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I. Introduction
II. Introduction to the Alexander Technique
III. Introduction to the Self-Experiments
PART 1: HOW DO YOU MOVE? TALES FROM THE BEGINNING
1. Surprising Observations
John, Part One
2. A Malfunctioning Locomotor System
Erin, Part One
3. How Did We Get This Way? From Fish to Horse to Biped
4. Standing on Two Legs: The Biped’s Challenge
SELF-EXPERIMENTS
A. Rest Your Back
Semi-supine
Prone
B. Motion and Mind
How You Move
Can You Change?
Noticing Your Habit
Your Mind-Body Connection
PART 2: HOW DO YOU FEEL? THE MIND-BODY LINK
5. A Sense of Feeling
6. Feelings Gone Wrong
Gary
Betty, Part One
7. The Feeling of Fear
How We Perceive Danger
8. Fear’s Body-Mind
In the Grip of Fear
A Threatening Injury
The Shrinking World of Pain
9. Anxiety and Performance
Bruce, Part One
10. Attention, Awareness, and Conscious Inhibition
Bruce, Part Two
PART 3: HOW DO YOU THINK? THE MIND CHANGES EVERYTHING
11. A Fine Day in London with Nothing to Feel
12. Finding The Thinking Mind
The Light in the Attic
Surprises and Beliefs
13. Believing Is Not Seeing
14. The Difference that Inhibition Makes
Erin, Part Two
15. You Have a Helper
SELF-EXPERIMENTS
C. How to Inhibit
Quieting Your Inner Conversation
Turning on Your Prefrontal Cortex
Thinking with Meaning
The Positive “No”
Conscious Inhibition
D. Acts of Inhibition
Stop Moving
Thinking of Not Doing
Letting Your Helper Do It
Letting Go of Belief
PART 4: SPACE AND DIRECTION: OUR HIDDEN SENSE
16. Fewer Words, More Space
Cleo
Meghan
17. More Problems with Feelings
Nathan
Nancy
18. Balance and Coordination
19. A New Way of Moving
Brian
Betty, Part Two
SELF-EXPERIMENTS
E. How to Direct
Think of a Cube
Up-Down, Wide, Forward-Back
Putting Directions Together
Turning Your Head
Forward and Up
Thinking Names of Body Parts
Alexander’s Directions
F. Moving with Inhibition and Direction
Bending Your Leg
Moving Forward and Back
Standing and Sitting
PART 5: TOUCH: OUR FORGOTTEN SENSE
20. Touching the Heart
Sam
What is it About Touch?
21. The Teacher’s Hands
PART 6: CONSCIOUSNESS: OUR NEWEST SENSE
22. Pain-Free and Moving Again
John, Part Two
23. An Incredible Lightness of Being
Erin, Part Three
24. Speaking from My Self
Greg
25. Self-Mastery: Connection
SELF-EXPERIMENTS
G. Strengthen Your Back
Neck Extensors
Neck and Back Extensors
H. Self-Mastery Every Day
Exercise
Sports
Practice and Performance
Anxiety
Pain
How You Live
Appendix: How to Find A Teacher
Glossary
Notes
Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Index