Heart v Mind: What Makes us Human?
This is an excellent programme shown on BB4 0n 10 July 2012, so it will still be available on iPlayer for a while to come.
David Malone explores our society’s conflicting views of the heart, with the view from people with a poetic sensibility describing the heart as being central to our emotional states, whilst a more anatomical, mechanical approach sees the heart purely as a pump which is part of our physical make-up.
Contemporary research is taking place which bridges this gap and shows that the physical heart has neurones that bring about changes, for instance in the heart-rate, in response to our empathic and emotional reactions.
This is a fascinating programme that questions the mind-body split that F M Alexander was always challenging in his writing and when teaching his Technique. Keeping an awareness of these issues during Alexander lessons will surely enhance both the teaching and the learning experience.
This programme is well worth watching. Visit iPlayer to see it here