Robin Gilmore

Body Mapping: A Road to Accuracy in Hands On Practice

Body maps may be conscious or unconscious, but they always govern how we move. Body Mapping refers to one's own idea and experience of structure, size and movement. A faulty map can lead to inefficiency, distortion and injury. When the map is accurate, movement becomes efficient.
In this workshop we will identify common mapping errors and the problems they create. If an Alexander teacher has mismapped some aspect of his or her body, that faulty information is communicated to the student through hands on direction. As we clarify our own map, our direction becomes clearer as our intention gains precision.
Body maps exist regardless of whether or not one has studied anatomy. Whatever the brain's concept of size, location, or direction of movement, that concept is sent through the nervous system to act upon that particular body part. Correcting your body map can be easy and fun. Once the change is made, that new, accurate information replaces the old and informs our own movement and that of our students.