“Sit straight.” “Don’t slouch.” “Relax your shoulders.” “Chin up.” We receive such a barrage of posture-related instructions in our childhood that it’s easy to believe the wisdom is absolute. Correct posture is associated with upright morality and upstanding character. Slumping, leaning, fidgeting is the preserve of the feckless, while overly tense shoulders and back signal an inability to tolerate stress. If that were true, then controlling your physical deportment would equate to self-control. That’s perhaps why the Alexander Technique has remained popular for more than 100 years. It’s a therapy that aims to change the way you hold and use your body in order to tackle long-standing physical and mental problems, including pain and stress, as well as making you more calm and confident. “Whether you need help with posture, balance or movement, input into skills and interests—or if This story is from Kinfolk Issue Thirty-six Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 19 Going Incognito We all secretly wonder what mischief we’d make if invisible: When our identity is hidden, everything seems possible. Arts & Culture Issue 19 The Best Policy Sometimes we talk to each other without feeling heard. Honesty—a most intimate interaction—can be just as thrilling as its more devious inverse. Arts & Culture Issue 19 A Sense of Suspense With unhinged imaginations and mountains of cliff-hangers, the filmmakers behind the sci-fi podcast Limetown have all the makings of a scary story. Arts & Culture Issue 19 Like Clockwork In this new column about time, we learn how slipping off our watches makes us feel like deadline-damning renegades. Fashion Issue 19 The Heat of the Moment Wide eyes, tense muscles, goose-bumped skin and sweat-dotted brows. Arts & Culture Music Issue 19 On a Grander Scale Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna now may live on the opposite side of the globe, but she’s determined to evolve while staying true to her roots.
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