How it is taught
For a lesson in the Alexander
Technique one needs to be dressed in comfortable clothing
because tightly fitting jeans or skirts can inhibit
the freedom of movement.
The teacher and pupil explore the
habitual patterns underlying movement, or to put it
another way, what it is that the pupil is doing with
himself whilst he is performing such simple acts as
lifting, bending, walking, talking, sitting or eating.
Anything which the pupil might unknowingly be doing
with his body whilst he is actively engaged can interfere
with the result of what it is he wishes to achieve and
has consequences for the health and strength of his
own organism. Using a hands-on guidance with a gentle
touch specific to the Alexander Technique, which is
often combined with a visual or verbal explanation,
the teacher helps the pupil to discover easier and more
effective ways of moving or reacting to situations than
his habitual way.
Rethinking how he goes about his daily life, the pupil
learns to notice the patterns which reduce effectiveness,
increase tension and stress and which can even be so
harmful at times as to cause pain. Gradually he learns
to inhibit these harmful habits and be able to apply
the new experience of movement he has acquired during
lessons with the help of the teacher.
A new use of control and intention in one’s simple
everyday movements can build a foundation for tackling
the more complex activities such as playing musical
instruments, brushing up a golf or tennis technique,
and the more stressful activities such as public speaking
or sitting at a computer all day.
Part of a lesson in the Alexander Technique may take
place lying down on a table. Habitual patterns of stressful
thoughts and muscular tensions are more easily released
in this lying down position, also any changes can more
easily be assimilated by the body whilst it is in a
lying down position as the pupil will not so quickly
and readily return to his habitual movements. The pupil
is taught a method for lying down and is then advised
to practice it.
The Alexander Technique does not involve any exercises
in the usual sense. Outside the lessons themselves the
pupil’s role in working towards an improved functioning
of his automatic breathing and postural mechanisms,
consists of directing himself as he goes about his daily
activities in the same way he is taught during the lessons
so as to prevent his habitual harmful movement patterns
from returning thereby giving the newly acquired experiences
received during the lessons the best conditions in which
to flourish and become more readily available.
The frequency of lessons at the beginning of any learning
procedure is very important, and in the case of the
Alexander Technique much more can be achieved if the
pupil can attend a lesson at least twice or preferably
even three times a week during the first couple of weeks,
and a total of ten lessons is a minimum requirement
in order for the pupil to be able to make something
himself with what he has been taught.
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