Category Archives: Body Magic

Conscious Slobbing

I love a good turn of phrase and a friend came out with this one last week, slightly regretfully, in that he felt he hadn’t done enough during lockdown. ‘Thats brilliant! Conscious slobbing, I love it! That is enough. Thats … Continue reading

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On Taking Space – Creativity and the Alexander Technique

Nineteen Corvids by Kirsten Harris Continue reading

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I Let My Neck be Free! Notes from a Tree Trunk…

Walking my dog Maisie yesterday I sat exhaustedly on the trunk of a fallen beech tree and put my hands on my head and prayed ‘what would you have me say, think or do next?’ To my amazement the breakdown … Continue reading

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Inhibition and a Cup of Tea

I am changing one small habit that drives me nuts and that is – not to use every cup in the house every day and end up with an unnecessary pile of washing up! One mouth, one mug! Dah! A … Continue reading

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Anatomy of a Dandelion Seed

Seeds of Love by Kirsten Harris
Available as a print Continue reading

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The Magic Stop

The Magic Stop by Kirsten Harris Continue reading

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I let my neck be free

‘I let my neck be free!’ It is a powerful thought, A very powerful thought! If you don’t know what to think right now try this one thought, over and over again.   ‘I let my neck be free!’  You … Continue reading

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Art, Heart, Earth – Horizontal and Vertical Directions

I dreamt about Don Burton last night. Walter Carrington and some other teachers were there too.  Don gave me an AT turn. It started seated, my head dropped forward onto a table in front. I was full of grief. He gently … Continue reading

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The Power of No!

I teach my students a class which I call ‘The Power of No!’ I have taught it to children and riders to date. This blog is not a demo of the class which is a live class, but more an … Continue reading

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Be Calmed

There is no wind in my sails I am becalmed I’ve dropped anchor  To take stock and recover from past voyages Resting, I dangle a damaged toe into the deep  I’m tired of blowing at sails Nothing happens anyway Huffing … Continue reading

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Retirement and the Alexander Technique

How do you retire if you have been self employed all your life? Truth is I’ve  never thought about retirement. Never ever! Artists don’t retire and neither do Alexander Technique teachers. They just get better at their job! I’ve never … Continue reading

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Injury and The Alexander Technique

Five months ago I tore the plantar plate on my 4th toe. The toe seems to be floating like a bit of seaweed. Oh joy! Frustrating as being lame is, I notice that I’m not suffering any aches and pains … Continue reading

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The Encylopaedia of Ease – M

Discovering ease in everyday words. Today it’s M. Yes, ’em over there… M Mindlessnessease – Mindfulness but easier. Memorease – Thankfully not having a good one so easily forgetting past disasters, hurts and grievances so they don’t continue to hurt … Continue reading

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The Encylopaedia of Ease I – K

I Idiocease – ‘Aha’ moments, when you realise you’ve been making things hard for yourself. Often accompanied by insights which cause the hand to be held to the forehead and the making of strange noises such as ‘Doh!’ Ignoramusease – … Continue reading

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The Magic is Now!

Every moment in every place in every country, every being has access to a portal to the magic kingdom (or magic queendom, if you prefer!) There is no other place in which to find magic apart from right here, or there, … Continue reading

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The Happiness of Grass

I have been thinking a lot about grass! As you do! Under a powerful microscope grass looks like it is smiling. Grass is amazing stuff. Grass is happy and it sure has tenacity. No matter how trampled and muddy, parched … Continue reading

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The Perfect Circle – A Lesson from Art History to Apply to Riding

Four Winds Medicine Wheel. Print available at www.kirstenharrisart.co.uk In his book Lives of the Artists, Georgio Vasari (1511 – 1574) recounts a story about the artist Giotto (1267 – 1337). He tells how the Pope was commissioning art and sent messengers … Continue reading

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A Flicker of Light – Playing Horse and Rider

The Magic Stop, Drawing by Kirsten Harris   We were a group of horse women here in Scotland, just starting to play a teaching ‘game’ I call ‘Horse and Rider,’ when one of the participants said, ‘Yes, I can feel … Continue reading

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Enjoy A Breather

I am interested in how language changes things. I have been thinking about this in relationship to resistance and time. I noticed recently a feeling of resistance to appointments. Instead of feeling flaky and dragging my heels, I have been wondering … Continue reading

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To Earth We Return

To Earth We Return by Kirsten Harris   It takes a long time for a tree to grow, but only a short time to chop one down! A friend from India told me that in her culture when a tree … Continue reading

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Messages from Trees

In Nature We find Ourselves, drawing by Kirsten Harris   Messages from Trees Breathe deeply of me I am the lungs of the world, my health and yours are one Let your spine flow upwards and your limbs flow freely … Continue reading

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Is Your Head Screwed On Right?

Anatomy and Art, Cartoon by Kirsten Harris    Is your head screwed on right?   I love the way our language and the phases we use reveal so much on closer inspection! We might say ‘so and so hasn’t got their … Continue reading

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You’ve Got It Already!

‘Unhelpful Thinking Habits!’ Cartoon by Kirsten Harris   Whatever this ‘thing’ is that Alexander Technique teachers get so passionate about and want to teach you – you’ve got it already!  You know IT! This is the premise that I work … Continue reading

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How to get a sore neck!

Slump a lot Let your head poke forward so your neck has to work really hard all the time Sit cross legged Slump even more Get angry and stressed Worry a lot, definitely sweat the small stuff Hold onto ‘stuff’ … Continue reading

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Enthusiasm

One of the total joys of teaching Alexander Technique is that you learn so much yourself! It is an amazing two way process that is utterly engaging. As soon as I start teaching a quality of enthusiasm emerges from me … Continue reading

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How to Be a Flop!

How To Be A Flop, Cartoon by Kirsten Harris   Instead of a ‘how to be a success’ blog I thought I would write one about how to be a flop! Let’s take some pressure off and hopefully make life … Continue reading

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Please Your Self!

Cartoon ‘Zoned and Boned’ by Kirsten Harris   Please Your Self!    ‘Oh just please your self!’  Have you ever had that said to you in anger or annoyance, or in judgement of your behaviour? Or perhaps you’ve said it … Continue reading

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The Daily Ease

I gave my blog the title The Daily Ease as a reminder to make time for a daily ease.   What does a daily ease mean to you?   lying down in consecutive rest aka semi supine going for a … Continue reading

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Drinking Water with a Fork

Am I drinking water with a  fork?   This is my new transformational question, a holy grail kind of question, a forking great question!   Drinking water with a fork is obviously a difficult, inefficient, unsustainable, energy dripping thing to … Continue reading

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Stuff and Nonsense!

I am sorting out my wardrobe and discovering in the process that my favourite childhood book has morphed into ‘The Try On, The Bitch and The Wardrobe!’   My closet is bursting at the seams with fantasy versions of an … Continue reading

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Finding my Inner FUP IT!

Sometimes life is challenging to say the least. People behave in ways that surprise and bewilder … our bodies alter and falter …. loved ones die … loneliness and anxiety can descend upon us like a cloud… to name a … Continue reading

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Rampage of Appreciation – Training to be an Alexander Technique Teacher

RAMPAGE OF APPRECIATION – TRAINING TO BE AN ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE TEACHER   At the age of 24 the Alexander Technique changed my life! That first hands-on lesson with it’s gently encouraging profound words from my first teacher, Astrid Cox, are … Continue reading

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Lean on Me

‘Lean on me …. We all need somebody to lean on’ – A lyric! A truth?   What happens if someone leans on you? Can you look after yourself? Or will that leaning push you over, cause you to crumple, … Continue reading

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Hard Cheese!

Hard Cheese! by Kirsten Harris   Thirty three vertebrae Support the body through the day They’re your inner building bricks Stack them well, let’s not be thick!   Disease, perhaps a lack of ease? A painful back and hips and … Continue reading

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The Really Random Magic Show

This has been making me smile all week so I thought I would share a very quick story. Last week I introduced Alexander Technique to a new group of 12 year olds.   My classes are interactive, with lots of … Continue reading

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Ki – How I Discovered Alexander Technique

Ki   Here’s a girl, nick-name Ki Yup, a verse, all about me A teenager who slumped and slouched Growled and groaned, and then BIG OUCH! My back packed up, could take no more Age 24, in pain on the … Continue reading

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Mind the Gap!

Mind the gap! What does that mean to you?   I have been thinking about the gap, that space between one phase and another. A place to fall or a place to float? Actors call it ‘resting’ or ‘taking time … Continue reading

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Alexander Technique Is Like Harry Potter World!

‘Forward and Up Witch’   Today at school one of the children announced –   ‘Alexander Technique is fun! You’re like a teacher from Harry Potter world Miss! Alexander Technique is Magic.’   (Funny how an image of the fuzzy … Continue reading

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The Naughty Step!

  I had to share this insight from a teenager …..   Yesterday, during a constructive rest session requested by one of the teenage boys at the high school where I teach Alexander Technique, 17 year old Harry quipped-   … Continue reading

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STOPPING – The Most Magical Gift of All!

Do you know how to rest constructively? To stop, once a day, and give yourself the best gift of all?   To simply, quickly and effectively LET GO for a short period of time, so that you can bounce back … Continue reading

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Fancy That!

Fancy That! by Kirsten Harris   ‘When I say ‘I’m tired!’ I feel rather flat But if I say ‘I’ve energy’ I do have! Fancy that!’         ‘Gently purring, resting easy Neck a free releasing muscle stream … Continue reading

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I Feel Like I am Floating

  Taking the time To lie in semi supine Is good for my spine And helps me feel fine   17 minutes of time On the floor is sublime Let go to align My bodies design   Think into my … Continue reading

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Your Future is Behind You

Your future is behind you… It’s a mystery, the great unknown… Back into your back… Back and up…   It’s not in front of you, as we are always saying.. The past is in front of you… You can see … Continue reading

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Don’t just slump there – Ease out!

Don’t just slump there – Ease out! Don’t just do something – Stop! If you are reading this you may well be slumping, crouched over your phone or computer Ease out a bit Lie down in semi supine for a … Continue reading

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7 Excellent reasons to treat yourself to an Alexander Technique media download today

7 Reasons to listen to my popular audio downloads – Body Magic and Breathe   My two audio downloads have proved popular with my students as an aid learning the Alexander Technique.   7 reasons to treat yourself to a … Continue reading

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Full Stop!

  The Art of Change – Stopping is a Good Place  to Start!   If we keep doing the same thing in the same way we will keep getting the same result! FM Alexander   So how do we change … Continue reading

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Smiling Nose

Today’s little easy thought is ‘Smile with the tip of your nose’ ……and see what happens. Who knows what you will experience….. Enjoy!    

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Smile with your Ears!

Smile with your ears! It’s a thought. Makes mine feel more open, more receptive. Hearing the space between the sounds. Smiling ears, smiling listening   Oh and listen to this – it helps the skull to balance on the head… … Continue reading

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Smile with the Back of your Neck

Smile with the back of your neck! What the heck! Just a thought… It transformed me… and it feels good! Body Magic Download here

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Falling asleep

Easing out of the day into sleep Falling symmetrically into the mattress Bone by bone Brain scanning the body Breathing out through each limb Falling with symmetry into the mystery.

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Soft Eyes, Smiling Eyes

Looking at the world today with soft eyes! I call it ‘Ahhhhhh kittens!’ eyes. The feeling of softness in the eyes when you look at something that wonderful. Eye See! My ‘I’ today is soft smiling eyes. Get the idea? … Continue reading

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