The Alexander Technique and Psychological Growth

By Adam Bailey

The Alexander Technique is a century-old discipline that has many different applications. It involves an educational process in which the student learns a set of skills that he or she can apply in all facets of life. One of the assumptions underlying this process is that most people carry more muscle tension than they need, in order to carry out activities. The first skill that students learn, then, is how to lessen these areas of tension so that movement becomes easier and less effortful. Second, they learn that, without the interference of the tension, they can cultivate a more natural alignment of their head, neck and spine that has associated with it qualities of balance, strength and coordination.