogical state is the main reason for poor breathing and the most difficult to face up to because as you learn to breathe correctly there are all manner of things going to arise, the very things that cause us to breathe poorly in the first place. Little wonder also that as we age our breathing becomes increasingly diffficult and one way or other is often connected with the death and dying process, as if they literally run out of breath. To be fully relaxed and able to master the breath goes hand in hand with mastering the mind.

------------

........... Will it be possible to breathe properly when USE is bad, when most adults adopt forward head posture? I have been noticing over the last one month or so that my breathing is improving steadily, (without doing any breathing exercise). 

Regards,

Selvaraj

[Keith Bacon]

Hi Selvaraj,

I watched this and it was quite interesting. What's talked of here seems to be training to directly change your breathing.

Alexander's idea was that good Use would result in good breathing happening by itself.

That guys breathing seemed pretty good to me so maybe he's got something. Or maybe he's just selling.... I don't know.

Keith..

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[sraj]

Hello List,

It is now one year and eight months since I started pushing my head backwards. Nowadays the pushing back is less frequent, the force applied is however greater than what I used to apply before.  

I am now fully convinced that there is something called Primary Control, involving the Head and the Atlas-Axis spinal bones. Primary not in the sense that we can ignore other parts of the body (like the feet for instance), primary in the sense that USE correction must start with proper positioning of the Head. The head and the whole body should be BALANCED and in flux - not possible with forward head posture adapted by  most adults.

My interest on the subject of USE (understood as POSTURE by most people) started with reading Dr. Barlow's book 'The Alexander Principle' around 1975' - what impressed me most was the distortions which showed up in X rays of the neck (see www.humanposture.com ) After two years of steady progress in improving my USE (or what I thought was improvement in my USE), during which my weight increased from Kg 54 to Kg 60, further improvement in USE, plateaued. At this point I decided that being a mechanical engineer I can figure out the rest myself - good USE must be related in some way to proper Balance of the body.

Unfortunately not much improvement took place till around year 2000 (25 years later), when I stumbled on the concept of Present Space / Thought Space - which has nothing to do with Balance of the Body :-(

This does not mean that I gave up on the idea of Balance of the Body. My book 'Human Posture' which I 'self-published' in the year 2005 , starts with a PREFACE which starts with the following visualisation:

Two boys went to the forest to play. Tired after hours of playing they decided to sit down for a while to munch a few wild berries they had collected. They looked around and saw a branch of a tree that had fallen on the ground and sat down on it only to find the branch suddenly starting to move. It was fun but not quite right; with creative insight and repeated attempts, they adjusted the branch so they could sit on opposite sides and seesaw. The berries were forgotten, only the play went on, they had learnt the idea of balance…

For a long  time I forgot about the Idea of Balance. Now it is time to revive it once again. Proper balance is possible only with proper balancing activity of the Head-Atlas-Axis entity. 

F.M. Alexander is a genius for having figured this out, and AT is different from other Mind-Body techniques in this respect.

Regards,

Selvaraj

On Friday, July 3, 2020 at 7:06:47 PM UTC+5:30 sraj wrote:

[sraj]

Hello LIst,

It is now 2 years since I started pushing my head backwards. Nowadays pushing back is less frequent, but I apply greater force. One distinct realisation I have is that I am breathing better! And the 'Orbicularis oculi muscles' are constricted - need opening out.

My fear is that head forward posture is a serious problem and as we grow older we may put the head more forward. Doing very strenuous exercise with head forward posture may be inadvisable.

Regards,

Selvaraj 

[sraj]

Hello LIst,

It is now 2.5 years since I started to push my head backwards. It seems necessary to do so once in a while, otherwise forces at the head will be directed improperly. Leading with the toes (and making the feet more responsive) complements this action at the other end.

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello List,

I continue to push my head back, in a short time I will be completing three years! Notice major changes in the musculature of my arms (the muscular interconnections in the body must be very complex indeed!). And Improved flexibility in the pelvic region. Wave motion from the feet to the head is improving.

Regards,

Selvaraj

P.S. I don't think primary control provided by the head, as visualized by F.M. Alexander, is a myth. 

[sraj]

Hello List,

Three years are now over since I started this routine. Even now I find myself pushing my head back!

..... My strong suspicion (stronger than earlier) is that adult humans are deeply distorting their musculoskeletal system - much more than we all may imagine. Referring to Alexander Monkey, where the knees are flexed; the full interlinking mechanism will include the flexibility at the feet and flexibility of the neck and the critical flexibility provided by the sub-occipital muscles (which A. Murdoch in Appendix B of "The Universal Constant in Living', associates with Alexander's primary control)

Evidently it is not going to be easy for adults to interlink the musculoskeletal system properly, once postural collapse has taken place. 

Importance of undulation of the feet:

From what I can figure out, heel to toe undulation will lead to Forward Head Posture. Undulation in the reverse direction toe... to heel will synchronize with proper balance of the head. 

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello List,

Today morning I found myself pushing back on my forehead. The frequency of pushing back has reduced of late. 

Over the last three years I have noticed that changes in balance of the head produce huge changes in balance over the rest of the body. Can we make a criticality list? My list world be:

- Head (Primary Control)

- The toes

- Pelvic tilt (I have been forced at times to apply external force - something difficult for women to emulate :-(

....... Other new discoveries 1) Better engagement of facial muscles 2) I seem to have been scratching all over my body - including face and scalp - using my nails. Does the skin (which we may presume to be un-stretchable) and underlying fat play a major role in stabilizing the action of muscles in the human body? 3) Good USE .------> natural breathing (I think we should not dictate how we must breathe - too complex a phenomenon).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-u8sJQ91DE

F. M. Alexander: The "Breathing Man" - and perhaps also The "Torso Man"

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello List,

I continue to push back at my forehead. (Not arbitrarily)

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello List,

I continue to push back at my forehead. One big difference is that when I do push back I am applying considerably greater force - trying to consciously balance out forces for a few seconds. On rare occasions I may feel dizzy (my general remedy for any sudden adverse outcome is to freeze and  move to Present Space - no attempt to apply conscious thought). ....... ?

Regards,

Selvaraj

[Franis Engel]

Hello SRaj, 
Pushing with your head against your hand can affect many different muscle groups in your neck, depending on where you touch your hand to lift your head against that particular spot. Careful with experimenting! Meaning, only do it when you can lay on a surface with your head supported. You're probably applying more force than you realize - that's why the dizziness when more blood suddenly is rushing into your brain that your former tension was pinching off.

For instance, putting your hand on one of your eyebrows and beginning to lift your head against it will torque your neck muscles in the back of your head on one side, forcing those neck muscles to lengthen as a result. You can verify which muscles are being affected with your other hand.

But doing all this head-pressing - does it really do you any good over time?

Please avoid the use very much forcefulness to do these experiments. You can "sprain" your neck muscles if you apply too much force!

In Alexander Technique - what counts will be changing the habitual mannerisms over time that are applying this tension continuously. It's this tension that is being released by applying this "hand on head" force.

Of course, it's a relief if a neck muscle is chronically tense to use this strategy to get it to release - and then sleep. Without A.T. training, the person will only tense up their neck muscles again in the same pattern, unfortunately.
"Getting the release" is merely another end-gain! (Especially people who feel they need to "crack" their neck...) As you improve in your ability to leave alone some of the unnecessary tension in your neck, you'll feel no "releasing" anymore. This feature is confusing for some people - leading them to obsessively apply their "remedy" that used to work more often...which can become another problem as it's applied too often that can take them too far in the opposite direction.
Franis Engel

Let's continue our conversation privately on www.brax.me 

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[sraj]

Hi Franis,

" Pushing with your head against your hand". True, Newton's third law states that action and reaction are equal and opposite, but this is not what I do. I push with my finger tips against the center of my head, the alignment of the head and spine (and rest of the body) are the primary reference which we are trying to strengthen; done when standing erect. The finger tips push back at the center of the head, not offset, pushing on one eyebrow; I would not dream of doing such a thing. 

"only do it when you can lay on a surface with your head supported"..............which position of the head and body are you suggesting?

You are right, doing what I am doing can be dangerous. You are right about end gaining. I am in no hurry, it is now more than 3 years since I started doing this. More than 45 years are over since I came across Dr. Barlow's book ' The Alexander Principle' :-(

Thank you for your concern.

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

It looks like I am usually walking when I am pushing my head back. Giving precise information is a difficult task.

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Hello List,

It is now four years since I started to push my head back. I continue to do so. Now it is less frequent, but the force applied is greater.

..... For a long time it was a puzzle to me why people visited a Alexander Technique Teacher once in while to get themselves 'adjusted'. This is no longer a puzzle to me. ..... The only problem is, correcting USE is a difficult task once posture has been allowed to collapse and 'Forward Head posture' sets in. So, our focus should be on children zero to 12 years of age.

Unfortunately good USE will come into conflict with the priorities set by our present educational system. Even the renowned education philosopher John Dewey, a great friend of F. M. Alexander, who wrote the introduction to three of his books, appears to have backed off in writing the introduction to Alexander's fourth book "THE UNIVERSAL CONSTANT IN LIVING" (Where he takes a swipe at many of his supporters :-)

Regards,

Selvaraj

P.S.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Matthias_Alexander

Another possible reason was to distance himself from Dewey, who was proposing a scientific trial of the technique; the prospect alarmed Alexander as he had no confidence in the investigation and in addition feared a loss of control over the technique.[69] ....

Famous pupils[edit]

Philosopher and education reformer John Dewey, who wrote about both his experience as a student of F.M. Alexander and about the importance of Alexander's work in introductions to three of Alexander's books: Man's Supreme Inheritance (in edition published in 1918),[102] Constructive Conscious Control of the Individual (in original publication in 1923),[103] and The Use of the Self (in original publication in 1932).[104]

...... 

[sraj]

Hello LIst,
I continue to push my head back (4.5 years), though of late it appears to be less frequent. May be once in a couple of days. The force I am applying also appears to be less.

 Attempt to engage the toes or at least the balls of the feet appears to be important. I have three sessions of ten minutes each a day where I am running barefoot or wearing open sandals. By attempting to run fast (for a short time) we can try to experiment with different movement (and force) dynamics (over the length of body), which allows us to move more easily. My favourite part is running up or down three steps in my open sandals, where there is good chance of tripping :-) …..

Regards,

Selvaraj

[sraj]

Dear All,
Even now I am occasionally pushing my head back! Forward head posture is not all that simple to correct!
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
I will be completing six years of this gymnastics.

I made a search in this list with the phrase 'sharp pain', obtaining a few posts where I had used this phrase. The latest in year 2022 said this:
Hello List,
I had a sharp pain event today (less painful than earlier events). As I mentioned earlier these pain events have shifted from higher up in the Lumbar Vertebrae to lower down. Is it L5 this time, could it be at the Sacrum or Coccyx?

..The latest discomfort I had of this nature was today morning; this time the situation was different, I got the feeling that all the bones were adjusting smoothly, the way a structure of this nature should function. Let's see what happens next ,,,
Regards,
Selvaraj