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FAQ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS of THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE Q. How can the Alexander Technique help me in my day-to-day life? A. The Alexander Technique can assist greatly in such things as: Stress Management - we all seem to be under some stress these days, which is not always a bad thing - it's how we handle it that matters! The Technique teaches us how to change our habitual and sometimes harmful responses to stress, the physical and mental ramifications of it, and gives us more choices about how we would like to respond to the pressures of daily life.Posture - What exactly is good posture? Is it a thing you can acquire? Have you ever tried to hold yourself in what you think is a good posture? Good posture is actually more about an ongoing, dynamic process of thinking rather than any physical act of holding which will only result in stiffness and pain. The Alexander Technique gives us the means whereby we can achieve that easy, good posture without all the strain and tension associated with our old habits of movement. With improvement in posture may come other unexpected benefits like a more positive self-image, greater confidence and personal power. Chronic Pain & Tension - If you have chronic pain and the tension patterns that often accompany the pain, you have learned various ways to deal with it. The good news is that the Alexander Technique, although in no way a miracle cure, is an effective means of managing chronic pain by reducing the amount of muscular tension generated by the pain response. The Alexander Technique is a very good means of managing chronic back and neck problems. Using the technique can often relieve the causes of back and neck pain, preventing further injury. Where there are structural or pathological factors involved, the Alexander Technique can, under the guidance of a skilled Teacher, assist you to reach your fullest possible potential. Performance – Musicians and athletes find the Alexander Technique invaluable in “tuning their instrument”, which is their body. Many find that the self-awareness and efficient habit building they acquire through practicing the Alexander Technique greatly improves the quality of their performance and extends the life of their career. Q. Who studies the Alexander Technique? A. People from all age groups and walks of life are Alexander students. Musicians and athletes particularly value the Technique. Many people from their middle years through to their retirement and senior years have found that they can make a real difference in the quality of their lives as a result of studying the Alexander Technique. Q. Do I have to find time every day to practice? A. The answer is no- and - yes! You don't have to set aside a special time to ‘practice Alexander’. The beauty of the technique is that it integrates so easily into any activity that you may find yourself ‘doing' such as sitting in your chair at work, walking to the bus, standing in a queue or brushing your teeth! Over time, with work and practice, the technique will become second nature to you helping you to realize your natural ease and coordination. Q. How is it different from other methods, modalities and techniques? A. The Alexander Technique is not a therapy or treatment such as physical therapy, osteopathy, or chiropractic. Learning the Alexander Technique is not based upon the western medical model where you are a passive recipient of an orthodox treatment. The Alexander Technique offers the opportunity for taking responsibility for your own well being through a proven method of reasonable and practical self-management. It is a complete technique for integrating and coordinating your movement and your thinking. It gives you the resources to use your body with more intelligence and sensitivity, thus aiding you to be more comfortable and more efficient in all your activities and less prone to pain and injury. Q. How can I begin to learn? A. We recommend that to begin you can either attend a workshop or join a group class to discover what the Alexander Technique has to offer you first hand. If you want more personal, one-to-one attention, we recommend private lessons. Q. What is a lesson like? A. In an Alexander lesson the Teacher uses gentle hands-on techniques to assist you to release tension, observe what you do in activity and help you to think and move in ways that help you acquire ease and efficiency in your movements. Some teachers will provide what is called “Table Work” where the student lies, fully clothed, on a special table and the Teacher moves your head, arms and legs to assist you in relaxing and unwinding tension patterns while introducing efficiency and ease in your movements. The Teacher's hands encourage greater awareness of the contrast between patterns of holding and tension and those of release and ease. The Teacher gives you positive and supportive feedback and allows you to learn at a comfortable pace, introducing principles of the technique gradually in a practical, easily digestible way. With the Teacher's help and guidance you will very soon be able to create for yourself greater and greater dynamic ease and fluidity. Over a series of lessons you learn to observe your habits of movement and replace them with a conscious control that gives you more choices, more freedom and more enjoyment of your life. Q. How many lessons will I need? A. Each student is unique, some need only a few lessons to help them reach their goals while others will want to work for a longer period. Still others become so fascinated by the profound insights they experience that they choose to pursue the Alexander Technique to a much greater depth and often train to become Teachers. Q. How old is the Alexander Technique A. The Alexander Technique has been around now since F.M Alexander discovered its principles in the late 19th century. Although an Australian from Tasmania, FM (as he is known) lived in London most of his life. During the Second World War, both he and his brother, A.R. came to America to teach. The Australian renaissance of the technique really only began in the 1970's when the first Teachers arrived back from England and began to teach. Around the world the AT is taught in 26 countries. There are nine internationally affiliated Societies overseeing a profession of approximately 2000 Teachers. Q. What are some of the basic principles of the Alexander Technique? A. Alexander discovered that the relationship between the head, neck and torso or spine is fundamental to human functioning. He called this relationship the Primary Control. The nature of this relationship is the determining factor in human movement. Using the twin resources of Inhibition and Direction the Primary control is brought under the conscious control of the individual. Inhibition means to stop a habitual unconscious action while Direction means to consciously direct your body using orders. Orders are conscious commands to your center or to your nervous system, which controls your muscular system, which controls your skeletal system. In giving yourself Orders, you are making Choices; consequently exploring the Means Whereby you will make progress toward ease and efficiency. Q. What books can I read if I want to find out more about the Alexander Technique? A. There are a great many books in publication about the Alexander Technique. There are general introductory books available such as Body Learning by Michael Gelb and Fitness Without Stress by Robert Rickover. Among many others that provide more specific information are: The Alexander Technique, a Manuel for Students by Barbara Conable, 'The Alexander Principle by Wilfred Barlow and The Alexander Technique Manual by Richard Brennan. You are also encouraged to read F.M . Alexander's classic The Use of the Self and give special attention to Chapter one, “Evolution of a Technique”. Herein he describes in fascinating detail the events and process he explored which enabled him to discover the technique that bears his name.
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