Below are links to the five class recordings.
Please note that session 1 is a video recording; sessions 2—5 are audio recordings. When you open a link, you’ll see a download button in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. Please download the recordings and save them to your computer.
Session 1: Basics
Session 2: Attention vs Awareness
Session 3: Directions
Session 4: Head-Neck-Back Relationship
Session 5: Putting It All Together
Before You Start
Before you start listening to the recordings make sure you have several paperback books and a place picked out where you’ll be able to comfortably lie down on the floor. I recommend lying down on a carpet, not directly on the floor.
You’ll also want something to put under your feet, so they don’t slip. If you have a yoga mat that works great. If you have a rubber mat that goes under a throw rug that can work, too. I like to do this practice in stocking feet but if you don’t have anything to keep your feet from slipping, keeping your slippers on if they have rubber soles will also work.
If for some reason you cannot lie on the floor, you can lie on a bed or couch, but it’s not optimal for this practice. I discuss why in the first session.
Getting down onto the floor can be a little daunting if you have low back pain. If you have issues with your lower back, I recommend having a chair nearby—so you can place your hands on the seat of the chair and let them take a little bit of your weight to support your back as you bend down and then kneel down to get onto the floor.
Here is the basic position (yes, that’s me!):
You will support the back of your head with your stack of paperback books. Notice in the picture that the books are underneath my head—and are not in contact with the back of my neck.
You’ll need to experiment a bit to get the height of the books right. But it’s not rocket science. If you’ve too few books, your head will tend to tilt backward (chin higher than forehead) and it’ll be difficult to encourage muscular release through the back and neck. If the pile is too high, your chin will press uncomfortably on your throat. The optimum height is somewhere between these two extremes. I usually recommend you err on the side of too many books than too few. If the books are too hard you can place a folded washcloth on top of them.
I go over the physical rest position in detail in the first session.
If you have questions as you work your way through the class recordings, please email me at: Lauren@AlexanderTeachingStudio.com