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.

Who might be interested in lessons?

People come for lessons for different reasons. However, if you are interested in...

-improving posture and moving with ease and poise
-experiencing relief from stiffness and pain (neck, back and shoulder pains, including many computer-related injuries, are commonly caused by long-standing habits of tension)
-improving artistic and vocal abilities and reducing performance anxiety (the AT has long been studied by amateur and professional actors, public speakers, musicians, singers and dancers)
-enhancing coordination and athletic abilities (the AT is used by runners, golfers, horseback riders and other athletes to improve skills)
- gaining a sense of lightness, comfort, and well-being.

YOU ARE DEFINITELY ON THE RIGHT PLACE!

Who was F.M. Alexander?

F.M. Alexander (1869-1955), an actor who began his career as a Shakespearean orator, developed chronic laryngitis while performing. Determined to restore the full use of his voice, he carefully watched himself while speaking, and observed that undue muscular tension accounted for his vocal problem. He sought a way to eliminate that restriction. Over time, he discovered and articulated a principle that profoundly influences health and well-being: when neck tension is reduced, the head no longer compresses the spine and the spine is free to lengthen. Alexander restored his own natural capacity for ease by changing the way he thought while initiating an action. From this work on himself and others, he evolved a hands-on teaching method that encourages all the body's processes to work more efficiently - as an integrated, dynamic whole.(From the 1996 North American Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique Directory)

Why Alexander Technique?

You might be wondering why to learn the Alexander Technique with so many other methods available out there. In reality, each person will have to discover what works best for him/herself. However, here are some thoughts about why the Alexander Technique occupies a unique place among all other techniques:

- It does not intend to treat people, instead, its aim is to teach students how to take care of themselves. In that way, students are not clients who count on somebody else to take their pains away or improve their coordination. Alexander Technique students are active participants of the process and in charge of their own discoveries. After encorporating the principles into their daily lives, they can prevent injuries, pains and maintain their sense of comfort and well-being.
- The Alexander Technique is unique because it does not teach anything new to them. Instead, it helps them to realize that they are already doing that are harmful and not helpful to them.
- It is based on three basic principles: observation of habits (what we are already doing, what our tendencies are, etc); non-doing (prevention of harmful habits); direction (re-gaining a sense of the natural upward direction in the body)

Study reveals benefits of the Alexander Technique

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/health/7568948.stm >