The Covid-19 pandemic is once again leading to soaring numbers of infections and deaths worldwide.  Since Covid-19 attacks our ability to breathe, this crisis demands that we learn what breathing is and explore the intimate connection between breathing and posture.  Understanding this connection should allow us to improve the quality of our posture and our breathing simultaneously.  With our well being hanging in the balance, the Alexander Technique is the perfect vehicle to embark on this important effort.  The [...]

It seems obvious that breathing is vitally important.  But what's obvious often commands little attention, and so it was with breathing before the onslaught of covid-19.  Most of us didn't really focus on our breathing before the pandemic -- we "just breathed."  As the crisis unfolded, however, we all learned that shortness of breath is a major symptom of the disease. This growing awareness spurred great interest in breathing efficiency and in exercises alleged to enhance it.  Despite this [...]

The Poor Posture Epidemic Meets the covid-19 Pandemic The covid-19 pandemic is severely testing our society. Those who remain healthy and employed -- and can work from home -- are lucky indeed.  However, growing numbers of these fortunate people suffer from needless pain, strain and tension induced by their own poor posture. Poor posture was already at epidemic levels before the pandemic began.  Yet covid-19 "shelter-in-place" orders have amplified our society's preexisting posture problems.  Many office workers have been [...]

People studying the Alexander Technique learn a lot about their own habits.  This occurs because habits are the primary obstacle standing between how Alexander students are and how they want to be.  How do AT students want to be?  Many people take AT lessons to improve their posture.  Others want to reduce back, neck and shoulder pain while preventing future injuries.  Another group seeks to move more easily, conserving their personal energy.  Still others want to better manage [...]

People everywhere appreciate what they deem to be "good posture," but news reports indicate that the North Korea has taken this appreciation to an extreme.  The message seems to be, "Watch your neck when employed by radical dictatorships." Crime and Punishment It seems unbelievable, but a certain Vice Premier Kim Yong Jin, 63, was executed in July with an anti-aircraft guy for having a "disrespectful posture" (Huffington Post) or, alternatively, "for not keeping his posture upright" (Reuters) at the Supreme People's Assembly in June.  Mr. [...]

The New York Times published an in-depth article about Michaelangelo's renowned sculpture, David.  The article focuses on the very real possibility that this masterpiece might collapse into a heap of rubble because of a subtle structural weakness dating back to when it was carved from a huge block of marble. David's problem lies in his ankles, which have harbored cracks that were first noticed over 100 years ago.  Any cracks near the base of a 12,500 pound statue are concerning, but the threat posed by these [...]