South West Alexander Technique
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What is the
Alexander Technique? What is the Alexander Technique?
The
Alexander Technique, developed in The Alexander Technique is
a practical educational method that can be learnt and put into practice in
everyday life. It can be used to help us understand how we move, think and
feel. A pupil learns, through
increased self-awareness and conscious control, to interrupt his or her
habitual response to a stimulus and then to substitute a different, more
appropriate response if desired. The catalyst for
Alexander's investigations was the desire to overcome his chronic voice-loss.
He found that how he had been using himself created the problem. To restore
his voice he had to consider his complete pattern of use. What Alexander discovered
Alexander
discovered principles of human functioning as a result of his search to solve
a chronic voice problem. These
discoveries helped him to cure himself and also to help other people. ·
Mind and body
are not separate: each has a constant interaction with and influence on the
other. ·
To understand why
some part of a person is going wrong, it is necessary to look at the whole
person. ·
It is
important to stop doing the things that make us go wrong ‘Everyone is always teaching one
what to do, leaving us still doing the things we shouldn’t do.’ (Alexander) ·
Misuse of any
part creates difficulties with the whole: movements become more awkward and
unnecessary effort is needed to manage things. What you can discover
·
How to maintain
a healthy balance between mind and body, to allow for ‘conscious control of
the self’ (Alexander). ·
How to
re-establish an overall awareness of yourself so that you can be mindful of
your total pattern of use. ·
How to take
that moment’s pause that gives you time to consider your reaction to any
situation and choose an appropriate response./ How
to say ‘no’ to your normal response to a situation. ·
How
to move smoothly and easily as a whole person How does it help?
By
learning to step aside from the patterns of years a student opens new
possibilities to: ·
Release
tension ·
Self-healing ·
Move away from
protective body armour which is a result of injury or trauma ·
Self-awareness
and understanding · Self expression Why have Lessons?
With
the Alexander Technique ·
Bad backs can
be managed ·
Athletes can
reach optimum performance ·
Riders can
have a closer connection with their horses ·
Performers are
freer to move easily ·
Good balance
and poise can last into old age What Happens in a Lesson?
"You
are not here to do exercises or to learn to do something right, but to get
able to meet a stimulus that always puts you wrong and to learn to deal with
it." Lessons in the Alexander Technique help a person
take a fresh look at the way activities are performed. A pupil learns to appreciate
the practical implications of thought and its effect on muscle activity. A
teacher's hands encourage a specific quality of muscle tone. This, together
with words of instruction, helps to release inappropriate tension and allows
the pupil to become better aligned and balanced. A pupil learns, through increased self-awareness and
conscious control, to interrupt his or her habitual response to a stimulus
and then to substitute a different, more appropriate response if desired. Alexander Technique and Existing Injuries
Please alert us if
you have an existing medical condition, so that we can tailor our work to
your situation. The
AT works to help re-establish balance within the natural systems of the
body. As conditions change, pupils
often experience relief from chronic problems. However, the thrust of the work is
educational, not therapeutic. You are
learning about yourself and how you can change the way you do things. With that knowledge, you can learn to stop
actions that worsen your condition, and to manage all movements more
easily. How Many Lessons?
You can start using
what you learn from the first lesson. For adults, a
course of approximately 20 lessons over a period of 3-5 months will give a
pupil freedom to manage their own habits and problems confidently in daily
life. The needs of your child should be discussed with the teacher both before and after a first visit. Areas
in which we have helped
Health
Sport
Performance
Life Skills
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tel: +61 3 5561 2291, mobile: 0403 62
62 52
email: info@alextech.com.au