by George I. Lister

Recently, a student arrived for his first lesson and told me he had been doing some reading on the Alexander Technique and tried a suggested exercise, which helped him immediately. I, of course, was quite intrigued, so I asked him to describe this exercise and he told me that it was to 'Free your neck, allowing the head to go forward and up and the back to lengthen and widen'. I asked him if he would demonstrate and, after overcoming his embarrassment, he proceeded to push his head as far above his shoulders as he possibly could, severely straining the muscles of his neck. He also pulled his shoulders back, pushed his chest out and then pulled his head back, putting himself into a classic 'military' pose. I was concerned if he went further he might severely injure himself.

 

Herein lies the problem with learning the Alexander Technique. If we believe there is a better way to use our bodies, if we can be free and easy and have a beautiful, graceful, upright posture, if we can reduce or eliminate pain and discomfort, if we can enhance our endurance by reducing the overall tension with which we accomplish our tasks, why don't we do it? The answer is clear - we don't know or we have forgotten how.

 

 

The purpose of the Alexander Technique is to remind us of and to get in touch with the good postural habits and natural reflexes that are a part of each of us - we were born with them. During the course of a lesson the teacher will, through verbal and 'hands on' instruction, help the pupil to experience a feeling of ease and lightness that comes with an improved use of oneself and reminds us of freedom of movement perhaps not experienced since childhood. The student begins to recognize that postural habits, which may have interfered with consistent coordinated physical use, are within our control and the amount of tension used during a particular task is up to us. There is not just one way to go about our activities and with thought, consciousness and awareness, we become open to the many alternatives of physical use. It is with an understanding of these alternatives that clear postural decisions can be made.

 

Click for other articles