Marj

I had the great privilege to study with Marjorie Barstow from 1973-1994. The power, depth and subtlety of her teaching changed my life. Here are some examples of the things she said to students while working with them.

It's so simple it's shocking.

All you want is a little bit of nothing--but the trouble with all you people is that you all want something. And that something is your habit.

You don't want to reproduce the feeling but the mental process.

Inhibition is the activity by which the old habit cannot take place.

You stopped that constructive thinking that wouldn't have allowed
the habit to take place.

Learn to laugh at yourselves: you always move better with a smile.

When I find myself pushing, I have not taken the time to see where I am before I start to move.

If you memorise your feeling you'll never change.

You have to do the brainwork.

You'd better talk about a 'preventing',
because if you talk about a 'keeping', you will stiffen.

Pupil: "My feelings are confused."
Marj: "So long as your thinking isn't confused, you're OK."

Pupil: "I move my head but I'm not sure."
Marj: "You're never sure. You move your head and you see what happens."

You are not supposed to expect something--
you are supposed to be experimenting.

The longer I teach, the more I realize how very simple Alexander’s work actually is. Its simplicity and subtleness seem almost beyond comprehension. Strangely the learning process seems to go on forever.