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So what's different about the Alexander Technique
by Annie Kaszina, BA Ph.D. MSTAT
At a recent workshop, someone raised the ‘killer question’: ‘So what makes the Alexander Technique different from Yoga, or Pilates or Osteopathy?’ The list might have gone on to include Feldenkrais, Chiropractic and a variety of body therapies.
Clearly Yoga, Pilates and Osteopathy etc. are all quite different from one another. The point of the question was an attempt to locate the Alexander Technique somewhere on a map of the familiar. Equally, it was also an attempt to clarify what, if any, are the particular benefits that the Alexander Technique can offer.
A conventional reply might be to list conditions and symptoms that the Alexander Technique alleviates. I would argue that this only tells part of the story.
Some people who benefit beyond their expectation from the Alexander Technique, come to it only as a last resort, having tried any number of other things and found that they did not work for them. Others, who are willing to settle for something that will keep their symptoms at bay, at least some of the time, may never come. A few eventually find that even chronic problems subside with time.
Overall, the Alexander Technique is undoubtedly extremely effective, probably uniquely so, in getting you out of your symptoms and into quality of life. However, that may exceed your expectation and requirement. You may not even seriously believe that it is a possibility for you. It may be that you do not seriously aspire to optimal functioning, provided you have nearly normal functioning restored.
What sets the Alexander Technique apart, is that it teaches the governing principles of how best to organise your body in daily life. In the 1990’s film ‘Mermaids’, Cher observes to Winona Ryder, something along the lines of:: ‘I never got a manual with you. I just had to try and work it out as I went along.’
None of us came with a manual explaining the best way to use our body in our daily life. As babies and toddlers innate programming ensures that our enormous heads are poised on our bodies and joints work smoothly. Even our enormous nappies don’t slow us down too much. But we don’t know how to get this innate poise to work for us consciously and it isn’t too long before we lose it.
You develop bad habits; you carry heavy school bags on one shoulder, you slump over the computer and television. In fact, you slump and sag through most physical activity and every so often, remembering that your posture is poor, you hike yourself up by forcibly lifting your shoulders, chest, chin or whatever. And it doesn’t work for very long.
Standing and sitting can become hard work. Walking, getting up and downstairs, even lying in bed can be difficult or painful; not to mention specific tasks like washing-up, washing the car, cleaning the bath, gardening, a sport you used to enjoy.
The message you take from these functional problems is that your body is starting to let you down, maybe it’s the start of the inevitable slippery slope into old age and increasing infirmity. In any case it’s a sure thing that from hereon in, it’s all downhill – all you can do is try to stop it being a landslide. Not knowing that there are alternative ways of approaching the problems you have, you cannot even envisage alternative outcomes.
In fact, the Alexander Technique can enable you to change direction from the scrap heap to constructive recycling. There are different, and better, ways you can use to manage all the activities that have been a source of difficulties.
The good news is that you don’t have to tackle one activity, say sitting, one way and then learn an entirely different technique for gardening or playing golf or whatever. You have one body after all, one head, one neck, one back etc.. You only need to master one set of principles and with the help of an Alexander teacher you can apply them to any and all of your daily activities for easier, more effective function. Annie Kaszina is an Alexander Technique teacher and Life Coach who works in London and Essex. She is passionate about helping people maximise their physical well being and quality of life. Contact her at email@annie-kaszina.com or visit www.nopain-gain.com to subscribe to a free Alexander e-newsletter.
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