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About the Alexander Technique
About the Alexander Technique
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The Alexander Technique is about consciously releasing unwanted and inappropriate muscular tension and allowing the natural “good use” of the body to take over. This is, however, easier said than done. It involves a process of awareness and thinking rather than physical doing, i.e. no physical exercises are required.
With Alexander work a process of “conscious inhibition” is employed in order to stop what is going wrong in the body. Unfortunately many years of acquiring bad habits of use which often feels (unreliably) comfortable and normal, produces quite a lot of wrong, inappropriate, tension in the body. This tends to impair our performance and functioning, both physical and mental, in all our daily activities. It is also the root cause of many physical problems: The Alexander Technique is an effective preventative method.
Further information is available from the
Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT)
Tel.: 0845 230 7828
Web site: wwww.stat.org.uk
Who was Alexander?
Who was Alexander?
F. M. Alexander was an actor, towards the end of the nineteenth century, whose career was blighted by persistent voice problems. After many unsuccessful attempts to seek help for his problem Alexander decided to try and find his own cure.
With the aid of mirrors Alexander set off on a long process of self observation and examination.
Over a period of several years he gradually found the solution to his voice problem which relied on the correct relationship between his head, neck, and back. This could only be achieved by consciously inhibiting the habitual misuse that caused his problem in the first place. Alexander called this improved head, neck, back relationship the “primary control” because it not only improved faulty voices but virtually all other physical problems as well.
Alexander gradually developed a method of teaching this improved head, neck, back relationship to other people by using hands-on guidance.
How is the Alexander Technique learned?
How is the Alexander Technique learned?
How is the Alexander Technique learned?
How is the Alexander Technique learned?
The Alexander Technique is learned not so much through explanation but more through hands-on guidance of an Alexander Teacher. This process establishes a gradual and progressive learning of the Technique and the re-learning of the natural, inherent, good use that most of us had in early childhood.
Although some benefit is gained by having just a few Alexander lessons this will not be lasting. The reliable development of inhibition and direction or “conscious control” together with a permanent improvement in body use will generally require an intensive course of some 20 to 30 lessons.
The highly directed hands-on work of the Alexander teacher gently encourages the head to lead the body giving the muscular system the experience of increased lengthening. This activity encourages the lengthening of the spine thereby increasing the space for the intervertebral discs, ribcage and diaphragm. As well as the release and freeing of all of the joints: hips, knees, shoulders, etc. In this way the whole body is allowed to become more balanced, poised, supportive and strong. In addition mental focus and awareness is generally enhanced.
After a number of lessons the pupil progressively develops greater powers of inhibition and direction and a greater capacity to release and lengthen their own body.
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