Alexander Technique

[Michael Chui]

I heard about this as a fragment of a snippet of some hearsay... but it sounds interesting.

Anyone know about it, have thoughts, have pointers? I'm curious.

[Angela]

Michael, I looked up the Alexander Technique and did a couple of the introductory exercises -- determining where the top of your spine is, and where your arms and legs start -- and I'm sitting a tiny bit differently as a result. It seems like it might be a great way to let go of tension -- it's working already! but lessons, at least in my area, are kind of expensive. $65 an hour, recommended twice a week, hmmmm. I think I'll stop by the bookstore and see if I can find that dvd with William Hurt or maybe a book of instruction. I'm having fun right now feeling my head move freely on top of my spine.

Where did you hear about this?

[shesaboutspirit]

I'm from Washington State, but probably many other libraries also carry video tapes on this subject. I've watched many. The biggest challenge is that they are so super slow. You really have to appreciate the subtle energies to get this stuff. Like feeling the top of your spine... Most people don't slow down to that degree... If you are able though...it can help you to understand your physiology even better.

I believe that physical difficulties lie in the body because of many different causes. The biggest being emotions that are being held. As I recall, Alexander Technique works with the entire being.

It gets an A+ in my book.

good luck,

Pam

[impaul99]

My sensei recommended Alexander technique. He had back problems from Tae-Kwon Do and such and he says it helped him a lot. I don't have any back problems, but my wife does so I suggested she go see his instructor for Alexander Technique. My wife came back from the first session excstatic. Although she couldn't clearly define exactly why she liked it so much, because the lady she went to see didn't really "do that much" to her, it was more of an energy/spiritual thing coupled with physical aspects like proper body alignment etc. She will be going back to her in the new year as well. I haven't been myself but from those two sources I hear it's awesome.

You have to do the exercises they tell you to do however, or it's not very much use like anything else.

[Michael Chui]

Originally Posted by Angela

I think I'll stop by the bookstore and see if I can find that dvd with William Hurt or maybe a book of instruction. I'm having fun right now feeling my head move freely on top of my spine.

One of the things I read (for instance, on Wikipedia) was that it doesn't work without instruction. I've also heard that it's near-religious, which is an amusing thought, but one I was a bit curious to see if anyone would mention.

Originally Posted by Angela

Where did you hear about this?

It was passed on by a professor who's been exploring quality of life: he pointed to an article, I think it was in the New York Times, and it was talking about how Alexander disciples would bring boards with them to sit on because Central Park had seats that didn't work well with the body.

Originally Posted by shesaboutspirit

It gets an A+ in my book.

Nice endorsement. I'm not going to put a tremendous amount of effort into finding something, but I've noticed a fair number of physiological problems that I should probably address, most having to do with the way I sit and walk. Doesn't sound like something I should be wary of, though.

And I forgot to thank everyone. :P Thanks!

[ReallyGoodIdeas]

I know about Alexander technique - I took lessons for about 9 months. It is brilliant - A+ is an understatement.

I had always had a bad back! As long as I could remember I'd get headaches etc. I'd been going to a chiropractor from ages 19-41. That's when i started alexander technique. The reason I started was cos I figured I must be doing something wrong to still need to go to the chiro after all these years. I must be doing something wrong between adjustments. So I looked up on the net and found a teacher in my local area. Saw him twice weekly for the first 2 weeks then weekly for the next 8 months.

I reckon you need to actually have one-on-one instruction. It was an hour each time of him sitting me down, then standing me up, then sitting me down again, then a bit of me lying on a table and him moving my limbs around.

I never "learnt" anything I could tell you, but over the time my body learnt how to do this properly on its own.

I went to the chiro once about 3 months in, just cos I hadn't been for ages. They checked me and said I was better than I'd ever been. I haven't been to the chiro since. My back has been great. Wish i'd done it years ago. I'd recommend it at whatever price - the results are permanent from what I can tell 3 years later. I've already saved the money I'd have spent on chiro's in the 3 years. Oh - and there was no religion involved.

Go for it!
joy to you
Hazel

[Scorpio]

I've heard good things about the Alexander Technique. Can someone succently explain it to me though?

Everything I've read about it (including entire books) has been worded in such a vague way that I've never been able to understand what the technique involves.

[shesaboutspirit]

Scorpio...I think some things are really just only explained through your own experiencing of them... Like Yoga. I never got that either and what the big deal was until I did it for a few months. Probably everyones explanation will be different anyway. For me, the practices bring me into a deeper inner awareness of my own relationship withing myself and my body. Maybe that's why it all sounds so vague. How do you really say that? It helps me feel myself from a deep inner place and become more aware of how I move from within. This place tries to work with all of the guarding and various armoring that we learn over our lives. We all basically walk around wearing a suit of armor to protect ourselves. There's a visual for why our bodies hurt...

Anyway, from my view, Yoga and Alexander Technique assist in bringing inner awareness. Subtle...yet in my opinion, the only way for real change to occur.

Hope that's not too vague.

Pam

[Angela]

Tonight Danger Man and I are starting a six-week course at our local college in the Alexander Technique. I have a headache right now and am holding lots of computer tension in the tops of my shoulders, so I should be a pretty good test case.

Will report in later on its efficacy.

[Michael Chui]

I'm thinking that for myself, I'm too lazy on one hand (I've been meaning to visit the archery people on campus for the past... year) and too cheap on the other (my income doesn't exactly support $130/week). But if the opportunity presents itself, I've decided its worth seizing.

But do tell on how it goes. Very interested.

[Angela]

The Alexander Technique Class 1

I think this is going to be a great class. As I understand it, it's about balance and awareness. The instructor spoke to us about the history and basics of the Alexander Technique, and demonstrated the difference between how we habitually hold ourselves and what works better. For instance, when most people walk, they're primarily using their legs, and everything above the hips is basically carried as freight. This guy demonstrated a walk that was balanced throughout his entire body, and it was gorgeous and inspiring. He spoke of how "reactive" our bodies are to all the stimuli inside and around us, and that we'll learn to... I'm not sure what.... about that.

He spent a few minutes on each of us, very gently touching and directing our necks, heads, and shoulders with the intent of generating awareness. I'm not sure what it was, but after he was done with each person, she was visibly much more relaxed and at ease. I felt sort of like I do after a massage -- very nice and slow and content. The headache and twinge in my neck that I'd had all day was still there, though.

Then he had us lie down in the "active rest" position, which is very specific, and recommended doing that for 15 minutes a day. He talked us up out of that position and asked what we noticed. My headache and the tension in my neck was gone, nowhere to be found. I am definitely going to do the active rest every day!!

In the next lessons, he says, we'll be standing, walking, and applying the Alexander Technique to the movements we do in our lives: brushing teeth, playing volleyball, surfing, sitting at the computer, etc.

Danger Man and I both walked out of the class feeling refreshed and invigorated. The only hard part was stepping out into the cold air, which made our nice relaxed bodies "react" and clench up again. So we stopped at the Kings' Head for a pint by the fire!

[Angela]

I think this is a pretty valuable class -- Danger Man and I both have been looking forward to our classes and are feeling longer and lighter. The instructor did some awareness work on us while we were lying in the "active rest" position, and that made me feel the length, width, and volume of my body in a way I'm not used to. In the intervening weeks since my last post, my body has felt a little confused -- I'm not used to directing it in this way (which is all about letting go of tension in spots needed so that you are more at ease) because I've had all these years of habitual tension. Like: noticing how much work my shoulders do that my arms could handle on their own -- have you ever noticed your neck and shoulders tense while driving? Last class the instructor told me to stop worrying about "doing it right" and just allow (as opposed to do) and I've been practicing that. It seems to help with the ease part.

It's pretty fun to be distributing the weight of my walk evenly throughout my body; it makes my step feel much lighter.