Category: Awareness

Why Popular Attempts to Fix Your Posture Don’t Work (And What to Do Instead)

3/6/2025

connect.walkinbalance.net/call-booking-page-1875-6132-6721Have you ever spent countless of hours at a doctor’s therapy office or the gym repeating exercises aimed at relaxing or strengthening your aching muscles and joints, hoping it would get you out of pain and fix your posture?

But nothing made a lasting positive impact on your well-being...

Does it feel crazy that your body seems to always revert back to your old patterns of slouching, stiffening and tensing up? You correct yourself for a while, but soon enough, you’re right back where you started.

Consider this:

1. Posture cannot be improved by exercising ‘weak’ or relaxing “tense” muscles because there is a reason why they act the way they do. That reason are your whole-body, dysfunctional movement patterns.

2. Posture cannot be ‘fixed’ by forcing your body into a certain position and then holding it there, because it's unnatural and creates more tension and stiffness.

How posture works

Your posture works through a holistic set of processes that are happening in your sensory and nervous systems, and that are directly influenced by the way you move and think.

Imbalances in your musculoskeletal system are the result of the unconscious messages your muscles receive from your brain that cause dysfunction in how your body operates.

So the real million dollar question is this: How can you use your mind and thinking to develop movement patterns that promote a superb functioning for your body as a whole?

How can you develop a use of your musculoskeletal system that makes you feel balanced and empowered? How can you work more skillfully with your awareness so that your body is adaptive and free to do what you really want it to do, and not held back by dis-ease and limitations?

If you want to improve the way you move, look and feel (your posture!), pay attention to how you guide and direct your body into activity. Think of your body as one unified whole, not a bunch of isolated muscles that you somehow need to manipulate.

Muscular dysfunction must be addressed on the level of consciousness and thought because muscles are merely the 'actors' and 'responders' to the way you think - they're not the 'directors' who holds the whole vision.

It is never too early or too late to learn how to let your posture support you effortlessly for life!

All you need is a simple learning process that helps you to recognize & address the repetitive and dysfunctional patterns that shape how you move, stand, and sit every day so that they not only become functional but promote balance, lightness and ease for your body.

This is the foundation of the Alexander Technique—an educational discipline and body of work that helps your posture to become something you experience, map, guide and enjoy, not something you force.

If you want to learn more about holistic posture improvement go to walkinbalance.net or click here to set up a complimentary New Posture Consultation call and learn how I can help you improve your posture, now and forever.

Can Exercise Help You Let Go of Tension?

11/5/2024

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Yes and No.

Yes, exercising can provide a great release from the demands of a stressful day. After a good workout or yoga session, you’re likely to feel recharged, more relaxed, and mentally refreshed. Regular physical exercise builds strength, resilience, and can be a powerful mental reset. When we exercise, we get a moment to clear the mind, which sometimes allows us to recognize certain beliefs and thought patterns that are lodged in mind and emotions and hold tension in our muscles. But exercise alone doesn’t reach the deeper root causes of tension.

Where Exercise Falls Short

The challenges of modern life include stressors that are often long-term, mental, and deeply ingrained. They can’t be resolved by simply “burning off steam” at the gym. These mental stressors, such as unhelpful attitudes or beliefs, tend to show up physically in our bodies, manifesting as tension. Exercise may momentarily overpower these tensions, but as soon as you’re back in your usual routine, they come right back. This cycle – mental tension leading to physical tension, which in turn reinforces mental tension – can’t be truly disrupted with exercise alone. Instead, it needs an approach that works on a mental and emotional level to bring awareness to these patterns.

That’s where the Alexander Technique comes in. By developing awareness of habitual attitudes, thoughts, and physical reactions, we can begin to let go of the ones that produce chronic tension in both the mind and muscles. It’s about breaking the cycle by identifying those ingrained reactions and making conscious changes that lessen tension at its source.

An Overlooked Cause of Daily Tension

There’s another major root cause of stress that many people aren’t aware of: how we use our bodies in everyday actions. Your body’s tension patterns are often tied to how you sit, stand, walk, reach, and bend. These fundamental movement patterns are so habitual we don’t realize they’re creating strain. For example, modern furniture, extended hours at a desk, or computer-focused work all encourage certain postural habits that can gradually increase tension throughout the body.

In the Alexander Technique, we look at this “use of self” with a fresh perspective. By learning to move with greater ease and awareness, you’re not just managing stress in the moment but actually reducing the underlying physical patterns that contribute to it in the long run. This isn’t about avoiding exercise but rather supplementing it with an understanding of how our movement habits can either foster relaxation or perpetuate strain. In essence, it’s about moving with purpose and ease – an approach that benefits not only the body but also the mind.

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The Power of Body Awareness in Transforming Daily Life

9/2/2024

The Alexander Technique teaches us that the awareness of our own body can be a profound tool for change. This growing awareness is, in fact, one of the most valuable outcomes of the practice.

At first glance, it might seem simple—just noticing how we stand, sit, or move throughout the day. But the deeper we go, the more we realize how connected every part of our body is to our overall well-being. For me, the journey into this self-awareness has been deeply transformative and it continues to be so, offering solutions and insights that I never knew were needed.

This kind of awareness doesn’t develop overnight. It’s a practice, an ongoing relationship with your own body. Each day brings new opportunities to tune in, ask questions, and explore how we’re really moving through the world. How am I standing right now? Are my shoulders tense? Is there unnecessary tension in my jaw or face? If my right hip is aching, what might be contributing to that discomfort? These aren’t just idle questions—they are the beginning of an inquiry that can lead to profound shifts in how I feel and function throughout my day.

It’s like running continuous diagnostics on your body. Imagine constantly checking in, not in a way that’s obsessive or anxious, but in a gentle, curious manner. These small moments of awareness give us the choice to readjust and find comfort and balance, time and time again. The truth is that life will always throw things at us. We will react, sometimes gracefully, sometimes not so much. We’re all on autopilot at times, trying to get through the day. But there is a huge difference when we bring self-awareness into the equation.

Instead of being swept away by unconscious habits and tension, we have the ability to step back, reassess, and make conscious choices. This is part of the essence of the Alexander Technique—using awareness to bring us out of old patterns and into a place of greater ease and control. By noticing our body’s signals, we can start to unravel the tension and discomfort that accumulate throughout the day. Whether it’s adjusting our posture at the desk or releasing tension in our shoulders after a stressful conversation, this awareness allows us to reset and realign ourselves with intention.

One of the most powerful aspects of this practice is that it shifts our relationship with ourselves. Instead of feeling like our bodies are something to battle against—something that betrays us with pain or discomfort--we start to see our bodies as allies. This shift in perception is liberating. It transforms how we move through our day, both physically and emotionally. Suddenly, we’re not just reacting to life’s challenges; we’re responding with awareness and choice.

Ultimately, the Alexander Technique offers a way to navigate life with more ease, grace, and awareness. It reminds us that we don’t have to live on autopilot, constantly reacting to the world around us. By cultivating a deep awareness of our bodies, we gain the power to make small adjustments that lead to big changes. Over time, these practices create a ripple effect, transforming physical experience, emotional state, and mental well-being.

In a world that often pushes us to move faster, do more, and ignore our own needs, the Alexander Technique offers a refreshing alternative. It invites us to slow down, tune in, and become more mindful of how we’re living in our bodies. And in doing so, it gives us the tools to create a life that feels balanced, comfortable, and aligned with who we truly are.

The Alexander Technique teaches us that the awareness of our own body can be a profound tool for change. This growing awareness is, in fact, one of the most valuable outcomes of the practice.

At first glance, it might seem simple—just noticing how we stand, sit, or move throughout the day. But the deeper we go, the more we realize how connected every part of our body is to our overall well-being. For me, the journey into this self-awareness has been deeply transformative and it continues to be so, offering solutions and insights that I never knew were needed.

This kind of awareness doesn’t develop overnight. It’s a practice, an ongoing relationship with your own body. Each day brings new opportunities to tune in, ask questions, and explore how we’re really moving through the world. How am I standing right now? Are my shoulders tense? Is there unnecessary tension in my jaw or face? If my right hip is aching, what might be contributing to that discomfort? These aren’t just idle questions—they are the beginning of an inquiry that can lead to profound shifts in how I feel and function throughout my day.

It’s like running continuous diagnostics on your body. Imagine constantly checking in, not in a way that’s obsessive or anxious, but in a gentle, curious manner. These small moments of awareness give us the choice to readjust and find comfort and balance, time and time again. The truth is that life will always throw things at us. We will react, sometimes gracefully, sometimes not so much. We’re all on autopilot at times, trying to get through the day. But there is a huge difference when we bring self-awareness into the equation.

Instead of being swept away by unconscious habits and tension, we have the ability to step back, reassess, and make conscious choices. This is part of the essence of the Alexander Technique—using awareness to bring us out of old patterns and into a place of greater ease and control. By noticing our body’s signals, we can start to unravel the tension and discomfort that accumulate throughout the day. Whether it’s adjusting our posture at the desk or releasing tension in our shoulders after a stressful conversation, this awareness allows us to reset and realign ourselves with intention.

One of the most powerful aspects of this practice is that it shifts our relationship with ourselves. Instead of feeling like our bodies are something to battle against—something that betrays us with pain or discomfort--we start to see our bodies as allies. This shift in perception is liberating. It transforms how we move through our day, both physically and emotionally. Suddenly, we’re not just reacting to life’s challenges; we’re responding with awareness and choice.

Ultimately, the Alexander Technique offers a way to navigate life with more ease, grace, and awareness. It reminds us that we don’t have to live on autopilot, constantly reacting to the world around us. By cultivating a deep awareness of our bodies, we gain the power to make small adjustments that lead to big changes. Over time, these practices create a ripple effect, transforming physical experience, emotional state, and mental well-being.

In a world that often pushes us to move faster, do more, and ignore our own needs, the Alexander Technique offers a refreshing alternative. It invites us to slow down, tune in, and become more mindful of how we’re living in our bodies. And in doing so, it gives us the tools to create a life that feels balanced, comfortable, and aligned with who we truly are.

Why Popular Attempts to Fix Your Posture Don’t Work (And What to Do Instead)

Can Exercise Help You Let Go of Tension?

The Power of Body Awareness in Transforming Daily Life

Walk In Balance Center Blog

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Tel: +49 (0)160-3728007

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tel: 415-879-0038

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REVIEWS

Why Popular Attempts to Fix Your Posture Don’t Work (And What to Do Instead)

Can Exercise Help You Let Go of Tension?

The Power of Body Awareness in Transforming Daily Life

Walk In Balance Center Blog

Archives

Categories

BerlinTel: +49 (0)160-3728007

​San francisco tel: 415-879-0038​

Tai Chi / Qi Gong Berlin

Alexander Technique

Study online

Contact

REVIEWS​

Berlin
Tel: +49 (0)160-3728007

San francisco
tel: 415-879-0038

REVIEWS