Bramley Residential Masterclasses: feedback

First of all, thank you very much for the residential weekend and your kind extra hospitality! It was really generous from you to share everything with us, your house, your wisdom, your presence, your example. As I said there, I got a very good refresher of the Alexander technique. It was powerful and inspiring, encouraging me to keep up with it. 

On the Sunday, I felt already the wonderful effects of being busy with the technique for two days. I was feeling light, pain-free, energised, easy in my body and movements… I felt happy!

The atmosphere at your home with you and the other students was super pleasant to me! I really enjoyed your comfortable house and felt super cosy sharing a room with Gabriella. The fact that the sessions were in the garden made it extra pleasant and I think that was very helpful for keeping the learning atmosphere light and so enjoyable.

It was great to learn with the other ladies. To enjoy my dear Gabriella’s presence.  To practise with and get feedback from the qualified ones. And actually to be with all of them, each one made a precious contribution to the course, sharing what they had.

I got a lot of inspiration from watching Naama playing the Beatles. Normally I feel very upset with myself in this kind of situation because I am never able to play anything without a music sheet. But this time I think I was able to stop and choose to think something different: “let’s see how she does it, let’s see what I can learn from her” and when I watched her it didn’t seem so difficult, and I got the sense I would be able to learn it too and the motivation to do it. So, when I came back, I made the resolution of playing a little bit from ear every day. 

Also, it felt really good when I played some Beethoven on Sunday. I was able to really enjoy the music and enjoy that I was able to sight read it. I didn’t know you and Naama were sitting down listening, but when I found out your words of appreciation meant also a lot to me, thank you!

I also feel very grateful for the reassurance and the encouragement you gave me to go on with the AT and teach it.

I was reminded that I have the possibility to take my time to think the means whereby for any end.

I also loved how you taught us about directions in the hands-on, as coming from a smooth movement and meeting the person.

How if we wanted the person to move we needed to be movable ourselves.

I loved to be able to walk so light and easy with the hands-on walking game.

I realized I need to realize that I have freedom to choose.

The idea of a flux state of mind instead of a fixed one.

The hands on back of a chair with extra rotation was very helpful, and especially for piano playing.

The talks in and outside the sessions where very much inspiring and appreciated.

And I really appreciate your open, truthful, gentle, quiet presence. The clarity of your teaching and the being able flow into singing and to telling us stories.

Elena
AT teacher and pianist

I value the time I spent at John’s masterclass weekend retreat in September. It was an enjoyable and invaluable learning experience with a group of 7 people all interested like me in deepening more into the understanding of the work.

We explored different themes and one of them was the primary postural pulls. John demonstrated “hands on a student” and then allowed us one by one to explore the same movement with him and each other. The pace was just perfect, with lots of inhibition and directions.

I felt comfortable and at ease as John created a safe learning environment. 

I also loved the time spent preparing the meals and eating together, the discussions around the tables and the singing in the evening.

Thank you, John, for sharing your knowledge and your lovely home, bringing everyone together and making the weekend a special time.

Daniela 
AT teacher MSTAT

The course responded brilliantly to the interests and needs of every participant. It is such a privilege to witness and receive John’s art of teaching! My main interest was to refine my teaching skills and hands on work.

On another level, it was a joy to reconnect with old Alexander friends and meet new wonderful people. We cooked and enjoyed together delicious meals. In a word: a unique mix of learning hugely and having a great time. 

Anca
AT teacher

Alexander Technique made me discover a profound way of transforming my whole being and helped me understand what unfavorable effects my usual way of “using myself” can have, so I came to this Masterclass with the intention of refreshing and deepening my ability to apply Alexander Technique in everyday life. The opportunity to do this under the guidance of John Hunter is a chance for which I am deeply grateful.

Several times during this Masterclass, each of us individually benefited from personalized guidance from John. On the second day (at the exercise where we apply Alexander Technique while walking), as a result of the few minutes that John checked and corrected my use, I felt a continuous flow of upward energy in the spinal area. I perceived this upward flow as an engine that fuels and even energizes me as I walk. I felt as if I was being carried on the arms. My back had awakened and was strong like a massive door that (not only supported itself, but) was also in a continuously uplifting direction. I continued to walk through the workspace, and I felt that this transformation that I felt in my body produced such profound effects on me that I became a completely different person, much more confident and more free than I used to be. Although my usual “relaxed-collapsed” attitude had disappeared, my wrists were moving freely, the inner state was one of serenity and joy.

Another exercise that left deep traces in my being is the exercise in which a colleague played the role of “student” and I was the one who had to offer her Alexander Technique guidance – of course under the careful guidance of John. On this occasion I felt in my body how much an Alexander Technique professor has to work on himself moment by moment and how non-intrusive needs to be the guidance he offers to the student through touch. Thus, practicing the “hands-on” exercise became for me an opportunity to work on my own being so intensely that the effect could be transmitted subtly, by means of touches (gentle but firm) on the exercise partner. I also received feedback from my colleague who was at that moment in the role of “student”, and I was amazed to learn that such a gentle touch on my part can have such great effects on another. I remember now how in my first meetings with Alexander Technique I was so amazed: I didn’t understand why my being suddenly transformed (like a Phoenix Bird) when the teacher only lightly touched my neck or my back…

Another discovery I remember is that during the practical exercises, when I invited my back to expand, I saw that I could intentionally and consciously connect not only with the lumbar area but also with the intercostal muscles of the floating ribs. The effect of this discovery remained even after the Masterclass, even when I did not remember to do this consciously. In the days that followed I was amazed to notice that during breathing my ribs moved freely and fluidly like an underwater plant and that the resonance of my voice had become wide and deep. Although during the workshop I did the exercise related to breathing and vocal sounds only once, I discovered with amazement that the effects of this exercise were maintained over time. My voice continues to be softer and warmer. Even my attitude became much more lenient. I noticed that when I feel like reacting impulsively, a new attitude of patience and compassion awakens inside me. Even when I express a critical opinion, I do it with much more gentleness and tolerance. When I remember the individual exercise at the end of the Masterclass it helps me to access and relax a deeper part of the muscles inside the ribcage.

The experience lived at the masterclass this September 2023 was much richer than I can describe in words. During these 3 days I also had experiences that I am only now beginning to understand little by little. Maybe I overlooked them at the time, but my body’s memory is starting to remember parts of the practical teaching that was shared and passed on to us.

I tried to reawaken in my being the intense experiences I lived there, but I did not manage to access all the inner processes that generated those effects. Therefore, I began to apply little by little what remained in my memory and in the memory of my body.

Cristina
Actress, Acting Teacher

This weekend was real “psycho-physical” education, with words and kinaesthetic experiences combining and not separated.

John’s many years of exploring and teaching, as well as his continual use of inhibition in himself showed in the pace and timing of the weekend. We covered and explored so much, without it ever seeming rushed. Even in the group setting, he was able to look after everyone with what they needed at a particular moment.

Whether I was working with someone else under guidance, or receiving hands on or watching others being guided, I was equally engaged and sensed that others were too.

John’s house and garden are a wonderful venue for Alexander explorations. If you lie on the table in the conservatory, you may see red kites flying overhead, not to mention butterflies coming in from the garden. Preparing meals together worked really well, with no sense of pressure due to John’s careful choice of very easy lunches and simple but delicious evening meal recipes. We also had a wonderful music session one evening, with John working on us individually while we played or sang, ending with us improvising together in a musical conversation which we could enjoy whatever our level of musical knowledge or skill.

One of the things I love about John’s teaching is the integral use of movement combined with inhibition and direction, so helpful when your student’s nervous system (or your own) starts to get overloaded or the tendency to try to get it right takes over. This quality of “movement in stillness and stillness in movement” is the essence of “good use” but sometimes hard to access.  I found that particularly some of the counter rotational movements we worked with made it easier to take this quality into classic helpful procedures such “hands on the back of a chair”. This movement work also helps in not blocking the flow of direction from your back when putting hands on someone else.

I came away with having had some wonderful experiences, but also practical ideas which are already helping me in my own life and teaching.

Alison Roper-Lowe
AT teacher 

A rich and rewarding immersive weekend with John and five other lovely people.

A great workshop full of clear meaningful communication. Ample hands on from John and with each other.

The emphasis over the weekend was organising yourself in a non doing way.

We certainly experienced this, in many different aspects. Learning and exploring how we can help ourselves communicate easily and clearly in our daily life, and teaching. In that non doing way.

By listening to what John was saying and communication through hands, a deeper understanding grew of how to organise, give consent, and communicate in that “non doing” way. 

Gentle, yet powerful. 

Maureen Somers
AT teacher

The immersive weekend masterclass with John Hunter was an enjoyable, experiential and valuable learning experience for me.  It refreshed my knowledge, looked at things from slightly different angles and refined my thought and whole-body hands-on use. 

As always, it is inspiring to be with a group of like-minded people, and especially living together for a few days.  Being in a tranquil area with no need to be engaged with the outside world created a safe container for an expanded learning and meant explorations could go on by way of working together and conversation outside of the sessions.

Lisa Harris
AT teacher

I was lucky to attend John’s Alexander Technique intensive. 

During the three days I felt full of energy and hope for the future.

There were many moments of connection where I had a sense of myself being present and lighter, connected to my external environment through my senses and to other people.

There was laughter as we cooked, played and made music together.

We listened to John’s stories of his encounters with the AT teachers.

There was magic in the air.

I left rejuvenated, peaceful and grateful for the possibilities of being that once again have been unveiled to me. 

Dr Eleni Tsiompanou,
AT pupil and medical doctor

I am still under the impressions of the very intense time spent together at the Immersive Weekend Masterclass in Bramley. Something subtle was touched in me in about understanding the Technique, how it actually works, this idea with hands on… which for me is a permanent mystery yet to be discovered and a continuous proof of the fantastic intuition of FM Alexander, how he brought such a “knowledge” at the level of daily life …

When I worked on Matt with your help and support I could feel how he was able to move , to follow an impulse, how this transmission from brain to brain is possible..I had a “touch” of the idea of the “not doing”, it was a kind of magic…

Working on breathing, especially when I was on the table , the sensation of a deeper relaxation in the body after the awakening of the diaphragm….brought a new approach to the idea of not interfering with the breathing…

I found it amazing how each of the people involved made the best, with honesty, with openness…

The moment of music improvisation…..I remember when I was student, I used to walk when it was raining to hear different sounds of the rain, on the tile of the houses, water flowing from the downpipes on the street,,,after a while , a music was there….it was part of my secret life inside…

I used to listen to jazz quite a lot until I found the choir, but I was never surrounded in such a way by the instruments…and experiencing such a vibration…hearing so close…

I am still amazed by what happened that evening…

I thank you again for opening the door of Alexander’s world..

Elisabeta Blejan
AT pupil & chorist

Another practical and inspiring weekend with John Hunter. This time exploring the benefits of using Alexander’s “procedures” and also how to teach them to others.

Nothing ever seems hurried with John’s way of working and yet I always learn so much. He is a very experienced and expert teacher, which also shows in the way he paces the weekend. We cover a lot and yet have time to assimilate our learning and also to get to know each other, chatting, laughing, cooking and eating together, and making music. I would highly recommend these weekends to teachers or students of the Technique. 

Alison Roper-Lowe
AT teacher 

John, I just finished with a client who I used some of the ideas you showed us on the course. She has in the past had a double knee replacement.  I worked with her walking and it was so much lighter and pain free she started to cry!

Simple but very powerful ideas. 

Thank you so much (from both of us).

Dan Parr
Alexander Teacher

The whole course was great, with ample opportunity for skills practice under the clear guidance of John.  However, what had the biggest overall impact on me was John’s demeanour and his delivery of instruction and feedback.  John has an even, calm, gently humorous and generous presence which was exactly what I needed to calm down my nervous system so I was in the best state for observing and absorbing what I needed to. His personal skill at slowing down and being in a state of quiet alertness made a big impression on me and is something I have been trying to cultivate in myself since coming home from the course. All I can say is that my husband is very pleased with the results so far! And I think my calmer state, as much as I can keep it going, will have a positive impact on my students, many of whom are themselves in that state of busy anxiety society and the school system can unwittingly (or sometimes very deliberately) pressurise us all into.  

I look forward (calmly and not over excitedly) to the next weekend at John’s! 

Thank you,

Gale Hodges
Alexander Teacher

Coming to another residential is a very special occasion for me to be closer, to understand better and most important to feel what AT is about. After a period of time of accumulation of private lessons with different teachers in different places, of taking part to workshops both live and on line, after experiencing the inside need of having AT lessons, the residentials here in Bramley (the third one), had opened the door of approaching the subtle process of “hands-on”. In the context of intense days of receiving information and practical work with John and the participants, I started to have a taste of how to try to organise and reorganise myself during the work, and to have glimpse of the Alexandrian idea of non-doing and fluidity. It is not

easy to catch the aspect of brainwork of the Technique but it is possible to reach it during these days when attention is more active and open room for self-observations. Keeping back-back, ….stay with your back ,,,had became a motto for me this session. John had helped me to have a deeper body-mind perception of “back-back” as well as feet integration and the others, with their experiences as teachers or trainees, remind me to return to it. I found very interesting the moment when I was able to “catch” when I lost the connection with my back.

Each time different, working with monkey position, a certain moment when the knees

had to be bent only a little bit, an inch, and inhibiting the habit of straightening the knees in order to get out from the position made me feel the antagonistic pulls, head-hips, hips-knees.

I found again very interesting the detailed explanation of the whole process of breathing, as well as identifying habits that interfere with the process during the practice of it. Last but not the least, the residentials in Bramley, besides the discovering of the Alexander Technique are an opportunity for self-discovering, always unforgettable but mostly, surprising moments….like sharing a song composition …

Elisabeta Blejan
AT pupil & chorist