One of the best ways to learn about yourself is to watch others. This morning at the Farmer’s Market, I saw a little boy who was exemplary of “good use”. He was under two years of age and his little head moved up with each step he took. His arms eased away from his shoulders and his legs eased out of his pelvis. His breathing was deep and effortless. Every step was a delight for him and for me as I watched him.
Soon I was watching everyone. The woman with a cane, distorting herself to accommodate the cane. The man who was drinking coffee and pulling his head down to the coffee cup rather than bringing the cup up to him. A woman who was cutting vegetables so we could have a taste of the very fresh delicious right off the farm produce. Her hand was white with the tension with which she was holding the knife.
There are so many reasons we go from the freedom of the little boy to the distortions we pick up as we age. The reasons are not so important. What is important is that we know how to take ourselves out of mis-use by thinking and being watchful we can choose better habits.
Joanie Mercer Blog 
Geetha.d
/ June 24, 2012Hi,
this is very practical educative blog which was written by you.
If you ask the little 2 years child, how he is using his mindbody he wont answer.
I think even 10 years child cant answer.
Even 20 years adult also cant able to answer.
I think one how he/she is using his/her own self fundamentally as a whole, was first discovered by f.m.alexander.
May
/ June 29, 2012Hello Joanie, thank you so much for the writing and sharing.
Your keen observations remind me of something my mother always told us when we were youngsters at the dinner table, “Hold your rice bowl towards your mouth, not the other way around”. Mothers do know one thing or two. And it’s still not too late for me to listen. Hahaha!
Leonard Marks
/ July 6, 2012great post