Happy Independence Day!!! Hmmm…….

Today is July 4th, which is National Independence Day in the USA. I admit that this year, the words “happy independence day” are taking on a whole new meaning for me. In fact, it may be the first time I'm thinking about the meaning of this combination of words (and their origin here in the USA) deeply.

Even if you don't live in the USA, I invite you to contemplate these words and consider what they could mean for you, if you think about them in relation to YOURSELF first, instead of immediately thinking about them in relation to the world, country, history, or politics.

I'm especially considering the word “independence” today.

As individuals interested in the Alexander Technique, what if we begin by considering the concept of internal independence? What do we wish to be independent from?

If we would like independence from tyranny, what is happening inside of us that is driving how we think and behave, controlling us and taking us in a direction other than towards what we really want?

How might we be liberated from the tyranny of our habits – especially our habitual thoughts, movements, and even mindlessness and delusion? Or, in Alexander Technique jargon… the tyranny of “Faulty Sensory Appreciation”?

How can we be liberated from our internal war – internal conflicts between seemingly contradictory ideas and desires?

How can we take back our independence and freedom to be ourselves – to think and imagine and create the day we desire for ourselves today… shaping it from the inside out?

Then… when we think about the external world… our countries… politics…

Is it truly independence that we wish for… or is it actually something more akin to the interdependence of Nature, where we can easily recognize that everything is interconnected and the whole is greater than the sum of parts?

AND…

When you think about different aspects of your music-making, your performance, or your teaching, where does the idea of independence fit in?

💎 Independent mind? body? spirit?

💎 Independent left hand / right hand?

💎 Independent rhythms in the midst of an ensemble?

💎 Independent studios? Students? Audiences?

💎 Independent educational organizations, associations, or institutions?

Or is the reality – and the goal – really more about enjoying our universal interdependence, after all?

As people interested in the Alexander Technique, we know that change begins within the individual, and our minds are far, far more powerful than we give ourselves credit.

The real question is… what do we truly want, and are we open to imagining that it's actually possible?

Because if we can't even imagine that what we want is possible – and FEEL the internal joy of that possibility NOW – well, then, how can we expect anything on the outside to change?

Just some food for thought. I'd love to hear your musings – please share them in the comments below, or get in touch personally.

How about: Happy In(ter)dependence Day – every day?

With Love & Joy,
Jennifer ❤️