"For in the mind of man lies the secret of his ability to resist, to conquer
and finally to govern the circumstances of his life"
FM ALexander
Developed over 100 years ago, the Alexander Technique is the name given to the work of FM Alexander (1869-1955).
Primarily concerned with movement and the thinking which directs it, students learn principles, disciplines and ideas which can be used and applied in any situation; in simple everyday activities and in more complex specialised activities (such as playing a musical instrument, dancing, sport – the list is almost endless).
In developing his work, Alexander made some important discoveries:-
He discovered that most people hold and carry an excessive amount of muscular tension in their everyday lives, “You translate everything, whether physical, mental or spiritual, into muscular tension” he said.
He discovered that many people try to use inappropriate muscles or groups of muscles to carry out a task.
He discovered some important principles and physiologic truths about human movement and how we are designed to move.
He discovered that the conscious mind can over-ride habitual patterns of movement or habits. By applying reasoning to choices about how to move we can start to make different decisions about how to move more easily and efficiently.
FM Alexander
Alexander further recognised that his technique was about the development of human potential and it is now widely recognised as a tool for personal change and improvement. Very many people have reaped the benefits of learning to apply the tools and principles of Alexander's work for themselves and anyone who is willing to learn it can change and improve their lives for the better.
