The power of kinaesthetic weirdness
If you felt like you were leaning forwards at an angle of 30 degrees or more. What would you do?
I’m betting you’d lean back.
When I give an Alexander lesson, my pupil often ends up feeling like they’re leaning forwards at an angle of 30 degrees or more. So what do they do?
They try to lean back — but I don’t let them. Instead I put them in front of a mirror and show them they are standing upright. They see it. They remark on it. They’re generally bowled over by the difference between how they feel they’re standing and what they see in the mirror.
So what do they do next? Surely they don’t try and lean back again?
Yes they do.
Why is your kinaesthetic sense so weird?
Actually, your kinaesthetic sense (your feel for what your body is doing) isn’t weird at all, it’s your interpretation that’s wrong.
Your kinaesthetic sense is not really telling you what you’re doing: it’s telling you what you’re doing differently from usual. So if you usually lean backwards, it will only comment when you stop leaning backwards. When you stop leaning backwards, it will tell you you’re leaning forwards of where you usually are.
You will only think you’re leaning forwards because you thought you were straight when you were leaning backwards as usual. And you’ll feel like the difference is far larger than it really is, hence the 30 degrees.
Have I taught you something
or just confused you?
Let me know.
P.S. Here’s more about kinaesthetic weirdness.
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Next: How to deal with scoliosis
