GI: Rules
In Alexander work, the decision not to do is fundamental. One of the most important things not to do is unduly stiffen the neck. With this in mind, Alexander formulated the verbal direction "to let the neck be free." But, as Alexander well understood, a verbal direction is a dangerous thing. When we hear a word, no sooner have we heard it than we have reacted to it by doing something -- so that, in making the decision not to do, something is unconsciously done. For example, the neck stiffens.
Some Alexander teachers, mindful of the difficulty of not doing the direction "to let the neck be free," use a wide vocabulary of other words to impress upon self and others the importance of not doing the direction -- allowing the muscles of the neck to release, thinking of space, et cetera, et cetera.
But Marjory Barlow would sometimes command me, in quite a fiesty manner, "Now, free your neck." It sounded like she was ordering me to do something. But I knew she didn't want me to do anything. And that was just Marjory's point. Rather than try to spoon feed me, Marjory was giving me the stimulus and asking me to work out for myself the non-response, begining with my decision not to do the direction.
This is all by way of preamble to discussing the final character in the title FUKAN-ZAZENGI, and that is this one, GI:
GI means rule.
If you don't like the sound of it, that's your problem. Get over it.
The problem, in other words, is not in the word but in your reaction to it.
GI means rule.
FREE YOUR NECK!
posted by Mike Cross at 8:12 AM
4 Comments:
I am prone to stiffen my neck and shoulders, prone to imagine myself right and to hold on to that for dear life.
I asked my teacher during a few days of sitting-zen what to do about my stiff neck. He said " Why do you stiffen your neck?"
I thought "Why do I?" I no longer stiffen my neck.
Why do I prevent myself from experiencing the liberation which is all around?
Why do I do it?
Hello MT,
I am glad you are still reading my blog.
But when you write "I no longer stiffen my neck" I am aware of a gulf between you and me, of heaven and earth being far apart.
The words "I no longer stiffen my neck" are words that it has become totally and utterly impossible for me to speak, and it is difficult for me to imagine any student who was taught by me speaking those words.
On that point, I have absolute confidence. If you were my student, it would soon become totally impossible for you to utter such utter nonsense.
At that time, I was actually doing it coarsely, consciously - as instructed....
It was a bad habit. Given the permission to do so, I could stop that for starters.
However, this doesn't mean the neck no longer becomes stiff. It just means I don't sit there stretching the back of my neck up.
Now, it's more accurate to say: when the neck is stiff, it's something I am doing.
'What am I doing?' is a question I can ask.
Somehow, the asking of that question has an effect and sometimes...frees the neck, the back, shoulders and up comes Taito - hallelujah!
But you didn't answer my question.
Why do I prevent myself from experiencing the liberation that is all around?
Please describe how to shed unconscious doing?
Without meeting you in person and doing a few tests, I can't be sure, but it could be that the idea that liberation is all around is unsettling an imperfectly developed vestibular system, which, in turn, is causing your neck to stiffen.
The solution, as I have described on this blog many times, rests upon giving up the endgaining idea, and re-educating the vestibular system.
It is the vestibular system which lets you know where you are in relation to the earth.
One way to give up the endgaining idea and at the same time re-educate the vestibular system is, for example, to sit in the full lotus posture, bow, sway left and right, and then just sit still.
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