Well hello friendly people, welcome to today's offering, the first for November - November! it certainly is. Crispy crunchy leaves underfoot and, hmm, a definite suspicion of fireworks around.
So what's the technique Pamela?
Ah so, a dual offering.
Number one, the Alexander Technique
Number two, the pamela-dealing-with-THE TASK-as-best-she-can technique.
The Alexander Technique:
I was recommended to try Alexander Technique (AT) by a friend/ driver after an afternoon spent listening to my groans and moans about my-poor-back-which-has-never-been-as-bad-as-this and helping me in and out of his car as we visited students on an archaeological dig. I knew a little of AT having come across it when I tried a number of treatments due to having been a bad-back-sufferer for (37 years) since the age of 19 when I was a junior nurse. Lifting! and lifting heavy patients was not a good idea. I had been interested to try it and so found an AT class in Durham. I knew after the initial session that this was magic personified in the form of a wonderful trainer/practitioner. A real *eye-opener* of an experience. M talked to me for a while, gently moved my head and arms, and somehow added an inch or two to my 5' 2" comfycurvy old bod. She asked me how I felt and didn't seem fazed when I answered that I felt I was tipping over to one side. Instead she placed a full-length mirror in front of me and - wow! I was sitting perfectly straight! We tried the same process standing. Again I felt I was leaning way over to the right. Again the mirror showed me otherwise. I was truly amazed. This demonstrated my body's shadow memory of how far out of true my posture had been.
I now go along every week or so for an hour and I'm learning how to live in, move and use my body with ease and without tension.
What it is: Books have been written in answering this question! See previous sentence for my answer!
What it costs: £26 per session. I've had ten and plan ten more.
Rated 10 out of 10!
Dealing with The Task:
I'm getting on with The Task (see previous post if you're new to this blog *hello*) but slowly, for two reasons. Firstly, because I'm recovering from a day in hospital having my wisdom teeth surgically removed. Strong pain meds are a wonderful de-motivator and my bed is oh-so-cosy:) Secondly is that in order to deal with de-cluttering of GIGANTIC proportions you do need a number of resources. Boxes, bags and labels, yes of course. Pad and pen to log what goes where. Motivation. But additionally, unless you want to break your ankles, neck and SPIRIT, you need (1) SPACE and (2) a level surface preferably one that avoids bending and lifting so - not the floor! I don't think I'm the first (I do read a lot of blogs on the subject and thank everyone!) to liken this process to a life size game of TETRIS - you know the sort of thing, moving *boxes* around with only one empty box/space to play with.
So my technique recommendation is make a space, even if it means moving your furniture/gym equipment/whatever. It's temporary and good motivation for getting on with it! I've tipped a sofa on its end, lifted a coffee table onto another sofa, piled up boxes in front of radiators and (unlit) fires and likewise blocked off doorways (but leave an emergency exit!).
Next, I'm using
my dining table a temporary staging post based on three suitcases (filled with coins and stamps) covered with two old duvet covers to empty my boxes onto (the dining table is, of course, covered with boxes!).
Then comes the sorting. Here's where the space comes in useful. A series of empty labelled boxes and bags at the ready and the lifetime's collection of whatever are reassembled as suitable for auction, charity shop, rubbish or keep etc.
Three more days of this and then a quick put-things-straight before we go away for the week - the lovely, breathtaking and blissful English Lake District is mine all mine! Well, for a week's stay in a cosy cottage and lots of fresh air activities, and a bit of mindful AT and meditation at least.
That's all folks! Getting on getting on!
Bye for now
pamela xxx
