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."

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…

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.

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:

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…

Carol at first thought:

"My God, Jeremy has an ego on him. Fancy calling his workshop "Golden Week". Bit over the top isn't it?"

Of course I heard all this AFTER - while we were laughing. I was able to inform Carol, that Golden Week was not a name I made up for BodyChance's annual residential - it was what the Japanese called it!

Golden Week happens in the first week of May every year. It is a Japanese version of Easter. Three public holidays, near a weekend, and everyone goes home to see family.

Do you start planning your teaching day by thinking:

"How could I best undermine my students today? How could I make sure they lose confidence, motivation and the desire to study Alexander's discovery with me?"

No, of course not.

Would it shock to know that you could be doing exactly that?

Not intentionally, but does it matter?

Teaching groups involves giving affirmation to students - but often teachers, in their desire to celebrate an achievement, affirm the wrong thing.

People seem obsessed by the different sizes of groups that they teach.

Individual vs small groups vs large groups vs massive gatherings.

All different? Not really.

Thinking group size matters is a recipe to get confused. It's a spurious division.

Sure, the emphasis is different, but watch Anthony Robbins teach a group of 5,000 people, and you still see Anthony Robbins teaching individuals.

One human being is the discrete component of any teaching situation.

Yes - I can teach alone, in absentia!

There is a secret to BodyChance's Golden Week residential, and I am going to reveal it.

Anyone who follows my feed on Facebook knows there is a frenzy of activity every May.

During the Japanese holidays of Golden Week (what a great name!) BodyChance holds its annual residential. We started it in 1999, and still going strong.

Just 7 days ago, Carlos Ghosn stepped down as CEO of Nissan.

He had a remarkable run, from 1999 turning around an iconic company that was about to crash; then going on to produce a series of "zero-emission" electric cars for developing countries to protect our environment. He is doing good in the world.

In Japan they nicknamed him "7/11" in tribute to his prodigious working ethic.