Our explorations into the weird and wonderful world of the brain resume with this final podcast in the series.

https://www.thelindenmethod.direct/

https://lisafeldmanbarrett.com/

Join me, Sue Merry, for a deep dive into the A-Team. Bring along something to work on and I will guide you through the process.

I realise that I make a couple of references to information about emotions and emotional intelligence that I have not yet covered in these podcasts. I really wanted to get back into the practical stuff after a couple of previous episodes on neuroscience.

I will probably cover the emotional info in the next episode. Don't let that stop you from listening to this episode though as it is a great practice to get up and running with. The deeper understanding can come later.

www.thereadylist.com

Back to the practical stuff!

A brief introduction to the A-Team:

• Acknowledge
• Accept
• Allow
• Act

Get to know the A-Team here. I do not go into depth, that will come in the next episode. After listening to this episode think about something that you might like to work on in the next episode, where we will go through the A-Team again while you have your issue in mind.

www.thereadylist.com

www.thedevelopingself.net

STOP

SEE

BREATHE

SOFT & TALL

I guide you through a very simplified explanation of the sometimes weird world of your brain.

You can watch the slideshow that accompanies this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/d8b9BoNz1AE

The next two episodes are about the nervous system. I am providing a basic overview of the organisation of the nervous system and the weird and wonderful world of the brain. This will be very useful in order to contextualise my teaching on Emotional Intelligence, TRL and the A-Team.

I have divided this section into two podcast episodes, to avoid overwhelming those of you who are new to this topic. I am hoping that my explanations are simple and clear - always my aim. I will be focusing on the main points that I want to convey but if you want to go deeper into the topic there is much information out there.

A reminder that I do not have a background in science or medicine. Also, some of this information is liable to change as more discoveries are made.

I have uploaded an accompanying video to YouTube. The video is very short and gives a recap of some of the information in this episode: https://youtu.be/IcSV2TBnW0k

Play this bonus episode any time after you have listened to Episode 4 - Constructive Rest.

This is a one-to-one session where I guide you through a period of constructive rest and ask you to imagine that I am placing my hands gently on your body, just as I might in a live session.

Important: Please listen to episode 4 - Constructive Rest first as this explains how to lie down and position yourself correctly. Also it guides you through how to get up off the floor safely.

In this episode I explain how to lie down in a semi-supine position and to explore being soft and tall. Initially at least, answering the question "Am I in balance?" can be easier when you are lying down.

Constructive rest helps you to learn how to connect with and release unnecessary muscle tension. Once you open this dialogue between your nervous system and your musculoskeletal system then it becomes more possible to release into activity. Most of us perform most activities with unnecessary amounts of tension. This can hamper, rather than help. It's also a massive waste of energy!

Check out The Ready List website for a helpful video guide to constructive rest.

www.thereadylist.com

What use is The Ready List (TRL)? I explain how to introduce TRL into your daily life and guide you through a simple exercise..

transition

Noun

A passing or passage from one condition, action, or (rarely) place, to another; change.

Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “transition (n.), sense 1,” December 2023, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/6201682675.

Now that you have practised TRL a little it's time to start to apply it to real-world situations. A transition is what occurs during the movement from one state to another state. To give a simple example: you are sitting and then you are standing. A transition occurs between sitting and standing.

Using TRL at a transition point can help to calm your nervous system and allow you to take action from a more peaceful place.

You can also find a detailed, step by step, video and audio guide to TRL practice on the website:

https://thereadylist.com/

The Ready List podcast is produced by The Developing Self. This site has many free resources for Alexander Technique teachers and educators.

https://thedevelopingself.net/

This episode does what it says on the tin. I take you deeper into practicing The Ready List (TRL) by offering more explanation about how TRL works and by talking you through a more detailed practice.

You will only see any benefits from TRL if you practice it. To change your habits you must change your behaviours. Imagine that you decide to learn to play the piano, you sit down and practice once or twice and then feel defeated because you can’t play a Beethoven piano sonata. When you practice a new skill, the brain starts to rewire itself to enable you to become proficient. This takes time plus consistency, commitment, and repetition.

Once again this episode is recorded outside and so expect odd noises and an unpolished audio recording.

You can also find a detailed, step by step, video and audio guide to TRL practice on the website:

https://thereadylist.com/

The Ready List podcast is produced by The Developing Self. This site has many free resources for Alexander Technique teachers and educators.

https://thedevelopingself.net/

Jump straight into The Ready List (TRL) with this episode.

I introduce TRL and talk you through trying it out for yourself. This is a quick taster and a first try:

• STOP.
• SEE.
• BREATHE.
• SOFT & TALL.

More information and a video guide can be found here: thereadylist.com