What’s a Smiling Back?
A smiling back is a pain-free back. A smiling back is strong and vibrant. It goes with smiling eyes.
Just as a person with smiling eyes enjoys being friendly and helpful because it feels good, so a person with a smiling back enjoys doing everything, even the little unimportant things, effortlessly, gracefully and supremely well — because that feels good too.
Smile with your eyes and your back will smile too.
Smile with your back and your eyes will smile too.
No more frowning backs
Why put up with a frowning back that’s constantly in pain. A back that gets irritated with every new little thing you have to do? A back that’s always at least uncomfortable and often downright painful.
So say good-bye to your old irritated, uncomfortable and painful back:–
- Instead of being irritated when somebody asks you to do yet another thing, you can look forward to yet another job well done.
- Instead of sitting fidgety and uncomfortable in front of your computer all day at work, be relaxed and alert: flying through your work with no sense of difficulty or unease.
- Instead of having to pop pills in order to get through the day and then collapsing painfully on the settee in front of the television, get back to doing all those things you used to enjoy but no longer do. Things you stopped doing because you were too tired and your back was too painful.
The Smiling Back Method, stage 1
There are three things you need to understand in order to begin turning your own back into a real smiling back:–
- How and when to lie down.
- How to allow the right thing to do itself.
- How to over-rule your Demented Mechanic.
1. How and when to lie down
This is the easiest of the three so you may as well start here. Start by watching this video. Lying down is widely recognised as very valuable. What isn’t recognised (except in the Smiling Back Method) is how often you should be lying down. That’s because you can’t recognise this need for frequency — not until you understand the part your Demented Mechanic plays.
When you’ve watched the video, download and read this booklet: “The Hows & Whys of Semi-Supine”. As you read it, start doing everything it tells you. Read a chapter then do it. Then read another chapter and do what it tells you. Then on to the next chapter.
2. How to allow the right thing to do itself
Read this article to get you started. This is the real core of the matter.
Everything else you learn and do with the Smiling Back Method will lead you back to this element. This is the element that non Alexander Technique teachers leave out — or only pay lip service to. Even those few who take it seriously forget this factor when the chips are down and they’re anxious to get results. They start to try to make the right thing happen instead of practising the mindful art of standing back and letting the right thing do itself. (Mind you, if we’re not careful that can happen to Alexander teachers too).
3. How to over-rule your Demented Mechanic
This factor is also distinctive to the Smiling Back Method. In fact, it was I who discovered the Demented Mechanic. Even now, most Alexander teachers aren’t aware of their Demented Mechanics. Those who are mostly still don’t take him seriously enough. He’s a crafty old so-and-so, your Demented Mechanic. He’s well versed at misleading you into laying the blame for your dysfunctional back elsewhere.
Yet your Demented Mechanic is the main reason why you work your back too hard all the time, even when sitting in a chair. This article explains what your Demented Mechanic does to you and how to fix it. Read it and start using the information it gives you.
Here’s more about your Demented Mechanic
The Smiling Back Method, stage 2
To learn stage 2 of the Smiling Back Method, you will need a lot more personal input from me. For this, you will need not only my weekly free article (which I assume you’re already getting). You’ll also need either to be having in-person lessons from me or learning directly from me on the Repoise membership site.
So your next step will be to look at Repoise.com and get yourself a membership. If you’ve any doubts or questions after reading the home page of Repoise.com, email me and tell me what’s on your mind. Because, without my direct input, you’re really never going to progress beyond stage 1.
