For most of us, concentration is associated with tightening. When we see someone working and tightening - especially in the face - we may perceive this as concentration. It has been proposed that every thought leads to muscular action, but there is no prerequisite for this to manifest in a way which contradicts ease.
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To have one’s eyes open seems like such a trivial thing. In the practice of Alexander Technique, however, it is an application of principles with deep implications. It challenges views on concentration and intention.
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In the sports and performing arts, there is what is known as Flow, or “being in The Zone”. It is considered the ‘state of mind’ where one is wholly absorbed in performance and is associated with moments of peak output. Although heralded as the ultimate state, performers often report being The Zone also leads to pain, or that pain interrupts Flow. This article considers the apparent paradox of using consciousness to preserve Flow and eliminate the negative side affects. It is relevant to anyone who associates being deeply engrossed in a task with stiffness or soreness.
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