Enable High Contrast Mode
Disable High Contrast Mode
About the Alexander Technique
The Alexander Technique helps individuals recognize and alter physical patterns that disrupt poise, posture, and confidence, the result of which is greater ease, fluidity, coordination, and encouragement of responsible movement free from the distortions of modern, habitual misuse. It is a deep work and a great method of better understanding ourselves and promoting self-care.
A Brief History
The Alexander Technique was developed by Frederick Matthias (F.M.) Alexander (1869-1955), an Australian Shakespearean actor who struggled with vocal problems that threatened his ability to perform
When doctors and voice teachers failed to help, Alexander took it upon himself to observe and document how he used himself in performance and daily life. He discovered that when he stiffened his neck, for example, he depressed his larynx, which caused him to gasp for air and lose his voice. He learned that by letting go of unconscious habitual patterns such as these, he was able to regain his voice. By the time he moved to London in the early 20th Century, he had gained a following among fellow actors, ministers, medical doctors and their patients as well as luminaries of the day, including George Bernard Shaw, Aldous Huxley and the American philosopher John Dewey. At the urging of his students, it wasn’t until the 1930’s that he began to train others to teach his “technique”.
Today, F. M. Alexander’s groundbreaking discoveries are recognized worldwide. His Technique provides the tools for performers, professionals and to anyone seeking relief, empowering them to move, breathe, and live with greater ease, confidence and vitality.
The Five Key Principles
The Technique addresses the musculoskeletal system indirectly with body-mind practice. It helps us recognize repetitive patterns that pull us down and keeps us stuck. By untangling these learned patterns we can explore a more expansive, mobile and connected way to think and move.
At the core of the technique are five key principles:
- Awareness – Identifying habitual patterns of thought that affect action.
- Inhibition – Consciously pausing and refraining from a habitual reaction, allowing for a newly conscious and efficient response.
- Faulty Sensory Awareness – Understanding that our perception of movement and posture is often inaccurate.
- Direction – Steering the mind-body connection toward a more efficient state.
- Primary Control – The relationship between the head, neck, and back as it influences overall coordination, respiration and mobility.
Benefits may include:
- Enhanced resilience
- Increased mobility
- Body alignment and poise
- Improved posture
- Heightened balance
- Easier breathing
- A more resonant voice
- Elevated performance skills
- Expanded flexibility and adaptability
- Clarity of thought and presence
- Deeper sense of calm