The Alexander Technique is invaluable when learning a musical instrument, and the guitar is no exception. As part of the Alexander Technique Music Conference 2021, two professional guitarists created videos showcasing how the Technique can help both classical guitar students and those playing electric guitar or bass. Firstly, Florence Hill introduces the Alexander Technique for …
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How (not) to stand correctly
Last week, the New York Times Magazine published a short article, ‘How to stand correctly‘, which has been roundly criticised by those in the Alexander Technique profession. The article – based on comments by director of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York James Murphy – advises that standing well involves effortful muscular activity to …
‘How to do nothing’ by Jenny Odell
‘Non-doing’ is an aspect of the way the Alexander Technique nurtures wellbeing: whether that’s mental, physical, emotional or spiritual. In FM Alexander’s own explanation of the term from the 1940s, non-doing involves withholding action in order to prevent the habitual reaction to a stimulus. Fast forward several decades and Jenny Odell’s How to do nothing: …
Alexander Technique for Singers
As part of the Alexander Technique Music Conference 2021 which I’ve helped organised, one of the most popular contributions has been Lindsay Wagstaff’s ‘Alexander Technique basics for singers’. The video is an excellent short introduction to how the principles of the Alexander Technique can provide the basis for eliminating habits that interfere in the efficient …
Alexander Technique and Violin Playing
It is no secret that violinists often suffer from discomfort and pain. The combination of an awkward holding position, the incredible intricacy of the movements involved, and the many hours of practice and performing, can lead to a smorgasbord of unnecessary tensions. Violinists need a way out of these tensions – or preferably a way …
Alexander Technique Music Conference 2021 – live!
The Alexander Technique Music Conference 2021 is now live on Youtube here. It’s an event which I have organised, along with colleagues Judith Kleinman and Catherine Fleming. Experts from across UK music conservatoires and elsewhere have created a number of free videos to help musicians understand how they can benefit from the Alexander Technique. The …
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What is ‘the Open-Focus Life’?
Over a decade ago, Les Fehmi and Jim Robbins published The Open-Focus Brain: Harnessing the Power of Attention to Heal Mind and Body. They popularized the approach known as ‘Open Focus’, and now Les Fehmi and Susan Shor Fehmi have just published a follow-up volume, The Open-Focus Life. The authors make a bold claim: that …
‘Cheng’, or ‘self/ environment’ unity
In the Alexander Technique, we talk often of psychophysical unity, the idea that mind and body are inseparable, or at least very intimately linked. A well-known quote from FM Alexander himself drives the point home: You translate everything, whether physical, mental or spiritual, into muscular tension. FM Alexander However, as an Alexander Technique teacher, I’m …
What are the non-physical outcomes of the Alexander Technique?
The physical outcomes of the Alexander Technique (AT) are fairly well-established. There have been comprehensive studies into its benefits for conditions such as back pain, neck pain and Parkinson’s disease, and its positive effects on movement, postural tone and balance have also been documented. I have provided a concise review of these areas on my …
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Peaceful body, peaceful mind
Recently I’ve been sharing thoughts on the ‘peaceful body’ with some of my clients: A peaceful body is an unafraid body. It senses its source, its larger body, as a baby senses its mother or father cradling them in their arms.A peaceful body is a safe body.A peaceful body is a trustful body. It lets …
