Tami Bulmash’s journey into the world of body awareness and posture correction began over two decades ago with the discovery of the Alexander Technique.
She had always perceived herself as awkward and uncoordinated, never realizing that her body’s misuse was the root cause. The transformative lessons of the Alexander Technique revealed the profound connection between her thoughts, actions, and body use, enabling her to change her habits and improve her health.
This realization inspired her to become a certified Alexander Technique teacher and establish Body and Posture, where she helps clients enhance their posture and overall body health through mindful movement and habit awareness. In this interview with MysticMag, Tami shares her insights and experiences on how the Alexander Technique can transform lives.
What inspired you to create Body and Posture?
The Alexander Technique has been a part of my life for over 20 years. When I discovered it I had thought very little about the use—or rather misuse— of my body. I just assumed I was awkward, clumsy, and uncoordinated, and that’s just how my body was. I never thought I could change any of that.
Alexander Technique lessons opened my eyes to how my thoughts and actions were related to the way I used my body and that realization enabled me to change my habits for the better. Moreover, the Alexander Technique gave me tools to promote better health and functioning. For that reason, I wanted to train to become a certified Alexander Technique teacher and also help others.
Many people associate misuse of the body with posture and for that reason, I chose the name Body and Posture for my Alexander Technique practice.
What inspired you to create Body and Posture? How do you help clients improve their posture and overall body health?
The main principles of the Alexander Technique are the recognition of habits, inhibiting or pausing before reacting to a habit, and then directed towards a more desired choice. For example, let’s say I have lower back pain. I go to a number of doctors and they’ve taken X-rays and run tests and yet they can’t find anything “wrong” with me.
Yet the back pain persists. If I go to an Alexander Technique teacher they might ask me about my daily habits—things that I may think are inconsequential. However, through the lens of the Alexander Technique I might learn that I tighten my lower back every time I get out of a chair, and not only that, I’m also pulling my head and neck down in the process.
This daily habit can cause tremendous wear and tear on the spine and body as a whole. A certified Alexander Technique teacher can bring this habit into awareness for the student and also teach them how to pause before repeating that habit in addition to learning a more helpful way to move.
What are some common posture issues you encounter, and how do you address them?
Most of the individuals who come for Alexander Technique lessons do so because they are experiencing pain and/or posture concerns. The majority of my students seek help for chronic pain, particularly back, shoulder, and neck pain. It is no coincidence that this pain runs along the spine because most of us put excessive pressure on our spine through misuse of the body.
Can you share a success story from a client who has benefited from your services?
How does one measure success? That’s an interesting thought. In the Alexander Technique, we have a term called endgaining. Most of us have been conditioned to seek results and often we forgo the process in order to achieve the desired result. I teach many medical students and I often tell them that it would be hard for them to get into med school if they weren’t endgainers.
The medical program is almost designed for endgainers. They often give up sleep, social activities, and their free time in order to study for their exams. In this sense, they are more focused on the result (their grade) than the process (how they are managing their lives).
This can be a metaphor for all of us. Are we more focused on getting to our next appointment on time than we are on the way we are driving on the road (and how all that stress and tightening is affecting our mind and body)?
Are we more focused on the bottom line of the book than we are on the story itself? I’m mentioning these examples because “success” through the lens of the Alexander Technique is not just about being pain-free. It is also learning how we got ourselves into this mess in the first place, and how we can continue to stay out of that mess.
What advice would you give to someone looking to improve their posture and body health?
My advice to anyone looking to improve their posture and body health would be to start observing other people. How do they walk? Are they stiff? If you’re lucky enough to have a toddler in your family, watch how they move with ease and fluidity. Look at how they bend from their joints with ease and move with poise.
Then reflect on your own movements. Observe the way you sit and stand in a full-length mirror. If you’re curious and interested in learning more about how to change undesired habits, reduce body pain, and improve your posture, overall health, and functioning, then Google an Alexander Technique teacher in your area or go to www.alexandertechnique.com to find an Alexander Technique teacher in the US and abroad.
