The Alexander Technique Workbook

Introduction

To be what we are and to become what we are capable of becoming is the only end of life.

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

It has been over 30 years since I wrote the first Alexander Technique Workbook, which has sold over 100,000 copies, and I have had many phone calls, e-mails and letters of appreciation thanking me for the book. For many, it was their first introduction to the Alexander Technique; some of those people are now Alexander teachers themselves.

The reason I wrote the book was to inform people about a very wonderful technique that had helped me a great deal when I was suffering with chronic back pain and sciatica. My only regret was that I hadn’t discovered it earlier. It changed my life so dramatically that after just a few lessons I applied to do the three-year Alexander teacher training programme. When I qualified as a teacher in 1989

I wanted to find a way of letting more people know about the Technique. At that time there were not very many easy to read books on the Alexander Technique, and this prompted me to write a book that could be understood by someone who knew nothing about the subject at all.

The Alexander Technique is a method of releasing the physical and mental tensions that many of us have accumulated throughout our lives. Often we are completely unaware of these tensions until we become ill and are unable to go on. They can contribute to headaches, backache, heart problems, arthritis and depression, as well as to a whole range of other ailments. If these unconscious muscular tensions are allowed to continue, as they often are, they can affect our quality of life by accelerating the ageing process and decreasing our vitality.

The ease and grace with which we move slowly become lost as we are burdened by more responsibilities. The Alexander Technique can help us to regain that poise and ease during even the most simple tasks. Our body is our most precious possession, yet we tend to give it the least attention – apart from when we are trying to look attractive. Without knowing it, we grossly interfere with our natural flow of movement to such an extent that many of us will at some time in our lives suffer from backache, solely due to poor posture. Yet there is nothing more attractive than someone who is moving in a balanced, graceful and co-ordinated way.

Val’s story

Val Oatley

Age: 62 | Occupation: former ballet dancer

Val had arthritis in both her hands and feet, her shoulders and neck were in pain and she also suffered from chronic sciatica. After completing a course of day classes she had this to say:

‘By means of the Alexander Technique I have acquired an awareness of where my body is in space, which means I am now able to control my muscle tension by means of my brain. This was essential if I was ever to maintain a posture without straining my body unconsciously.

I have discovered a completeness of my mind and body so that it can work as a whole entity, instead of as a jumble of separate limbs, head and torso all working independently of one another. This, of course, relieves a lot of unnecessary muscle tension and teaches me a way of restoring the completeness of the body in a relaxed and co-ordinated way that had been lost in my early childhood.

Most of my aches and pains have dropped away leaving me able to achieve a balance and poise not only of the body, but of the mind as well.’

Few people are aware of the enormous benefits that the Alexander Technique offers and, as a result, many millions of people every year suffer needlessly. In this book I hope to explain the Alexander Technique as simply as possible and, through simple observation exercises and procedures, to show clearly how it can help you to enjoy a happier and more fulfilling life.

This new edition has been updated and added to without changing the easy style of the original book. The old line drawings have been replaced by colour photographs which I hope enhance the quality of the book. When the original book came out, hardly anyone had heard of the Internet and very few people owned a computer. In fact, I wrote the first book on a typewriter, which shows you how far we have progressed over two decades. I sincerely hope you enjoy this book, and find that it helps you to move through life with greater ease.

1

Introducing the Alexander Technique

1

What is the Alexander Technique?

Alexander established not only the beginnings of a far reaching science of the apparently involuntary movements we call reflexes, but a technique of correction and self-control which forms a substantial addition to our very slender resources in personal education.

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW, LONDON MUSIC

Since becoming an Alexander Technique teacher I have been interested in the different explanations of the Technique. Alexander’s niece, Marjorie Barlow, said that the Alexander Technique is about ‘knowing what you are doing, and making sure you can stop doing it if you so wish’. It can, however, take a lifetime to know exactly what you’re doing, and that is what’s so intriguing about the Technique. It can be described as a way of releasing muscle tension that may be the direct cause of a neck or back problem, but it is so much more. It is about learning about yourself and your reaction to what is going on around you. It is a technique based on awareness and choice.

A couple of years ago, I came across a passage in A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle which, to me, described what the Technique is really about. He was talking about the importance of all human beings needing to find a balance between the ‘human’ and the ‘being’ parts of themselves. Tolle went on to say that whatever we ‘do’ in this world belongs to a human dimension and, although it has a place and should be honoured, it will not be enough for a fulfilled and truly meaningful life. He clearly explains that the ‘human’ part is never enough, no matter how hard we try or what we achieve. Tolle then indicated that we often forget about the ‘being’ aspect of ourselves, which is found in the presence of consciousness, the consciousness that we all are, and that ‘human’ and ‘being’ are interwoven, not separate.

To me, this was an excellent description of what the Alexander Technique can offer. It helps you to put consciousness back into whatever you are doing; it is the practical application of being in the here and now. When you learn to be present by using the Technique you will be able to achieve the following:

- Move through life with greater ease.

- Become more aware of yourself: physically, mentally and emotionally.

- Prevent unnecessary wear and tear on your body.

- Detect excessive muscular tension in yourself and teach yourself how to let go of this unwanted tension.

- Stop wasting your energy and find new ways of moving more efficiently, thus avoiding fatigue at the end of the day.

- Recognize your behaviour patterns and change them if you wish.

- Become more conscious of your habitual ways of performing actions, thus allowing you to make more appropriate decisions.

- Rediscover the grace of movement you once had as a child.

- Be truly free.

MOVING THROUGH LIFE WITH GREATER EASE

By applying the principles set out later in this book, you will be able to release habitual tensions and thus move in a very different way. This will make many of your everyday activities easier and allow you to enjoy life more fully. This in turn will affect the people around you. Your new-found happiness may rub off on to those you are close to. I often hear comments such as, ‘Since my husband has had Alexander lessons he is a much nicer man to live with’ or ‘I feel much calmer and more relaxed since I have become involved in the Alexander Technique.’

Without realizing it, many of us make life more difficult than it really needs to be. We see it in others, but not so easily in ourselves. Life can soon become a joy, rather than the struggle so many of us make it.

The Alexander Technique offers awareness, balance and poise in everyday activities.

Caroline Molloy

BECOMING MORE AWARE OF YOURSELF PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND MENTALLY

This is the first step on the road to change. When you begin to become more aware of yourself you will be astounded at how much effort it used to take to perform very simple actions. A person can severely damage his or her back by picking up even a lightweight object, like a pen, from the floor. The main reason we do not notice the stress on our bodies is that our muscle tension increases by such minute amounts each day. Eventually, as this tension accumulates, it begins to interfere with the body’s natural co-ordination and reflexes.

Since our body, mind and emotions are all inseparable, it follows that the way in which we move will in turn affect our mental and emotional wellbeing. Similarly, the way in which we feel or think will directly influence the way in which we undertake our daily activities.

PREVENTING UNNECESSARY WEAR AND TEAR ON YOUR BODY

By moving in a unco-ordinated manner or, as Alexander called it, ‘misusing ourselves’, the muscular and skeletal systems come under constant strain.

Some years ago, there was a newspaper account of an American woman on a visit to Britain who hired a car with a manual gearbox. She had only ever driven automatic cars and had no idea how to change gear. Consequently, she drove 190 km (120 miles) in first gear! She then complained to the rental company that the car didn’t go very fast and was extremely noisy. Obviously, because she was not using the car correctly, both the engine and gearbox were under enormous strain and probably suffered permanent damage.

In the same way, if we do not use ourselves as nature intended (and so many people today do not), we may unknowingly be inflicting irreversible damage that will manifest later on in life. It is worth remembering that you can always exchange your car when it wears out, but you cannot exchange your body for a new one.

The Technique can help musicians play their instruments without strain.

Caroline Molloy

DETECTING AND RELEASING EXCESSIVE MUSCULAR TENSION

As you gradually become aware of yourself, you will begin to notice the muscular tensions I have mentioned. Certain muscles have become more and more tense while others become over-relaxed. This process takes place over many years and can eventually affect the physiological structure of the muscles. In fact, muscles can diminish in size and this is one of the reasons why older people seem to shrink.

Most of us are completely ignorant of the effect this process has on our bodies until we experience pain. As our body ceases to function as it should, we visit the doctor hoping for answers she or he is often unable to give. We rarely ask ourselves, ‘What am I doing to myself that could be causing this pain?’

If we could find the answer to this question, we would be able to stop doing it and the pain would ease naturally and soon disappear. However, because the tensions build up gradually over many years, the cause is often difficult to detect without help. Over many years we become so accustomed to certain stress levels in the body that we accept them as part of ourselves.

Letting go of these stresses is a relatively simple procedure once we have detected and recognized the reason for them.

CONSERVING ENERGY BY FINDING NEW WAYS OF MOVING

The Alexander Technique will help you to stop and think before proceeding with your actions. This will allow you to do any activity with much greater efficiency of movement; in other words, to perform tasks with much less effort. This in turn can leave you with more energy to do the things you want to do. Many people experience more vitality which enhances their life. Young children seem to have endless reserves of energy. This is partly because they use their bodies in a graceful and co-ordinated way and do not waste energy as many adults do.

Learning to perform simple activities with better ‘use’ can reduce tension and ease pain.

Caroline Molloy

RECOGNIZING AND CHANGING YOUR PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOUR

As we have said, throughout life we all develop physical, mental and emotional patterns of behaviour. Other people are often more aware of these patterns in our behaviour than we are ourselves. We will respond to a given stimulus in a set way, irrespective of whether or not it is appropriate to the situation. As many of these patterns are below our level of consciousness, we will repeat them again and again without realizing what we are doing.

The Alexander Technique will enable you to bring these habitual behavioural tendencies into consciousness – which can give you a chance to change them, especially if they are having a detrimental effect on your wellbeing. The implications are far-reaching because you will be able to behave in an appropriate way in any situation that life presents, thus avoiding stress or illness later on.

RECOGNIZING AND CHANGING YOUR HABITUAL WAYS OF PERFORMING ACTIONS

Many of us, in Western civilization, use our bodies in a clumsy and awkward manner. We often perform our actions in a stereotyped way, and these habits feel ‘right’ to us, regardless of the strain they put on our structure. In this way, by placing excessive demands on ourselves, serious damage may be caused to our bodies. Each year, many millions of people suffer from a prolapsed intervertebral