It amazes me that anyone finds teaching groups difficult.

And I get it. I worried once too. So what's difficult about standing in front of a group of people?

TWO THINGS:

1. The trash in your head
2. Not knowing what to do

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1. THE TRASH IN YOUR HEAD

It's not what is happening in the room that makes it "difficult" - it is what is happening in your head. You look at them all and think: "What do they think of me?" And because you can't possible know that - (can you read minds???) - then you make it up:

When I first started my school in Japan, I once wanted to die.

Not suicide, but almost. Because something happened…

And I reacted badly to it.

I was washed away by a tsunami of emotions so brutal that, for a moment, I wanted to drown. I wanted to escape from a darkness so overwhelming, it took my breath away.

I was co-teaching a workshop in Kyoto, in 2001.

A few weeks ago I was violently berated by one of my staff.

He didn't hit me or anything - I just rarely encounter real, live and angry people.

Then last night I was berated again for the same reason. By a different staff! At some point it's necessary to think - perhaps they have a point? If they have to shout to be heard, maybe I am not listening.

So what did I hear?

Talking about secrets.

Last night I “outed” my Self – I exposed my secret life. Did you?

It was invigorating, uplifting and liberating.

***

The day started with a trainee in tears in my ATSuccess class, sharing her secret fear. She admitted to being frightened of joining Facebook because “I might be attacked”. As she shared her ‘secret’ with us, she got freer.

“Secrets” will cause head/spinal dysfunction.

I had to lie to get my first acting job.

I landed a part in Jack Hibberd’s Dimboola – one of Australia’s most successful plays. Trouble was, I was still only 17.

So I instantly became 18, just like that.

Back in those days, things were lazier. Trust was stronger. I said was 18, that was good enough for everyone. I was in!

Boy was I nervous on the opening night. Shaking.

It happened twice.

Two different people. Different days. Same result.

We are walking along the river, talking about a myriad of topics, in a free-flowing conversation. We jump from one topic to another – laughing, scowling, celebrating, worrying – it’s hard to keep track.

You know those kind of conversations?

I am usually the one who says “What was I saying?” Then some young thing quickly recites a full list of the last five ideas and how they connected.

Except, I was the young thing this time.

People come to us in pain, full of theories why.

Most of them wrong.

As purveyors of Alexander's discovery, we know the hidden habit that dictates the pain students are experiencing.

And the reason is shocking in its simplicity.

You are co-ordinating your actions by increasing your downward moving contractions of head/spine and arms – reverse that, all will be better.

People look at us like we are mad. What are you talking about?

I have a confession to make.

My original motivation for creating my 2 year certificate course in “BodyThinking” was fear of what would happen if I didn’t. It was 2003 and I was worried.

Fear is not always a negative thing: running away from a fire is clever.

Here’s the story of the fire I was running away from…

Eliciting feedback from students is an art, based on “intelligent questions”.

Most times students give answers that are next to useless in helping them navigate the future.

It's a teacher's job to reframe their answer into useful information - information they already have available in their brain (if you know how to help them find it). In this short 4 minute video I talk about how to frame a question that will assist your student to integrate their learning after your lesson is finished...

“Rafferty Rules” was the biggest day in my little 5 year old life.

It happened on Fridays, I don’t remember much more. All I remember is that Dad said I could do…

ANYTHING: Rafferty Rules = There Are No Rules (Wow)

To my magical baby mind, that was, like – incomprehensible. Anything? I can do anything? What will I do? I know, stay up late. Which was about all I could think of (since in those days no one was obsessed about sugar intakes).