What is the Alexander Technique?

All of us posses, since birth, a postural reflex that keeps us in the vertical position and allows all mechanisms in the body to function in an integrated and coordinated manner, without extra muscular tension or effort. This photograph of my younger daughter is a nice illustration of the natural integrity of the head, neck and back that we had as young children. As we continue through life, however, most of us acquire a variety of habits of misuse: habits of tension that interfere with the good use we had when children. It is when we start experiencing poor posture and pain in the neck, back and shoulders, often resulted from the cumulative effect of these habitual patterns and lack of awareness of how we're using ourselves as we're going about our lives.
This is where the Alexander Technique comes into action. It provides the means to restore the good use with which we began our lives. During a lesson the teacher instructs the pupil, both verbally and with gentle hands-on guidance, to learn how to perform such daily activities as standing, sitting, bending and walking with greater and greater ease, balance and poise. With each lesson the pupil's awareness grows along with the ability to unlearn existing habits of tension and prevent the formation of new ones.
The Alexander Technique should not be seen as a form of treatment, but as a re-educative method for improving one’s own use and well-being, with students actively engaged in the learning process.