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Introducing the Alexander Technique – © Colin Openshaw 10/08/09
Who was Frederick Matthias Alexander?
Alexander was born in Tasmania, Australia in 1869. From a young age he wanted to be an actor, and he worked hard to achieve this. In his twenties he encountered a problem: when he used his voice on stage for a long period of time, he would gradually grow hoarse and lose his voice.
He consulted doctors and followed their remedies and nothing worked, except that rest gradually restored his voice. Alexander realised it was something he was doing himself when speaking on stage that caused the problem, and so he set out to study his movements by looking in mirrors to try and discover the cause of the problem.
What did he discover?
Alexander observed that when he raised his voice he was compressing his larynx (voice box) by wrongly moving his head. Practising with 3 mirrors, he worked hard at changing this habit for 9 years, and he gradually realised that he was making uncoordinated movements with his whole body which were all part of the problem. He discovered that if he could prevent himself from following these habit patterns, he would be able to use his voice properly and naturally.
Using his experiences, Alexander developed a technique for teaching other people to gain a new awareness of the body, and learn to give up the habits which cause un-coordinated movements. Small children and healthy animals provide a good example of how natural movement should be, but many people put too much unhealthy strain on their bodies, through such things as bad posture at the computer, slouching in front of the TV and rushing through life without paying attention to the body - until it hurts.
How will I learn?
In the lesson you will be responsible for preventing yourself from performing movements in your normal way, according to your habits. For example, if you are sitting and I ask you to stand up, you must simply pause and not stand up, because if you go ahead and stand up, you will do it according to habit. Instead, I will use my hands to guide you in movements and instruct you in what to do.
In this way you will gain experience in moving with a new awareness and co-ordination. By applying conscious attention to organising your movements, in time you can develop an ability to move with more natural grace and ease.
To me, the technique is about noticing our habits and then allowing ourselves the freedom to make the choice to change them if we so wish. it is about noticing how we react when, for example, we are asked to stand sit or walk etc. Do we move suddenly in order to prepare to make the movement? or, do we tighten in our neck or shoulders because we are asked to perform a task? The technique will enable you to notice these things and will enable you to be free to take your time and then make the decision to sit or stand without unnecessary tension. I very much enjoyed reading this article and hope it will give other people an idea of what this wonderful and potentially life-changing technique is about!
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