The technique also speaks to the current trend of neuroplasticity in medical research today. "Alexander said that underneath every habit there is a belief," says Castagna. "You can look at the belief and ask, 'Is that still serving me?' If the answer is no, then you've already begun to weaken your habit. You don't have to break the habit; you just don't do it. As soon as you don't do it, you're in a new place, and a new neural pathway is being formed in your brain for a new choice."
Recently, Madden had been driving back and forth to Connecticut to care for her dying mother, and her neck pain suddenly returned. Remembering the tools that Steinberg had given her, she was able to release the caught tension in her neck. "I focus on relaxing the front of my neck whenever I start feeling stressed or am in a potentially conflicting situation," she says. Not only did her neck pain resolve quickly, but she was able to handle a difficult situation with greater presence and ease.
"We don't have a choice about what happens in life," says Castagna, "but we do have a choice about how we respond to it. We can move through challenges in a more embodied way. With less trying and more trust."
RESOURCES
Elizabeth Castagna Elizabethcastagna.com
Allyna Steinberg Alexandertechniqueforliving.com
