About the Alexander Technique
"Change involves carrying out an activity against the habit of life"
F. M. Alexander 1869-1955
We are generally unaware of the "how we do things" when we carry out our activities, be they just sitting, standing, washing up, brushing our teeth, playing an instrument, being involved in a sport or simply watching the TV. We sometimes know when we are "a bit tense" but frequently don't know how to release the tension (except with a glass of wine perhaps!) and bring about a change.
We don't realise that the inappropriate muscular effort we habitually use to carry out these activities destoys the delicate balance which should exist between the neck, head and back and that the destruction of that balance sets up distortions, which then become set into our posture, setting up problems for the future...
We don't realise that these "physical" habits also affect the way we think, and that the way we think affects our bodies - we see life in terms of "mind" or "body" or "mind over matter" - as though there were a competition between the two!
The Alexander Technique teacher encourages pupils to become aware of the habitual way they carry out various activities, and by very gentle hands on work, she encourages them to restore the delicate neck, head and back co-ordination pattern with which most of us are born. But the power of habit is very strong, so the teacher also encourages her pupils to recognise the triggers which set off habitual responses and learn not to react to them unthinkingly, but to choose a different, more beneficial way of behaving.
As with every new skill, the learning process takes much repetition and practice, but gradually the pupil starts to bring the new co-ordination ideas into their daily living.
The Alexander Technique, initially developed by Alexander to cure his own voice problems, is very helpful for:
- Problems from sport/playing an instrument
- Back and neck pain
- Stress and anxiety
- Tension headaches
- Voice problems
- Improving self confidence
