At our recent Alexander Technique lesson, one of my Alexander Technique students told me she noticed how much extra effort she was using while chopping vegetables. Under normal circumstances we are not angry at vegetables. Next time you’re cutting something, take a moment and pause. Notice the grip you are using while holding the knife. If you are gripping more than necessary…

I had an unusual teaching day last week as three of my Alexander Technique students told me they were going to the dentist. I don’t mean they were all going to the dentist together, but separately, and coincidentally. Since two of the three are dealing with neck pain, and the third with shoulder pain, we discussed how the Alexander Technique could help them during their visit. We first spoke about the stress…

The Alexander Technique, or the Alexander Method, is a system used to help a person’s overall functioning. It was designed, or created by F.M. Alexander (1869-1955) who was an actor having vocal problems. …

Asking a prospective teacher ‘how many Alexander Technique lessons will I need?’ is a fair question. However, if you ask that to a piano teacher, she might answer: “to do what?” Playing chopsticks is one thing; playing a concerto is another. People ask Alexander Technique teachers that question all the time…

Alexander Technique instructors have to coach during Alexander Technique lessons. It is not enough to know and be able to teach Alexander Technique principles; you want to know both how to apply them yourself and show students how to apply them. In addition, encouragement is vital because the student may be changing lifetime habits. This takes energy and dedication from the student, and an empathetic…

I have a stiff neck. We say we have a stiff or sore neck, as if someone gave it to us and now it’s ours. In Alexander Technique terms it might be more accurate to say “I’m stiffening my neck.” Of course if you say it that way you sound insane…

In an Alexander Technique lesson I taught today, my student began by telling me her neck pain felt a little worse this week. When I inquired about it she told me that the physical therapist she’d been seeing added a new exercise for her neck, and it hurt her. Unfortunately, as an Alexander Technique teacher, I hear this story quite a lot. I told her that in my opinion she needs to subtract some things she’s doing rather than adding to it…

…Good posture while you meditate, or your meditation posture, can be a challenge for those new to meditation, as well as those more experienced with meditation. Improving one’s Meditation posture is important for people who meditate for ten minutes, and those who meditate for hours. The Alexander Technique can help with meditation posture, as it helps with posture in general.
In researching various instructions for proper meditation posture, a suggestion that keeps arising is ‘keep your spine straight.