attitude adjuster
Posted by CliodhnaI got a comment from christina on the last post about living the attitude first and its actually quite true. Try this exercise.
This is a technique used by actors to get themselves into how someone else thinks or feels about themselves. It stretches their idea of themselves and of course to use on stage when showing the character of someone. It goes with the idea of how you hold your body is how you feel emotionally and this goes both ways. Your emotions inform how you hold your body but how you hold your body informs your emotions.
I think most people are completely unaware of how they hold themselves, or maybe are aware of certain ways but don’t see how they bend their neck forward or stick their arse out or shuffle maybe. I tend to do the duck feet. I saw a picture of me from reading something on a stage recently and I had tried to stand as centered as I could but when I saw the picture I realised my feet were both sticking out to the side. Duck feet..
So when you are walking behind someone in the street, or standing behind them in a queue or see someone with an interesting body posture you try to copy it (don’t let them see you! I have nearly been caught a few times) down to how they hold every part of their body, how they walk, do they stick their heads forward or lean back. Try it and see how it makes you feel. It works, you will feel the posture. Now when you go back to own posture see how that makes you feel in comparison and if there is anyway you can relax or straighten up. Most people walk from one place in their bodies. Stressed hurried people walk from the head and shoulders. Then theres the ‘cocksure’ walk of the young male, a swagger from below the hips. Or the chest out front walk of women in high heels.
Try it and let me know if anyone gets anything interesting… x
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Stumble it!
i saw this guy walking like he was squeezing a pebble in his butt…i tried it and its really hard! He must be really tightly wound to be walking with his muscles tensed up like that! im very tall 5′11″ and i noticed that i slouch a lot when im with other girls and it makes me feel self conscious…but when im around guys of average height i feel completely confident!
This is so true! People tell so much about how they really view themselves by how they walk. Someone once told me that true dance always starts in the belly and moves outward — maybe I’ll try walking like that — belly leading the movement — and see what happens!
I am tall too, 6´, and I have to remind myself to stand straight. I remember being in germany once at a gig and being really amazed that I couldn´t see the stage for the first time in my life.
As regards how people see themselves, I am sitting in Pauls office in the mine. There is a girl working here. She is very cute and has a sweet manner but she walks like a guy. Like a young male. Its a mans world though here at the mine. I find the girls either wear high heels or they act tough.
I suppose its putting a front on for protection, or to be accepted.
Carolyn, do your belly walk and let us know!
There is also Alexander technique which I don´t know very much about at all. It aims to get the body centered and moving with the least amount of effort.
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