During my more than 30 years’ experience as a student, teacher, training course director, and colleague of other teachers of the Alexander Technique, my understanding of Alexander’s work and how it fits into my life has gained simplicity and clarity. His principles help form a foundation for everything—working with students, building a practice, working with colleagues, and living life. 

I have received help and guidance from many practitioners of the Alexander Technique. However, my purpose in writing this article is to introduce the wisdom of people who had nothing to do with Alexander or his Technique, and yet...

The Alexander Technique is a proven method to help reduce pain and stress. Although the Technique is educational and not therapy, it is found in many rehabilitation programs to help heal injury and recuperate from surgery. The Alexander Technique is also a vital part of the curriculum of many universities and conservatories both here and abroad, and is made available to employees of select companies and corporations. 

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The purpose of the study of the Alexander Technique is to get in touch with our natural postural habits of movement and expression that have always been a part of each of us. During the c...

During my early years of study and teaching the Alexander Technique, I must admit to being quite confused about F. M. Alexander’s expression “Primary Control”. Through no fault of my teachers, I became convinced that a primary control was a proper relationship of my head neck and back, and if I could find what that was I would unravel the mysteries of the Technique.  I had heard stories of teachers being so good at attaining this perfection that simply by placing their hands on a student’s neck, previously locked legs or arms or such places would miraculously begin to move with freedom and ease. Since I had rare...

I am frequently asked "Just what is the Alexander Technique all about and why should I be interested in taking lessons?"

If one is curious about the Technique he or she may study the teachings and writings of Walter Carrington, director of the Constructive Teaching Centre in London and F. M. Alexander's partner. It was during one of Walter's classes a number of years ago that I first heard him use the words - 'Leave yourself alone with the intent of arriving at your proper shape and at your full height'. Of course I was quite familiar with this notion (if not the exact words), as I had enjoyed the experience of...

The following is an excerpt from a discussion at the Northern California Center for the Alexander Technique which was recorded April 9, 2010. It is based on Walter Carrington’s “Yin and Yang” recorded at the Constructive Teaching Centre (London), June 17, 1992 and published in The Act of Living (Mornum Time Press).

In this talk, Walter suggests to us as teachers of the Alexander Technique, that the best use of our time is to observe our students regardless of whether they’re first timers or have been coming for a long time. He also offers the suggestion that we not particularly rush right in to share these observ...

Published in the winter 2008 edition of the AmSAT News - the quarterly publication of the American Society for the Alexander Technique.  Copyrighted - all rights reserved

Recently, I completed and returned the marketing survey sponsored by the Marketing and Media Committee of the American Society for the Alexander Technique. The survey is billed as a tool to “help teachers become more efficient in their marketing efforts, thereby eliminating the tendency to reinvent the wheel in an effort to enlarge our practices.” The message also states that this study raises many of the same questions that appeared in a 2006 s...

At 8500 feet near the base of Pyramid Peak in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of eastern California, September days are beautiful and warm, filled with glorious sun and dazzling blue sky – wonderful backpacking weather. The nights are clear and cold. Jupiter leads the way across the heavens appearing just after sunset, followed by a symphony of twinkling stars.

I’m on a solo expedition with my dog, Max Detweiler. That first night we camp by a lake and wait for the moon to rise over the ridge to the east. A mountain moon has a unique way of announcing itself, first by a subtle light preceding its entrance, then the ee...

Published in the spring 2008 edition of the AmSAT News - the quarterly publication of the American Society for the Alexander Technique.  Copyrighted - all rights reserved

Not long ago, we had the pleasure of hosting a visitor to our training course who had taken many Alexander lessons and was considering studying to be a teacher. She was visiting courses to begin the process of deciding where she wished to spend the next three years. She was a lovely addition to our course that day, and seemed to enjoy herself. She contributed to the ongoing discussions and made herself available as a willing “student” for the tr...

Published in the winter 2007 edition of the AmSAT News - the quarterly publication of the American Society for the Alexander Technique.  Copyrighted - all rights reserved.

Not long ago, during a lesson I was explaining to a student that according to F. M. Alexander we really don’t have to do much to find the wonderful grace and elegance of the proper use of ourselves. Good use is built into our system so all we have to do is not interfere and the whole thing will work just fine.

My student came to the Alexander Technique because he wanted to better himself. He   seemed to be suffering from a familiar state of affa...

From a talk by George I. Lister at The Northern California Center
for the Alexander Technique - March 2007

Newton’s third law of motion states that “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” We can demonstrate this quite easily by stepping off a boat onto a dock and observing that as we move in one direction, we need to be very careful as the boat will tend to move in the opposite direction. We have created the action that takes us one way while the same force at the same time sends the boat the other way.

This identical force is called gravity and is what allows us and all living creatures (and...