Christine, your grape suggestion is just brilliant, I love it, LOL! The major
problem of using a cork or similar is indeed the harshness and rigidity of it.
It can make your face positively ache, but it sure makes your tongue work.
Whereas I would imagine the grape would allow you to be more gentle on your face
and achieve opening the jaw without strain if the idea is not to squash the
grape.
Other things I have had taught to me, but don't teach myself, included opening
the jaw three finger widths, putting a ruler under the chin, (taking the fingers
away), and every time I opened my mouth attempting to feel the ruler with my
chin. Singing everything with a rigidly enforced wide open mouth. Lifting the
cheeks on high notes. I could go on but I won't bore you all with the
uneccessary details. Much of it only superimposed more rigidity or stress and
strain elsewhere. My teaching is more in line with what Sharon described. Going
natural; calling on the students past experiences of bodywork if they have any;
utilizing yoga or Alexander concepts etc. depends on the student. Nevertheless
my overiding credo remains "freeing the natural voice".
Mind you, I have one student at the moment whose only issue remains her stubborn
refusal to open her mouth any wider than half a finger width. Whilst she can't
get past this no other work can be done. Lessons are getting disheartening for
both of us. After all this discussion I am seriously contemplating the radical
move of a bag of grapes!
Michelle
Reality is just a figment of your imagination.
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