Maaike Aarts | Alexander Technique teacher @ Think Up

YouTube video by Think Up Academy Examples of End Gaining | Alexander Technique | Think Up

”End-gaining” is such an important topic for me and it’s present in so many areas of life: from our children’s schools, to the doctors, the food we eat…

Can you think of more examples you’ve observed in daily life?

www.youtube.com/shorts/-ps22...

I’ve just printed new flyers for my upcoming trip to London, where I’ll be teaching a masterclass for upper strings at the Royal College of Music 🎻

About my new flyers:
🎵 One introducing my course “Freedom and Ease for Violinists and Violists”
🎶 The other is a flyer for my free Think Up app

YouTube video by Think Up Academy End Gaining + Means Whereby | Think Up | Alexander Technique

Stress, pain, pollution, and even political turmoil often share a hidden root: “end-gaining”.
In the Alexander Technique, we learn to step out of it and choose lasting solutions. 🌿
Watch the video to see how it shows up in daily life and what we can do about it!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXIu...

Over the past week we got to babysit these two gorgeous dogs. So sweet, cuddly, and full of personality — it was such a joy having them around!

I’ll definitely miss the snuggles… but I won’t miss the 5 a.m. and 6 a.m wake-up calls, the extra fur on everything, and the dog perfume in the house!!

I wanted to share how I create audio guides for my Think Up app.
I write and rewrite the texts, then record them while trying to actually live the Alexander Technique myself (😅).
After that, I edit everything in Logic Pro
Then my husband works his MAGIC with the mastering 🎧!

Being productive doesn't have to mean having a tight jaw, shoulders pressing up, and breathing in a shallow way.

✨ Your body CAN move through the day with you, instead of against you.

Try noticing where you’re holding on... and then let it go with a gentle sigh as you read this.

My flyers for the Alexander Technique Congress have arrived!! Looking forward to a week of inspiration, connection and fun in Dublin, where I will take workshops on teaching AT to school children and learning more about how AT can help with trauma.

I’m looking forward to tuning into my all-inclusive awareness while reconnecting with the incredible nature of Norway and Sweden.

I may pop in here occasionally, but regular posts and practices will be back in September.

Wishing you all a wonderful summer. Take care! 🌞

Looking back on a truly wonderful Alexander Technique summer week in France with Doris Hochscheid! Grateful for the inspiring participants and fulfilling week.

Feeling nourished in every way — body, mind, and spirit.

✨ Come join us next summer in beautiful Fontaines St. Clair! ✨

YouTube video by Think Up Academy End-gaining & Sitting Up Straight | Alexander Technique | Think Up

Are you trying so hard to improve your posture that it's making you tense and stiff??

That’s ''end-gaining'' — when we fixate on the result without realising we're harming ourselves in the long term.

Here's why that happens and what to do about it 👉

www.youtube.com/shorts/TudnL...

I've got a book recommendation for you to read this summer: Myth of Normal by Dr. Gabor Maté 📚

He brilliantly uncovers the true root causes behind trauma, stress, addiction, political polarization, and environmental destruction.

Timely to understand WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.

YouTube video by Think Up Academy Mirror Neurons | Think Up | Alexander Technique

Do you also feel it when you watch someone perform — their tension, their ease, their struggles? That’s your mirror neurons turning their experience into your own.

Here's what real relaxation is:

Do you really know how to relax?

You can be still... and still feel tension. 🤷‍♀️

Clue: Relaxing is not passive, nor downward. It's a gentle ACTIVE practice of LETTING GO to return to clarity, openness, and presence.

Swipe to know how! ➡️

You can practice this with my Think Up app — and I'm giving away free access for a month!

Message me these ✉️
1. A screenshot of you liking/following facebook.com/ThinkUpAcademyAmsterdam or instagram.com/thinkupacademy

2. Whether you're an iPhone or Android user

3. Only for the first 30!

Imagine you're a soaring eagle, looking down while flying, observing both your body and the world below.

Do you notice you don't have to choose between observing your body or the space? How do you feel?

That's the golden zone called All-Inclusive Awareness.

Message me these ✉️
1. A screenshot of you liking/following facebook.com/ThinkUpAcademyAmsterdam or instagram.com/thinkupacademy

2. Tell me if you're an iPhone or Android user so I can give you the promo code based on your device

3. Giveaway runs from June 1 to June 30, 2025 with limited slots!

Jogging, computer work, or any activity becomes much more effortless when we are aware of the space around us... and I want to share how you can practice this!

Send me a message on my Think Up Academy FB page or Instagram to listen for free for a month.

Limited to the first 30! Details👇

Learn more here:

If your hands feel stiff, your shoulders sore, or your playing feels harder than it should be... tension might be holding you back more than you think.

But here’s the thing — your grip isn’t the root of the problem. It starts somewhere else.

Swipe through to find out why and how to unlearn it ➡️

Have you ever noticed that daydreaming, recovering, and resting during the day can turn into collapsing and heaviness in the body?

Well, there's an Alexander Technique practice to rest that includes alertness: Active Rest.

It allows the body to decompress, while awareness stays open and present.

Is your body and mind stuck on high alert?

This might be why. ➡️ Read on to reset.
#alexandertechnique #mindbodyawareness #stressmanagement #focus

Compared to the extreme types of attention, All-Inclusive Awareness is an integrated focus where you remain aware of your whole body, your activity, and the space around you ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

Do you recognize this middle space in your own experience?

#alexandertechnique #allinclusiveawareness

The truth?

Stopping isn’t weakness.
Small adjustments can prevent injury.
Listening builds resilience — not quitting.

✅ Start noticing where tension creeps in.

Your body is asking you to listen.

YouTube video by Think Up Academy How To Recognize Stress In Your Body | Think Up | Alexander Technique

✨ I’m sharing how you can spot the subtle ways stress and tension show up in your body, so you can start to let it go.

#AlexanderTechnique #stressmanagement

Think You Know What Think Up Is? 🤔

You might be surprised! It’s not just about the body or posture, it's simple, and open for everybody.

Swipe through to clear up the misconceptions and see how it can actually help you move with more ease. ➡️

#ThinkUp #AlexanderTechnique

Download the free app today! Scan the QR code in the image or visit thinkup.nl/en/app

#ThinkUp #AlexanderTechnique

If you're guilty of tensing your eyes and leaning forward towards the music during performance... well, I've been there too.

Here's one simple shift that helped me stay calm and present: activating panoramic vision.

#ThinkUp #ThinkUpAcademy #violinist #musician

Here's how:

Is tension really the price of mastery?

👉 Swipe through to uncover what’s holding you back — and how to break free.