What Does Poise Look Like?
What Does Poise Look Like?
And what generates it?
If you haven’t checked out my posts on What the Alexander Technique is and Lying Down, please give them a read. This technique is all about building quiet, supple, and creative thinking and I think they are the most important reminders that you can have outside of reading Alexander’s books and taking lessons with a good teacher. Please subscribe so that you ensure you stay up to date with this journey!
One of my earliest memories - and certainly my most vivid memory - was watching Star Wars: A New Hope at the age of 4. I found the movie captivating, but when Alec Guinness first appeared in the film I was dumbstruck by his presence. He had this calm harmony within his character and I instantly thought ‘I want to be that when I grow up, but I also don’t want to be alone in the desert.’. I found this quality at various times in my life through martial arts and music, but it was my introduction to the Alexander Technique that allowed me to rediscover it. It was the first time someone taught IT to me explicitly.
What IT is is a coordinated harmony of your full self in a moment; poise. You can see it in animals and some performing artists in recordings. You could run into IT at any point in time from anyone. IT is something you are both born with and can cultivate.
For an example of this Poise in action, take a moment to look at this baby deer taking its’ first steps.
This deer needs to figure out how to walk relatively quickly or it will be killed by a predator. High Stakes Living!! But instead of being born into a state of terror, its’ thoughts are on the immediate task of figuring out how to be upright and walk on 4 legs. When I look at this video, I’m struck by the following qualities:
The Look - the eyes of the deer are quietly alert. When it wants to go forward, it looks forward. When it wants to look about, it takes the time to look about. There’s no ‘navel gazing’ here!
The Head Leads the Movement - As the attention of the deer moves through the world, the eyes are drawn to various objects and the head moves about to aid in the capturing of information.
The Body Follows the Head - As the head of the deer looks about, it needs a neck and a body to respond to support the weight of the head and move. This movement is supple.
Falling - the deer falls as it is learning how to walk. That’s life! Poise and Harmony have nothing to do with being perfect all the time and getting things right.
What I do NOT see when I watch this video:
Feet or Butt Moving First - If the foot moves first, this would look like a still deer attempting to creep one leg forward to find secure ground. Similarly, if it thought about moving its’ butt forward to propel itself forward, the resulting movement pattern would seem comical as the feet felt glued to the ground and the head got jammed by the neck.
Nervous Twitching - In each moment of the video, the deer is problem solving. It is not agitated and fearful of being eaten or feeling embarrassed.
Exaggerated Breathing - There’s no gasping or sniffing in sound in this creature. You will oftentimes hear a singer or newscaster gasping for air in between sentences. This is a sign of strained or blocked breathing.
You will see these qualities in every healthy vertebrate and regardless of what you want to do with your life, this quality of Poise will aid you in your pursuits. Have a look on youtube yourself and pick your favourite animal and see what’s going on for yourself (and try to not get too caught up with how adorable it all is!).
What does this quality look like in people?
I was recently shown this video of Sammy Davis Jr performing as a child. He is standing, dancing, singing and coordinating his entire self in performance. Take a look and enjoy!
Do not think that this is something that only children have! If you look at this video of him as an adult, you will see that his performance skills have only increased with time and practice.
In all 3 of these videos, the same principles are present.
The thoughts and attention of the subject are quietly engaged with their activity
The neck is quite relaxed
The head leads and the body follows.
So what generates Poise?
How can we cultivate Poise for ourselves and incorporate it into our lives? The 3 videos all are great demonstrations of the coordination of the head, neck, and back. As you are engaged in any activity during your day, this coordination of the head neck and back is the engine behind every healthy activity; even when you fail with grace.
If you check out my article on lying down…again… you’ll notice that I do not ask you to begin by noticing your feet on the ground or your hands on your chest. It’s not that I think your hands and feet are irrelevant, it’s that I understand that the head, neck, and upper back are your engine - the bass and drums of your band - and I want you to cultivate that core timing. The more supple and coordinated the head, neck, and upper back become, the more easily you will be able to think through things like walking, playing an instrument, or learning any new skill.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this article and have found some examples of poise, share away in the comments! And If you have any questions or would like an in-person lesson, I’m happy to help!
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