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End-gaining: End-gaining is something we all do. It
means going directly for our goal without stopping to consider the
means-whereby, or the "how" we might gain our end. End-gaining happens
when we react immediately to a stimulus--the phone rings and we
immediately go to answer it or someone says something and we immediately
shoot an answer back. When we end-gain, we are always reacting habitually.
Means-whereby: Using an appropriate means-whereby to
achieve any goal means that we have considered that goal, figured out what
steps are necessary to reach it, and that we then do each step, in their
proper order. Paying attention to the means-whereby allows you to notice
how you are doing what you are doing, and to improve your doing of any
activity in the process of doing it. It is an indirect, process oriented
way of successfully reaching any goal.
Inhibition: If we
end-gain, we don't give ourselves time to stop and consider what might be
a better means-whereby we can reach our goal. Inhibition simply means to
wait before reacting immediately to any stimulus, to give yourself that
brief moment so you can react consciously and constructively. The process
of inhibition continues while you are employing the means-whereby you have
decided upon to reach your desired goal.
Primary Control:
Alexander used this term to describe the observation he made about the
relationship of his whole head to his whole body. He used the word
"primary" because when you make any change in your coordination, the
change begins here. He used the word "control" because the quality of this
relationship determines the quality with which you move.
When left
alone, your head easily balances on the top of your spine. This balance
continuously changes, depending on how you are moving from moment to
moment. If you leave your neck free, so that your head can balance
delicately on the top of your spine, then any movement you make can be
free, balanced and coordinated. If you tighten the muscles of your neck so
that your head is not free, then your movements will be out of balance and
mal-coordinated.
Sensory Appreciation: Sensory appreciation
refers to the information we get from our senses, and how we interpret
that information. For example, you place a hand in some water and say
"Wow! That's hot!" The water may be "hot," i.e. 130 degrees, or it may be
only 60 degrees in temperature, but you might have just come in from
scraping the frost off your windshield, without gloves on, in sub-freezing
weather. Sensory appreciation is also how you know where you are in space,
and how you are moving. The terms kinesthesis, kinesthesia and
proprioception all refer to the sensory appreciation that we use to know
how and where we are.
Faulty Sensory Appreciation: Remember
that sensory appreciation is not only the information we get from our
senses, but how we interpret that information. Was the water in the
example above really hot? Are you actually moving the way it feels like
you are moving? We get accustomed to the way we move and think, and it
feels right and natural to us, but how we are actually moving may be very
different from what we believe we are doing, and very not natural (natural
in the sense of "non-interfered with").
Directing: Directing
refers to the process we use, either consciously or unconsciously, to make
any kind of movement. If we want to pick up a pen from our desk, for
example, we direct our hand and arm to move in such a way that we pick up
the pen. Because we are always moving it follows that we are always
directing ourselves in movement. Most of the time we direct ourselves
habitually, i.e. unconsciously. We can learn to direct ourselves
consciously, and doing so will improve our use and
functioning.
Orders or Directions: The commands which
Alexander devised to enable him to consciously direct himself. The basic
directions are: My neck to relax, so that my whole head can go forward and
up, so that my whole body can lengthen and widen.
Habit: Any
unconscious pattern of behavior.
Habitual Use: The way in
which we habitually direct ourselves in movement; the way we move without
thinking.
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