A Brief Introduction to the Alexander Technique

"The Alexander Technique is concerned with the way that we use ourselves."

What does this mean and why is it important?
The moment we think about it, it's obvious that if we are hunched up and collapsed we are not doing ourselves any good.
It's obvious! Look around you and you will see people who are using themselves badly, and you will be looking at people with back pain, poor posture and high levels of stress.

Why don't we make this obvious connection?
I don't know.

When we see it, why don't we do something about it?
We try to, but it's not so easy. Everyone tries, in their own way, to improve their use. But trying to sit up straight NEVER WORKS. We need more: not a lot more, but we need to understand the obstacles to improving ourselves, and we need some help and guidance. This is where the Alexander Technique helps.

Obstacles to change.
A] We can't change what we haven't even identified! Hopefully this article has made you look at yourself in a new way. But even if you are now "thinking about how you use yourself" you probably haven't got a good eye for it yet. We are not very good at observing ourselves!
B] When we act our responses are HABITUAL and IMMEDIATE. We don't notice what's habitual, and we are too late to change something that has already happened.
C] If we are trying to use ourselves differently, we have very little knowledge of what this might mean. Most people's thinking does not extend beyond

  • "sit up straight" - which takes a lot of effort, causes more tension not less and always ends in failure:
  • " pull your shoulders back" - again, creates more tension not less, and if you think about it, pulling your shoulders back displaces them more

Alexander's solutions

First, we need to stop the old habit. This requires a NEW SKILL - an ability to think of doing something without reacting straight away.

Second, we need to learn "how things work". Amazingly, if you ask someone how they sit down they might think of their knees and the places that they bend. You can bet that they won't think of their necks, and yet if you watch almost anyone sit down you will see the tension in their necks increase so much that their head is pulled right back out of alignment with their back. If you can't see it, put your hand on the back of someone's neck and ask them to sit down. Feel what happens.

Alexander teaches us that in order to understand "how things work" we have to think of our neck, head and back in relation to each act that we wish to perform.

How to learn all of this.

Ideally, take one to one lessons with a teacher of the Technique. The teacher is able to work in a way that interrupts our old way of doing things and helps us to learn that our bodies can work in different ways. The lesson often seems to be therapeutic - with the teacher's help, the body and mind are working in a different harmony. The teacher will always emphasise that his or her work is a form of teaching.