The Alexander Technique is a key resource for me in the Bodymind Method, so I'd like to explain simply what it's all about. As to what the Alexander Technique is Michael Gelb, who wrote a very accessible book on the subject called Body Learning, says that defining the AT is like "trying to explain music to someone who has never heard a note". You really need to experience it to fully understand it. Though challenging to explain without embodiment, those who truly get the AT integrate it into their daily lives as an essential part of their health and wellness.
A little back-story...F.M. Alexander, an Australian actor who lived in the late19th century, developed a chronic condition of losing his voice whenever he spoke on stage. He sought medical advice which was to rest, but even after doing this he got back on stage and lost his voice again. Frustrating. He reasoned that it must be something he was doing to cause this to happen and was determined to get to the bottom of it. After observing himself exhaustively in a tri-fold mirror he found that when he went to speak as though projecting to the upper balcony, he discovered that his head was going back and down, cutting off air flow and restricting his larynx. But what he realized when he went to correct the problem, was that the habit was so ingrained and it felt so right that even though it was interfering with the proper functioning of his body, it was nearly impossible to change. So he tried a series of steps- first he would stop and inhibit the habitual way, then think about what he wanted to do differently (intention) and third, release into the direction of the change (Non-doing). Since he had discovered that what feels right isn't always reliable, doing something different might not produce better results. So he relied on the natural functioning of the body to do the work by just thinking of the intention and direction of the change. Eureka! Well, over time his breathing and vocal problems disappeared and he noticed he moved with more ease and balance. His fame as an actor also increased and he became known for his awesome voice. The bodymind at it's best.
Alexander brought to light, for himself and many since, the dynamic relationship of the head, neck and torso so critical (primary) to organizing human movement, that he called it the Primary Control. What is essential to understanding this concept, is that it's not a position of the head but rather an ever-changing, dynamic relationship of the head to the neck and the torso as we move through the myriad activities of our lives. Whereas Alexander went on to address all areas of the body in his "technique", this relationship is vital to all the rest. After all, as in any organization it is from the top down; the head is key to the way the rest functions (yes Mr. President, you too). F. M. Alexander went on to teach others, first mainly those in the performing arts, but eventually people from all walks of life have benefitted from his groundbreaking work. Even understanding the integral relationship between the body and the mind in the 1800s was radical! What is also a key aspect of his theories- the question of individual responsibility employing the power of choice in determining the outcomes in our lives- is at the heart of the Alexander Technique.
Interestingly, most of what Alexander called Misuse manifests in the body as patterns of tension or holding rather than releasing into length and energy. And once you feel it, it is life-changing. I realized that I had over-efforted so many things in my life simply because I was unaware I was doing it and also because I never thought I had a choice. A great example one of my first Alexander teachers gave me was peeling a potato. She told the group close our eyes and to imagine we are doing the activity, tapping into the sense memory of having done it many times before, and to notice where in the body we are holding tension. I visualized myself on Thanksgiving morning with a pile of russets waiting to be peeled and mashed. I picked up the potato with my left hand, peeler with my right and even before I began the task, I felt the tension in my shoulders and held my breath. I proceeded to peel away like I was running a marathon. Then she directed us to repeat the activity in our mind's eye without gripping in the shoulders, head in the direction of forward and up (like a basketball lobbing itself from the center of the crown- Basketball Head) and stroking with ease rather than tension and I was amazed at the difference in the way it felt. It was truly palpable how much unnecessary work I had been doing without even realizing it. Since that moment of epiphany, I have gone on to become more aware of all of my activities and now choose to do them with more directional energy and ease.
In the Bodymind Method choice is a fundamental concept; accepting and believing that we have agency in our own health and wellness. Experiencing this on a body level will manifest itself in other aspects of our lives as well. Stopping to be conscious about what we are doing and how we are doing it, deciding on an intended goal and releasing into our natural functioning to affect change in our lives. This holds true for mental as well as physical habits. Whereas we mainly live from a vantage point of reaction to the way things are- pessimism, anger, stress, anxiety- it is empowering to know that we can choose something different (The Tension of the Opposites). We don't have to wait until something requires medical intervention to correct it. We can be proactive, stop the pattern and choose our higher nature instead.
F.M. Alexander believed in the natural functioning of the body and the mind; that if we just get out of the way, things will work the way they were designed to. Watch a toddler move through space exploring their world with ease and upward energy. This energy is reflected in their open faces and clear eyes, ready to explore the world with curiosity and wonder. But as life intervenes, physical habits are formed to compensate or as protection from a world perceived as uncertain and hostile. Choosing to return to the pure state of natural function will allow the bodymind to recapture the authentic self. In his first book, Man's Supreme Inheritance, Alexander describes "the great phase in Man's development when he passes from subconscious to conscious control of his mind and body". We have arrived at that place of conscious choosing and I invite you to explore The Alexander Technique through the Bodymind Method and take responsibility for your own health and wellness.
Maybe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything.
Maybe it’s about unbecoming anything that isn’t really you.
So you can be who you were meant to be in the first place.
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