The Alexander Technique is a practical, self-help method which helps you to re-discover your natural poise and ease of movement. Through Alexander lessons you learn to undo habitual patterns of misuse and release muscle tension – both of which have often accumulated over many years. At the same time, your postural support system will become more engaged (regaining dynamic muscle tone), so that you will be able to sit, stand and move with less effort and more poise.
The Alexander Technique integrates thinking and activity, so that mind and body achieve a better state of balance. With Alexander lessons you become more mindful as you go about your daily life, gaining a better awareness of yourself and your surroundings. With time, a calmer frame of mind develops, along with a greater ability to cope with stress.
The Alexander Technique is suitable for people of all ages and levels of physical fitness.
Anyone can benefit — all you need is a willingness to take a fresh look at yourself and be open to change.
Why do we need the Alexander Technique?
Humans evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to live in an environment that is very different from that of today, with its continuous and accelerating rate of change. We are ill-adapted for the typical lifestyle of long hours of physical inertia, combined with mental over-stimulation from computers, mobile phones and the fast pace of life.
Unable to adapt effectively, from a young age we begin to lose our natural, innate pattern of movement — a pattern that can still be readily observed in most 2-3 year-old children. Instead, we develop an habitual movement pattern in which coordination and balance are affected, and extra stress and strain is put on the spine and joints. This pattern of misuse becomes ingrained and the way in which we move, stand, sit and even breathe is very different to how it was when we were young. Ultimately we may develop problems such as back or neck pain or repetitive strain injury (RSI).
The Alexander Technique is used by a wide range of organisations including the Guardian, the BBC, Hewlett Packard, Chanel and the British Library. It is also taught at all the major music and drama colleges in the UK and at many in the USA and other countries. Many educational organisations provide students with teaching in the Alexander Technique, and it is also widely used in sports settings.