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…

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:

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.

When I suggest to new members of ATSuccess - please write about your work every day - a sudden incredibility arises almost automatically within them.

AUTOMATICALLY.

They say:

"EVERY DAY?! I can't do that."

Do you think you have nothing to say?

Nonsense. If you teach one lesson a day, you say more than you could ever fit in one email. You are a living, breathing content creator, whether you recognise it or not.

The obstacle is never:

"What am I doing to say?"

This Daily Blog is emailed out to around 500 people, both in Japan and overseas.

The readers of the original English version are a mixture of AT teachers, trainees, some devoted AT students, friends and ex-students.

(BTW: You can sign up if you don't get it by email here)

In Japan, it goes out mainly to my trainees – I have 137 of them now – and Graduates – now 80. The rest, I don’t know. BodyChance Basic members, public and friends I guess.

BodyChance has a chequered career with corporate gigs.

Big learning curves for jc (ME).

(I need a nick name for my Self - any ideas?)

First big shock was with a famous bank here in Japan.

Years ago now, can't say which bank - they don't like it. One the big ones. We had a strong supporter who opened the door for us. I didn't do it because, well jc has no Japanese, he is often in Australia, and bringing a translator in toe is clumsy/difficult to price/organise and follow through etc. etc. etc.

I've been coaching two friends - both with the same surname which is funny - about how to love. Young Japanese men who need an older senpai.（先輩）ME.

One gay, one straight - and you know what?

It doesn't matter.

Mammals are all the same when it comes to love.

There are no new love stories. Oxytocin, an occasional dash of sensible serotonin - he doesn't, she doesn't; when will he? why doesn't she? She can't. He will. I don't. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

It's all the same.

When within 2 days you find your Self being angry - 5 times! - with different people, it's better to stop blaming the world for not making you happy, and instead ask the question:

WHAT IS GOING ON!!!!????

So I did that. Because it's me who got angry.

And the surprise is, it has a lot to do with how you lead a group.

If you're in a "mood", if you are unhappy with others, if you are in some "blame game" at the moment - read on. If not, forget to-day's Dispatch and go clean the kitchen please.

***

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.

On an ATSuccess call at 5am this morning, it popped out that one teacher had spent a year resisting the idea of sending emails to her audience.

Blogging yes, emails no.

Now, I don't know why that is the case.

However, I do know why I once felt this way.

I worried that people would be annoyed, that they would unsubscribe; that instead of serving them, I would be disturbing them. And that disturbed me.

This morning, I had an epiphany about this.