The More You Think About It, The Bigger It Gets
What does it mean?
Responding to Sebastian Moody’s iconic Brisbane artwork1, the Sydney Morning Herald recently asked this question “What’s the first thing that pops into your mind when you read that sign?”2
In recent online Alexander lesson, my student replied to my encouragement, the more you think about it, the better it works, with a reference to this iconic Brisbane artwork. “The more I think about it the bigger it gets”.
In the practise of the Alexander technique I have often heard: “If what you are doing is not having the desired effect, do less, think more” and it has been my experience that the practise involves developing your thinking in relation to yourself and your action.
I had another student a few years ago who started her lesson by apologetically saying: “I havn’t been practising”… she started lessons with shoulder discomfort, and when I simply waited to see what she would say next, she followed up with “but I have been thinking about it a lot”. By this time I was smiling, anticipating her next comment “my shoulder doesn’t seem to be hurting any more”.
Of course what to think and how to think it are all part of the training :-).
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