July 2017

12 Jul

When You Marry a Buddhist, You Get a Dog

by Jeremy Chance

Don’t you love dogs?

I do. Because they love you. That’s all they do.

When you’re angry, they look sad.

When you’re happy, they wag their tail.

When you shout at them, they look worried.

They are waiting for you to love them again. And you can’t help it. You love them back. Their honest emotion and devotion, overcomes all resistance in your heart. You smile, melt before this all powerful channeler of love and say:

“Come here boy!”

and you get wet-licked all over your face.

What if a person was like that?

11 Jul

Brain Science for Anxious Simpletons Like Me

by Jeremy Chance

I am no neuroscientist, just an avid reader of the latest pop-book on how the brain works. Working through Override by Caroline Willams this week.

I love these brain books; I adore them because they reflect me to me.

My latest fascination is with the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, or BNST for short. I am partnering with that little beauty every day now.

10 Jul

The Future of Teaching Online

by Jeremy Chance

It's night time now, and the Mullumbimby moon is just past being full.

Tomorrow at 6am - in Australia - I start my online group teaching course, and enter a new world. Like most things I do, one of my motivations is my belief that the best way to go deeper into anything is to teach it to others.

There is a huge future for our work in online teaching - and the promise of Alexander's discovery being more widely disseminated and utilized. I intend to be surfing at the front of this Tsunami.

09 Jul

Making Mystery and Theatre of Your Group Teaching

by Jeremy Chance

A new idea about Group Teaching has recently taken grip in my mind.

I spent today preparing and recording the first class for my Group Teaching Discovery Course, which starts July 10th. And I got clearer and clearer about it…

08 Jul

Hey Human! Put A Pebble in Your Shoe

by Jeremy Chance

Have you ever noticed - just when a student is starting to do best - they decide to leave?

Saying things like:

“Got so much to work on now, so grateful.”

“I am feeling overwhelmed; I need time to digest.”

“It’s getting hard to find time – I think I need a little break. I’ll be back.”

It’s crap. It’s the conscious mind being duped by the mammal inside.

07 Jul

How to Hold a Vulnerable Space

by Jeremy Chance

In a session - just yesterday - an ATSuccess member asked an innocent question:

“Do I need to be an expert of a student’s activity, to be able to help them?”

Intellectually it’s obvious – Tiger Woods’ coach doesn’t play golf like Tiger! Does that stop him seeing areas for development? Older, beer-gutted men are often coaching baseball teams in America – would these old guys survive on the field?

No.

06 Jul

The Student's Dilemma...

by Jeremy Chance

Suddenly my phone is screaming at me…

(Who is calling at this late hour!?)

"Hallo, BodyChance Studio.

I'm sorry, but now we are close—"

"Please can you help me!?"

(I think: shouldn't we at least do names first?)

"Who is this speaking?"

"Oh I'm sorry, my name is Harry."

(I guess he needs to have this conversation now…)

"What's the problem Harry?"

"I am in a lot of pain. I can't stand it."

05 Jul

The Student's Wish

by Jeremy Chance

An unpleasant experience when leading a group, is to have a participant strongly opposing and contradicting you. Leading a charge against you.

I used to think that! Now I look forward to it…

Because whatever you think they are doing, THAT flows from your perception.

What if they are not doing that?

What if what they want is understanding, clarity and completion? Wouldn't you "listen differently" if you perceived them that way?

You can develop the space in your mind to see them however you wish.

04 Jul

The Chancer Takes a Chance

by Jeremy Chance

Years ago, a Journalist from a popular “alternative cool” magazine called “Kokoro” – which means “Heart” in Japanese – came along to BodyChance’s studio in Meguro to do a feature on our work.

I suggested she come and watch “the Chancer” - thanks to Carol Ervine for my new nickname! - running a Basic Course class. Basic Course is the program we offer in Japan to the Public.

***SIDE BAR ***

BTW: the name of your group is important, even critical.

Calling our public offering “Basic Course” immediately suggests a higher level…

03 Jul

The Dawn of Delight

by Jeremy Chance

My first crisis happened within 2 years of my 18 years of living in Japan happened in Kyoto.

Jaldhara had our young daughter Angelica in the pram, and had just said goodbye. I turned, and started heading down the escalator to go to Tokyo…

And I tripped. I tumbled down the stairs.

And - by a remarkable confluence of unexpected factors - dislocated my arm. OUCH!

The worst part was being alone. Speaking no Japanese. Having no idea what to do next.

03 Jul

Teaching Groups Means Finding a New Alexander Technique

by Jeremy Chance

People have asked me:

“Why do you insist on calling our work ‘Alexander's discovery’?”

It’s a valid question, and one I continue to ask my Self. The simplist answer I have is this:

Alexander's discovery is just that, a discovery. It is not a technique or method.

It’s like the realization that the earth revolves around the sun. Knowing it doesn’t change it, but it changes you. It changes your ideas, your beleifs, your choices.

Alexander's discovery can be expressed in several different ways:

02 Jul

The Dawn of My Delight

by Jeremy Chance

My first crisis happened within 2 years of my 18 years of living in Japan happened in Kyoto,

Jaldhara had our young daughter Angelica in the pram, and had just said goodbye. I turned, and started heading down the escalator to go to Tokyo…

And I tripped. I tumbled down the stairs. And - by a remarkable confluence of unexpected factors - dislocated my arm. OUCH!

The worst part was being alone. Speaking no Japanese. Having no idea what to do next.

So I screamed. I screamed as loud as the air in my body would let me…

01 Jul

You Have To Write, Then Sell. Or Be Poor.

by Jeremy Chance

Many readers have told me that they like my Daily Blog – and hate it. BOTH.

Every day, you just never know.

Which is my point of course.

It’s also why – in ATSuccess these days – I advocate this method to build your own market. It would surprise you to know that it DOESN’T irritate everyone, not when what you are writing about is dear to their hearts. Musicians can't get enough about breathing and embouchure. Yoginis want to explore their heart, body and mind every day, why not your email too? If you write about that, they'll read it.