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Comparative Studies
The Alexander Technique
Preface to 'Man's Supreme Inheritance' (1945):
As in every crisis, man is now asking. 'What must we do to be saved?'
'Where must we begin to make a change?'
'Desperately and far afield he searches for the deliverance which he holds in his own hand!. It is what man 'does' that brings about the wrong thing, first within himself and then in his activities in the outside world, and it is only by preventing this 'doing' that he can ever begin to make any real change. Man must learn to know the kind of 'doing' he should prevent in himself and then learn how to prevent it .Change must begin in his own behaviour, through Conscious Guidance and Control in his own psycho - physical unity.'
Such is the nature of the Alexander Technique...... far, far more than a curative for bad backs!
Alexander understood by his own experience and observation that man was out of balance with himself; that there was a conflict between the functions of the brain and the nervous system on one side, and the functions of the digestion, circulation, respiration and the muscular system on the other. His 'remedy' was to harness the power of the intellect to bring about a positive and constructive change to the organism.
The technique which he developed is the ultimate in 'practicality'. ...... start with the body (the place where all wisdom begins.)
There are 4 books in which he describes his findings, and these also show Alexander's continuing understanding regarding the nature of man's problems
'Man's Supreme Inheritance'
'Constructive Conscious Control of the Individual'
'The Use of the Self'
'The Universal Constant in Living'.
VIPASSANA
The Art of Self-Observation
Vipassana is one of India's most ancient meditation techniques. Long lost to humanity, it was rediscovered by Gotama the Buddha more than 2500 years ago. Vipassana, the word, means 'to see things as they really are' ..... it is the process of self-purification by self- observation. One starts by observing the natural breath in order to concentrate the mind. And then from this sharpened awareness one proceeds to observe the changing nature of body and mind, so that an experience of the universal truths of impermanence, suffering and egolessness can be revealed. This truth- realisation by direct experience is the process of purification. Vipassana has nothing to do with organised religion or sectarianism and so can be practised freely by all without conflict of race, caste or religion, and in any place at any time.
What Vipassana is;
- It is a technique that will eradicate suffering.
-It is an art of living that will allow us to make positive contributions to society
-It is a method of mental purification which allows people to face all the tensions and patterns that hinder a well balanced life.
What Vipassana is not;
-It is not a rite or ritual based on blind faith
-It is not an intellectual or philosophical pursuit
-It is not an escape from the trials and tribulations of every day life.
When practised with sincerity and effort it eliminates the three causes of unhappiness - craving, aversion and ignorance, by releasing the tensions developed by reacting in old habitual ways.
The process of self-purification by introspection is never easy- one has to make efforts against resistance and by these efforts a student can arrive at his own realisations - no one else can do this work for him.
A person who has reached the ultimate truth knows that when a defilement arises in the mind, simultaneously two things start happening at the physical level. One is that the breath loses its normal rhythm. And,when a negative emotion comes into the mind the breath changes and becomes quite hard. This is easy to observe with practise.At a subtler level, some kind of biochemical reaction starts within the body - some sensation will arise. Every defilement will generate some sensation somewhere on the inside of the body.
Through training in Vipassana it becomes possible to observe respiration and sensation - both of which are directly related to a mental defilement When .respiration and sensation are observed without any interference they can pass away.This is truly a mental-physical phenomenon. Instead of running away from a difficulty that is being experienced I can, through observation, see my own reality as it is, and then a defilement loses its strength.
The technique of self- observation shows us reality in its two aspects, inner and outer. We can, therefore, stop looking for the causes of unhappiness outside ourselves. If I am ignorant of my inner reality I will never understand that the cause of suffering lies within, in my own blind reactions.
This is what the Buddha taught; an art of living. He never established or taught any religion or 'ism' He never instructed his followers to practise any rites or rituals. Instead, he taught just to observe nature as it is - to learn to 'know thyself' through self-observation. Passana means to look with open eyes, Vipassana, to see the actual.
Adapted from 'Vipassana Meditation' as taught by S.N.Goenka.
For information about the initial 10 day course see www.vnl.dhamma.org