Intent (pause/half-halt)

Had an interesting discussion at an alexander technique session this evening.

When I used to belong to a quite popular equestrian forum, I posted about Alexander technique and was talking about intent, consent, action... as part of that I said:

The preparation phase is about the thought, intent, consent. Only when I have these three will I then get the action.

At the time I was discussing how the addition of a horse to the equation meant you needed to share that intent with the horse, and then need consent from both parties before the action resulted.

(note to self: is this "intent" the same as the "intent" Mark Rashid talks about ?)

Anyway, my current AT instructor commented about the "pause" - which is effectively that instant where you inhibit the tendency to act straight away. Here is someone else's description of the pause

The Alexander Technique teaches us to pause in the midst of any activity in order to assess our level of muscle tension and lessen it. These moments of pause, which with practice become almost instantaneous and can be carried out without interrupting the activity, nonetheless act as natural "brakes" in relation to the activity. That is, they help our approach to the activity to become more measured and balanced.)

 (The Alexander Technique and Skiing)

Ooooo - hang on... doesn't that sound somewhat like a half-halt ?

That moment where for an infinitesimally small instant horse and rider hesitate and then go forward into action.