LEARN TO JUGGLE:
APPLYING PRINCIPLES OF ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE

Zen Juggling Balls used to be a business of mine, which is part of how I came to have taught over 3000 people to juggle. Here's the short version of the "Five Secrets of Learning to Juggle." There's also a long version, here.

Secret One: See the Arc

See the arc, transcend looking at the ball; your hand knows where to go!
Prove it by throwing one ball from hand to hand, the height of your eyes, looking straight ahead, without looking at your hands or the ball going into your hands. Magic!

Secret Two: Toss An Endless Figure Eight

The juggle easiest to learn goes in a sideways figure eight, not a circle.
For instance: with 2 balls in each hand, simultaneously toss them up to kiss each other at the top of a rainbow-shaped arc in the center.

Now stagger the timing of when you throw; as the first toss rounds the arc top, toss the next up the same way - not across. Count when the balls leave your hand so you mark the time of departure.

Secret Three: Juggling Takes Timing and Freedom, not Strength

The balls go wherever your fingers point. As in: Relax your hand, palm up, fingers curled, and your fingers point up. Leave your hand that way and put the ball in it & toss with a flexible, floppy wrist.

Secret Four: Starting with Two Balls in One Hand

Hold one ball between your thumb & pinkie; the other on three fingers. Toss the ball resting on your fingers, let go of the ball between your thumb and pinkie, allowing it to roll down to go into your waiting three fingers. Then toss that ball.

Secret Four: Strategies for Doing What's New

Throw easier, rather than catch wild things! Fool yourself into not repeating what you don't want. Sit in meditation after a success for a minute, or backtrack to what was easy.

Do this: When two staggered tosses are easy, start with two in one hand. Count your throws. Get that third ball out of your fingers into the air in the rhythm - as the second throw rounds the arc. Later make the direction of the toss so it's easy to catch.

Make Success Happen Again

To make success stick in your mind - stop when you do it, even just a minute. If you want to attain further enlightenment, you can also surrender those limiting habitual anticipations of ever attaining any goal. Then - pay attention in the moment, & toss again.

(After all, the name of my business was Zen Juggling Balls.)

There's also an in-depth version of learning to juggle, for those people who really are confused by now, here.

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