hi their what is the alexander technique and how does it work? My friend has been recommending this for me for a while now? anyone in tameside do it? thanks oggs
The Alexander Technique is a method of helping the participant to use their mind and body in an efficient manner, which reduces the amount of wear and tear on the system. This often results in a reduction of physical pain and an enhanced sense of well-being.
The Technique was originally invented by F.M.Alexander. He discovered that the balance of the head on the top of the spine is a crucial factor in all movement. By adjusting this balance and the relationship between the head, neck and back, the body as a whole becomes better aligned. This healthier alignment in turn encourages an improvement in general functioning, e.g. breathing, circulation and digestion. Muscle tone improves as undue tensions, both physical and mental, are released and a greater sense of poise and well-being should be experienced.
Alexander used the Technique to work on his own voice and breathing problems and then went on to teach it to others. At first his clientele was composed almost exclusively of singers, actors and performers, but the benefits of his technique soon became more widely known among the general public.
my experience of AT is that it involves desisting from harmful habitual practices (as opposed to learning or taking up anything new). it's incredible how we misuse our bodies, especially our necks.
we practised the re-learning of natural posture by (eg) standing up & sitting down endless times, & there was a full length mirror so you could see just how misaligned you are when your back feels 'straight'.
a large part of it is not holding unnecessary tension, letting go.
I was a student of AT for 3½ years and last year sent my Mum for intensive AT work as the NHS had given up on physiotherapy for her. She went from being a cripple to being a happy and elegant lady. It really is the most incredible enabling and healing art which at its basic level allows people to 'undo' physical reflexive responses and reactions that are unhelpful, but which can continue onto mental and emotional levels to be profoundly effective in treating dyslexia, depression or learning difficulties as well as being a great tool for post-traumatic rehab and for helping sportspeople, dancers, musicians or artists access their true potential.
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"We discover consciousness by inhibiting unconscious behaviour. It arises in the gap. It's something that is there waiting, not something we create. [...]Consciousness is certainly not something that you do." (Marjory Barlow)
There are different 'streams of thought' in the Alexander world, so you may come across a few differences: but broadly speaking, the teacher (we are teaching you, not treating you - that's important!) will help you with hands-on, while you do nothing but think your 'directions'. (Such as: I think my head forward and upwards, so that my back may lengthen and widen, etc etc.) (Some schools ofteaching have dropped verbal 'directions', and someare more hands-on than others. But it is always about teaching you new Use, not about patching up the symptoms of poor Use.)
A core concept in AT is 'inhibition', this is because since earliest life we've been collecting unconscious muscular (& mental)habitual responses to stimuli. A stimulus could be as simple a thingas deciding to pick up a cup, or it could be criticism from a family member, or the traffic lights going green. At each stimulus we learn to say NO to our unthinking or subliminal reaction; we reassert our 'directions' then go consciously into our chosen activity. Gradually this (at-first apparently pedantic) practice brings about amazing fluidity and freedom of movement, as huge amounts of unnecessary muscular tension and work drop away and we undertake our activities comfortably from a position of mechanical advantage and mental clarity.
In the shorter term, you can acquire ideas which will help you to stop creating back pain, RSI and various other problems. But the best advertisement for the technique is to meet those lithe and happy ninety-four year olds who have been doing it for decades
bestest
Patrick / BigVoice
( see [link=http://www.stat.org.uk]www.stat.org.uk[/link] )
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"We discover consciousness by inhibiting unconscious behaviour. It arises in the gap. It's something that is there waiting, not something we create. [...]Consciousness is certainly not something that you do." (Marjory Barlow)
I know very little at all about Feldenkreis; but the way it is learned seems toinvolve holding positions.
Two things about the skill that is AT differ from it, for sure -(1) learning to inhibit the unconscious response, and instead to renew our preventative directions, and (2) the concept of unreliable sensory perception, which tells us that we cannot at first rely on our physical feelings to tell us how we are using our bodies. Our sense of physical self (or internal bodymap, if you like) is distorted and misleading, so we have to go back to more reliable means to re-learn the physical lightness and ease that should be our birthright.
The only real way to understand Alexander Technique, I'm afraid, is to experience it! - but it is a wonderful experience
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"We discover consciousness by inhibiting unconscious behaviour. It arises in the gap. It's something that is there waiting, not something we create. [...]Consciousness is certainly not something that you do." (Marjory Barlow)
so how does this Feldenkrais differ from this? or what are the similarities and differences?
I checked out a whole series of tapes of Feldenkrais exercises and did them all. Each tape focused on a different part of the body.
I can definitely say that I saw marked improvement in my neck stiffness after going through the neck routines just a few days.
It reminds me of other mindfulness training I've put myself through. Moving with consciousness, with a specific point of focus throughout the move. The specific point of focus naturally causes the body (in my case, mostly worked with the neck tapes so it was my neck) to shift position in a way that helps loosen muscle groups very effectively.
By the time I had done the entire neck series, all muscle groups in the neck and tops of shoulders felt markedly more loose.
How this differs from Alexander technique, I can only venture to guess since my only experience with that was in a one-hour workshop but during that workshop, it did primarily seem to do with focusing in consciousness while coming to a standing position and then, going to a sitting position from standing. I did like the way the teacher moved. There was a grace and ease of movement that made me want to know more about the process.
Well if this requires the use of the mind and body in the effective way then the same can also be said about yoga which I believe use similar techniques. Though yoga cant be referred to as a healing procedure alone so can you tell me if the said therapy is any different from yoga? I have been performing yoga and if this technique suits me there is no reason why I cant do the same.
what is the alexander technique?
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