Lap dogs send you emails with questions like: is there anything I can do???

They look up to you, with unblinking loyal eyes, hungry for their Master’s voice.

Roaring Lions send you emails with judgements: what do you think you’re doing!!!

You want to surround yourself with roaring lions, not lap dogs.

Lap dogs are wonderful, reaffirming, great for your ego and totally useless at helping you to evolve towards your wish. Roaring lions are difficult, challenging to your ego and totally useful in helping you evolve towards your wish.

“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).

On a Skype this week with an AT Teacher*, he told me a wonderful story.

It was about a student – call her Marie – who was also a long-time friend. Of course Marie knew about his AT work, but she had never been much interested.

Then one day, out of the blue, Marie called…

“Look, I don’t want to learn Alexander Technique…”

(rather puzzling he thought)

“… but can you help me cross the street?”

It confirms a growing belief I have about our future – most people don’t care.

Better question – who writes a blog on Xmas day?!

I do. Why? Well, why not?

The day is to celebrate the things that make life worthwhile: love, compassion, friendship, family, giving, receiving.

Xmas a great time to practise generosity of spirit.

When I was 11, I played a dangerous game of running on rocks at Avoca Beach in Australia.

I didn’t think it was dangerous, instead I was exhilarated.

It was dangerous because the rocks were sharp and bulky – crashing into them could have split my little head open. They were boulders with diameters as wide as my nimble legs. The rocks extended onwards from the beach, reaching into the overhanging cliffs and disappearing around a headland.

The game was simple: running on rocks as fast as I can.

Basil is a remarkable BodyChance teacher, famous throughout Japan in the classical music world (“It’s very small.” Basil assures me) yet virtually unknown to the wider Alexander community. Totally fluent in English, Basil is an American citizen born in Hong Kong, who grew up in Japan from the age of one.

Basil is a delightful experience here: American on the outside, Japanese on the inside.

Years ago, an American neighbour of mine expressed mild interest in Alexander's discovery –because of her migraines. One day, she asked if it could help her, and got close to agreeing to have a trial lesson…

Then suddenly she blurted out a startling question:

“It’s not going to change my personality, is it?”

And I immediately thought ‘yes’

and re-wrote a little Shakespeare in my head:

Cry ‘Havoc,’ and let slip the hands of change;

That this great deed shall flow around the earth

If you want a bizarre sexual experience, one place to find it is on a Tokyo peak hour train.

I know, because I have had occasional unsolicited experiences. This phenomenon led to the creation of “woman only” carriages during peak periods of travel. It involves people steadfastly avoiding eye contact, while trying to read books or smart phones in impossibly tight circumstances.

What happens?

Tokyo. November 9th. 2016.

I am watching the election slowly confirm Trump’s ascendency to the Presidency of the United States, when Skype rudely interrupts my despair.

It’s my 17 year old daughter calling from Australia…

“Daddy, I’m scared.”

What can I say to her?

My conclusion surprises even me. We cannot, must not, condemn those who voted for him, as we all suffer from the same condition that led to this unexpected outcome.

Anger, despair, rage belong to all of us.

Of course Japanese say no, but the way they say no, it sounds like yes.

Recently, a good friend of mine in the States was having a terrible time with his boss. His boss was lazy, and kept putting all the responsibility of his projects on to my friend, while retaining his veto power.

Bad situation: trying to separate power from responsibility.

If things went south – guess who got the blame? I gave my friend a bit of advice out of the Japanese handbook. Here’s what you do…