Poor Posture
What is Alexander Technique?
Alexander technique is a method of inquiry and re-education that teaches you to change unwanted habits that are causing unnecessary tensions in the activities that are hurting you. A certain amount of those unnecessary tensions are also brought into everything you do. Change will occur on the level of body, mind and brain.
Alexander Technique evolved through FM Alexander, an Australian actor. FM was born in Wynyard, Tasmania in 1869, his grand parents were convicts from Ireland and England. His grandmother on his mother’s side was Reddan from Cratloe Co. Clare. He was the eldest of ten children, his father was a black smith and his mother was a midwife. Around the age of 16 Alexander started working for a mining company and he also became interested and involved in dramatics. That led him to Melbourne where he became involved in dramatic recitals.
As FM Alexander discovered, while reciting Shakespeare’s plays, he would became hoarse during the performance and finally he was hardly able to speak by the end of the night. He came to the conclusion that if he was able to speak well at the start of the recital and could hardly speak at the end, then he must have been doing something that is causing the hoarseness. He went on a journey of self-discovery using mirrors to observe what he was doing.
Back Pain
Neck Strain
Improved Posture
Increased Mobility
Quality Sleep
He noticed that when he went to recite he was pulling his head back, depressing the larynx and sucking in the breath through the mouth that produced a gasping sound which all caused his hoarseness but he also noticed some time later, that this was happening in ordinary speech. It is like having back pain while driving a car, but that tension is there to a certain degree when sitting in an ordinary chair or sofa. You will learn to become conscious and recognize your harmful habits, stop and think and consciously choose a response. FM successfully solved his own hoarseness and then began to help others, travelling to England and set up his practice. One of his pupils was George Bernard Shaw, George was suffering so much that he had to be helped up the set of stairs to FM teaching room. FM helped him to recover and afterwards he told FM that the only problem I have is that I am 3 inches taller the clothes I have won’t fit me. George Bernard Shaw lived till an age of 94.
Through the Alexander Technique we become skilled in how we use ourselves in moving, sitting, standing, walking and everything else that you apply the technique to.
Alexander Technique teaches you about body and mind integration. Through the teacher you become aware of your reactions to the stresses of life. Alexander Technique brings calm to the nervous system and educates you about the relationship of the breath and mind when stressed. When we bring the breath deeper and slower into the body with the activation of the diaphragm, it calms the mind. When we are stressed it causes the breathing to be fast and shallow and in the upper chest area and when the breath is shallow and fast, that in turn creates stress. By bringing the mind to calm, coming into relationship with our body and slowing the breath down we become less stressed and also after a time we are better able to cope with the stresses of life as they arise.
I have benefitted so much from lessons with Philip. I am much more engaged with my body and notice habits that were previously automatic.
Gráinne
Co. Clare
Under Philip’s assured guidance in ‘hands on’ and online lessons, I have felt an ease and flow in my movements that I never thought possible.
Audrey
Co. Galway
I highly recommend Philip for his knowledge of the Alexander technique. After a few appointments, I could feel the benefits of his teaching.
Christine
Co. Clare