To gain competence in playing a musical instrument or a sport is a great goal, but it’s going to take some time, 10 years, 10,000 hours are the operative numbers, although they are being challenged on the lower end. It might take less. I would hope so. Bottom line though, if you’re going to perfect your serve, play that Scrabin, or run a great race, it’s going to take some time, some talent, and a ton of application.
There is another way to virtuosity—quicker, surer, and more broadly applicable—the equally important but no less challenging domain of how you play your self, your jointedness, your minded body, your embodied mind. Learning to cultivate mechanical advantage in everything you do, sitting, standing, walking, and playing, is the pebble tossed into a pool. Its ripples touch every shore of your experience. Mastery of the piano, the tennis serve, the record breaking pace, they’re not for everyone, but mastery of the self is virtuosity for the common man, the sign painter, the author, the office worker, the mower of the lawn, and you know where to find it, don’t you? Alexander Technique. Virtuosity for Everyman, Everywoman.
Alexander Technique. Virtuosity for Everyman, Everyone! Yes.
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Whoops. Meant to write Alexander Technique. Virtuosity for Everyone! Yes.
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Even for us Mark.
INDEED …! Thanks.
Succintly exquisitely put! As usual, you hit the nail on the head Alan. Love your posts!
Julie, Victoria, Mark, when we all let our hearts speak, the words are true. Thanks again.
What you wrote spoke to me personally, because I spent twenty-five years being a sign painter as my “day” job while I was training to teach A.T. You can get into some strange contortions painting signs in odd places. Try painting a sign on a moving boat transom, upsidedown!