The Alexander Technique
"When you stop doing the wrong thing, the right thing does
itself." F.M. Alexander
The Alexander Technique is an approach to overcoming poor habits of movement
and coordination. The technique is taught in private lessons and provides a
way for you to solve problems you may be having with everyday activities.
The Alexander Technique is an immensely useful, practical, and powerful method
for changing patterns of tension and misuse that can cause fatigue, pain or
injury. It is not a medical treatment or a form of bodywork, although it can
have therapeutic results. It does not involve specific exercises, but can be
applied to exercising, or to any other form of movement. It uses thought, attention
and awareness to effect change in all areas of daily life.
Contemporary life, with its fast pace, complexity, and constant change, poses
many challenges. Frequently we react to stress with unconscious habits of muscle
tension. Examples of this abound:
- the commuter stuck in a traffic jam, her jaw clenched in frustration;
- the cell phone user, his shoulder tense and raised;
- the writer sitting in the front of the computer, absorbed in her work,
her spine and arms collapsed;
- the flutist twisting his neck and forcing his breath while playing.
These habitual reactions interfere with activities and can cause fatigue, pain
and injury. Stressful situations are sometimes unavoidable, but you can learn
how to avoid reacting to them with muscular tension, and to choose a more constructive
response.
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