Eutony

Eutony is a mind-body discipline created by Gerda Alexander based upon the experience of one's own body. It develops the ability to be aware and able to regulate muscular tone, adapting it to any life situation. The term eutony comes from Greek Eu: good, - and of Latin Tonus: tension, the grade of tension or elasticity of muscle fibers. It was coined to express the idea of a harmoniously balanced "tonicity in constant adaptation to the state or activity of the moment".

Eutony and muscular tone

Eutony uses the knowledge of one's own body as a way to develop an appropriate use of its structures and the possibility of flowing among levels of good tension (i. e., the appropriate level to face every-day activities). There is a component of the muscular tension of which most people are not conscious.

"Good" muscular tone, characteristic of the eutonic state, provides flexibility and adaptability. On the contrary, to be "distonic" means either to remain in a state of excessive tension (hiper-tone), or feeling heavy or without force (hipo-tone), or the impossibility of fluctuating outside of a normo-tone in diverse situations.

Origins of Eutony

Eutony is a discipline developed from the personal experience and initiative of Gerda Alexander. As a youg woman, she contracted rheumatic fever and endocarditis, suffering several crisis. This forced her precociously to create movement forms that did not complicate their affections. Long periods of rest stimulated her to investigate on herself looking for a "more economic" and more spontaneous movement form, starting from the learning of the tonic regulation to achieve further well-being. Gerda postulated that it is "necessary to learn a little more every day about what we are that body in which we can lean on". By means of the observation and reflection on their students, their own ailments and difficulties in mobility, and the investigation on the neuro-psychological basements of the human being's movements, she molded her own method.

At the beginning, Gerda Alexander's personal search in the area of the performing-arts had the premise of achieving the possibility to be able to expres without preset models to interfere in the functional and creative possibilities. In that time this intention was denominated: "the search of the spontaneous movement". Gerda spent approximately 30 years in this resarch, until summing up what she would later call Eutony.

Practice of Eutony

The transmission of Eutony takes place in group classes or individual sessions. The eutonist accompanies the student in the recognition process and personal exploration without to interfere neither to influence it, allowing the development of its own potentialities.

An Eutony session begins with a phase of "inventory" in which the student, through a series of "control positions" becomes aware of his/her initial state of muscular tone. Then by a means of physical activities guided by the eutonist, which may include the use of objects (balls, sticks, pillows) or the contact between the eutonist and the student, the latter gains awareness of different "principles" (see below). At the end of the class or session the student may be asked to repeat the control positions initially used to check the differences in both his/her states and awareness of them.

Eutony leads to a better self-understanding increasing cognitives and emotional capacities, harmony and the possibility of being attentive.By developing the capacity to observe oneself, accepting what happens without judging, the individual transforms into a witness of his/her own actions and life. Turning into a sharper, non judging observer, allows him/her to achieve deeper knowledge of both oneself and the others.

Principles of Eutony

In Eutony the word "principle" has a particular meaning. The principles constitute methodological tools to be used in the classes or sessions that facilitate the student to recover the fluctuation of tone.

Such principles are:
* awareness of the skin
* awareness of the internal body space
* awareness of the bones
* conscious contact
* experience of transport (conscious straightening reflex)
* "repousser" (to reject-to push)
* active and passive movements
* micro-movements (movements of decompression of the articulations)
* control positions (sequences of movements that allow to evaluate the state of muscular flexibility)
* eutonic movement
* vibrations (vocie and bones)

Further reading

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