Alexander technique in Aikido

The central principle of inhibition, is one that is very useful in aikido practice,

but not very easy to apply, or to describe either. 

In Alexander's technique, inhibition is the ability to not react to something. 

It doesn't mean suppressing a reaction with some force of will, but just simply making a choice not to react. 

 Ask someone to move your arm about to shake it lightly..

Make a decision not to help them, but don't prevent them from moving your arm.

That decision that you make is the mental skill called inhibiting.

 It's a quieting of the signals that your are sending, in this case to your arm. If you try to force yourself to not interfere with the movement, the person moving your arm will inevitably feel that you are tightening. 

If you can make a clear decision of allowing the other person to move your arm about, they will feel it moving in a freer, lighter way.  

~edited from AikiWeb

http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15872