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The Foreword
from the book

by Dr. R. B. Kelley Snodgrass

The human body is a fascinating study. All the more so when the body we study is our own. As we learn about our bodies it is essential to have clear and accurate guidance. We are fortunate to have among us someone like Harmon Hathaway who has not only devoted a lifetime to the study of the body, but who is also capable of reporting to us what he has discovered. He is both an explorer and teacher. The book you hold in your hands is the gift of his knowledge. It is our challenge to mine the gems contained within.

Mining is different from shopping. The gems of this book are not necessarily laid out for us like jewelry in a shop. The work of active participation is required for us to realize the value of these lessons. This is a book we can read with our bodies. If you want to learn how to live within your body with more grace, efficiency, health and vitality, Harmon Hathaway’s guidance can be invaluable. In working with Harmon over the years, I can personally attest to the validity, practicality and truth of what he has observed. I have incorporated many of these lessons into my personal life and into my professional practice working with patients, all with excellent results.

This century has seen some spectacular advances in knowledge about the human body, about its chemistry, physiology, genetics and pathology. But there is another area of knowledge which has been gaining increasing attention in the last fifty years, and that is the knowledge of how the body moves in space as an organized unit. At the beginning of this century we saw the development of the work of Methias Alexander whose study and insight led to the development of a system of knowledge now known as the Alexander Technique. Toward mid century we saw the development of Rolfing through the work of Ida Rolph with her emphasis on the muscles and related tissue in establishing what she called Structural Integration. About the same time we saw the emergence of the work of Moshe Feldenkrais who worked with the ideas of changing our mental structures by working with the Mind/Body interface, the Feldenkrais Technique is the result of his years of research and teaching. Alexander Lowen was also at work at this time pushing forward the insights of the psychiatrist Wilhelm Reich into an psycho/physical discipline called Bio-energetics.

Since the 1960’s, there has been a proliferation of methods and techniques which aim to solve physical (and mental) problems and optimize the use of the human body. The Hathaway Alignment Work, which has been evolving for over forty years, is now emerging at the end of this century as another step in the evolution of our understanding of the workings of the human body/mind.

The Hathaway Alignment Work shares with all of these body/mind disciplines, the requirement of conscious participation. The more we put this knowledge to use, the more we will benefit. Fortunately we have a capability of mind which we call "attention." One of the blessings of being human is our ability to direct our attention to whatever we will. Wherever we turn, the noise, bright light and sideshows of our carnival civilization compete for the attention of our eyes, ears, nose, organs of touch and taste. But when we close our eyes and turn our attention inward we make use of another sense, one which allows us to perceive the movement and position of our body in space. No less important than the other senses, it is often ignored and infrequently used in a deliberate and conscious way. I call your attention to this sense because it is an essential tool in working with this book. This sense has been given the name proprioception. It is the sense which allows us to know how many fingers we are holding up even though we are not looking at them. It is the sense which tells us if our elbow is bent or our head inclined or erect. It is a sense which can be developed and refined with conscious effort. Make conscious use of this sense as you work with the alignment sessions and other activities suggested in this book. Create the time and space you need to fully explore the depths of your body/mind awareness. Do this and you will be richly rewarded.

 

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