Something Fishy

Our fish tank, which has delighted us since its arrival last summer, became a focal point during the Alexander Technique workshop we hosted last week. Robyn Avalon, our Alexander mentor, spent a few minutes when she arrived watching our goldfish and snails with me. My intent when I set up the tank (aside from satisfying a caretaking need) was to provide examples of fluid, integrated movement. Robyn pointed out another great asset: the sound the flow of the filter makes. During our workshop, as we trained each other on the GYROTONIC® equipment, she repeatedly asked: "Can you hear the fish?" She drew our attention to the importance of staying present in the room. At certain challenging moments in the exercises, both client and instructor tended to tense up and lose connection with our bodies and the space around us. We found we could no longer feel the equipment with the sensitivity we needed. When we became more aware of this tendency, and tried to remain receptive enough to hear the fish tank, we were able to move with greater ease, fluidity, and integration. What an awesome lesson!