The Alexander Technique is a profound method of releasing unwanted muscular tension throughout the body that many of us have accumulated over the years. This excessive muscular tension often starts in childhood and, if left unchecked, can give rise later in life to a whole range of common ailments such as arthritis, neck and back pain, migraine, hypertension, sciatica, insomnia and even depression. Vast amounts of money are being spent on the treatment of these illnesses, yet the number of patients carries on increasing. By learning the Alexander Technique, however, many people could be helped to understand the causes of their problems and, through the Technique, be taught how they can help themselves, so that their aches and pains would diminish or are avoided altogether.
The Technique was devised over a hundred years ago by Frederick Alexander - an Australian actor who kept on loosing his voice while performing. Alexander was determined to find a solution to his curious problem and this took him on a journey of self-discovery that, not only gave him the solution to his voice problem, but he was also able to cure himself of asthma of which he had suffered from birth. It has been claimed that Alexander's research was one of the greatest discoveries of the twentieth century.
The Alexander Technique can help us to become more aware of balance, posture and co-ordination while performing everyday actions. As children, our posture and ease of movement are a joy to watch, but as we start to tense our muscles in reaction to many of life's worries and concerns, our posture deteriorates into what can often borders on deformity. Yet this is not the case with people outside the western civilisation who retain their natural upright posture throughout most of their lives
We have a series of reflexes throughout the body that support us against the force of gravity and naturally co-ordinate our movements. Unfortunately because of the way we use our body many of us interfere with these natural reflexes to such an extent that many adults often hold four or five times more tension in their bodies than is really necessary. In fact, without realising it, many of us make life much harder for ourselves than it really needs to be. Our shoulders become permanently hunched, our necks become stiffer and stiffer, and we sit either slumped or holding ourselves in a very rigid. It may not be until years later that we will start to suffer from aches and pains or restricted movement. The reasons for many of these problems can be found when we consider our posture and the way we use our body while performing even the simplest of tasks: pain is simply the body's warning system trying to tell us that something is going wrong. The Alexander Technique can show you the underlying cause of your problem, enabling you to eliminate the tension which is responsible for poor posture, tiredness, general stiffness and a variety of aches and pains ? conditions that we so often mistakenly put down to the ageing process.
One of the most common examples of the consequences of poor posture or stress is back pain. Eighty per cent of all people living in our western civilisation will suffer from disabling lower back pain at some point in their lives. In the United States one hundred million visits are made to chiropractors and in the UK sixty million working days are lost each year because of back trouble, and these figures are doubling every ten years. Throughout the western world the statistics reveal that back pain is not confined only to the United States and the UK, but seems to be on the increase in most developed countries, yet no one seems to have any clear answers or solutions to the problem. Although vast sums of money are being spent on treatment of the pain, there is little research into why back pain is so prevalent in our society and yet comparatively rare in some under-developed countries. An increasing number of doctors, back specialists and orthopaedic surgeons are now advising people to try the Alexander Technique as they can see beneficial results when nothing else has helped. Many people carry on for years with unnecessary pain, not realising that anything can be done for them. We do, however, need to face up to the fact that we have to take responsibility for our ailments and not expect other people to have all the answers.
The Alexander Technique is usually taught on a one-to-one basis and the teacher will help you to be aware and let go of muscle tension that is at the root of your problem. This will be done with verbal instructions and with help from his, or her, hands. There is no manipulation and no need to remove any clothing. You will also be taught new ways of sitting, standing and walking that will put less pressure on the joints and muscles. By learn new ways of moving while performing everyday tasks which cause far less strain on the body, you will be putting far less strain on your body thus making it work more efficiently. In fact, many people who practice the Technique experience a general feeling of lightness throughout their bodies and even describe the sensation as 'walking on air' or moving with no effort. Since our physical state directly affects our mental and emotional well-being, people often say that they feel much calmer and happier even after just a few Alexander lessons, often resulting in less domestic tension and a greater ability to cope with life in general. Many people say that the Technique has not only helped them to be free from pain, but they say that they look and feel 10 years younger - something I am sure everyone would like to achieve!
Richard Brennan is the author of several books on the Alexander Technique: he is also the director of the Alexander teacher training college, Ireland. He is the Irish national contact for Alexander Technique International (ATI) and co-founder of the Irish Society of Alexander Technique Teachers. (ISSAT) Further information at http://www.alexander.ie | |
