How Socrates gave me the green light to start this blog
Photo by Lathika Vithanage
“True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.” - Socrates
So this is the first card I selected for this year long project I have embarked on. At first I thought, oh no, can I choose another one? According to Mr Socrates I have understood very little and will never understand much more! So what am I doing creating a blog? But on closer reflection I realized it's actually the perfect quote for getting this blog started.
Deciding to create a blog around Alexander Technique would have ordinarily felt a little premature to me. I only recently completed my teacher training, and am well aware that I still need more experiences before I fully embody my idea of an AT teacher. But isn't that just the point?
All through my teacher training I came to learn that these are just ideas I have. Just as I had ideas about how much effort was required to carry out certain activities, I had an idea of my place in the world. I had ideas about what I was capable of, what I was good at, what I was not good at...and I slowly watched these ideas fall away as I showed up more and more authentically in my body in the classroom, and in turn in my life.
It is a humbling experience to realize how little I know on a daily basis. At times frustrating, at other times liberating. My own body keeps revealing itself like an onion and remains such a mystery to me, let alone the other aspects of myself and then the wider world. Just as I think I am understanding something, I need to let it go, and in this act lies my true understanding.
I would love to say this makes me wise according to Socrates, but the truth is, this seems to be a never ending process. My mind always wants to feel like it has understood! What else is it here for?
But that has also been the beauty of going deeper with the Alexander technique. I have learnt that my mind can be used in other ways too, and in this moment I have a choice to let these ideas go. And in this moment, life is easier.
So I don't need to be an 'expert' to share my thoughts and process with you. If I will always understand so little about life, myself and the world around me, then why wait to post this first blog article?
Journaling prompts: What are some ways that your understanding of yourself and life was challenged in the AT classroom? How did this make you feel? How did this affect how you show up in the world?
