22/01/2018
Learning to inhibit
I was always impetuous and impatient as a child. I lost count of the number of times my mother would say “……….. you’re like a bull at a gate.” Largely as a result of always being in a hurry to do things I would often stumble or trip and fall. Over-enthusiasm to touch some pretty flowers in the park lead me to falling headlong into the dirty flowerbed in my smart pink coat as a three year old. This type of mishap became a common occurrence throughout life ……………. Until I began to study the Alexander Technique.
Perhaps the most important thing that Alexander Technique has taught me is inhibition – stopping to think, to intervene before
acting. This has had the effect of slowing me down, making me a calmer person, less impetuous more level-headed if you like.
Over the past week in all the snow and ice that has been surrounding us being able to practice inhibition has been particularly invaluable. Today the thaw has set in and conditions are treacherous. The snow and ice is beginning to disappear and is becoming very patchy, leading to very mixed conditions underfoot. One moment you are stepping through muddy puddles, the next minute trying not to slide on slippery ice with a layer of water on the top. It would be very easy to have a nasty fall. It’s necessary to keep your wits about you all the time and to plan the next step meticulously. This morning I took the dogs around a favourite circular walk. I reckon it took me almost half as long again as it normally does. I took extra care, I planned every move, looked ahead to weigh up which route would afford me the best grip in my wellies. Probably most importantly of all I didn’t rush. I concentrated on my directions – let the neck be free. I was mindful of exactly where I was putting my feet and also had to be very aware of where Mac was because he has to stay on the lead and he could easily pull me over.
The route home led me down a very winding road through a big field and the farmer had been up and down a lot in his tractor, squashing down the snow and turning it to ice. So our progress slowed down further. I decided I was going to walk beside the road on the snowy field. It’s hard to know what lurked beneath the covering of snow and often I found my feet sinking into muddy holes but as I saw Meg and Mac frequently sliding along and losing control of their legs on the icy road I knew I had made the right decision.
I didn’t mind that our walk had taken longer than usual. We all got home safely and I think I only had two very minor slips during the entire circuit. I didn’t feel stressed and it was a great start to the day. I am rather thankful that I no longer seem to be a “bull at a gate”.
