Alexander Technique
Sabine Heubusch © 2011
Frederick Matthias Alexander
Frederick Matthias Alexander was born in 1869 in Tasmania, Australia. He became a successful actor in Melbourne, but soon developed voice problems. He often couldn't speak by the end of a show. Alexander’s doctor suggested he rest, but the voice problems continued even after he did so.
He began to observe himself in front of a mirror to discover the cause of his chronic laryngitis. He noticed that his neck stiffened when he was about to talk; sucking in air caused his head to pull back and down, and depressed his larynx.
Alexander noticed that a similar problem was occurring in his daily life activities. He figured out that the habit of pulling his head back and down was affecting his well being. When he allowed his head to move forward and up, lengthening his spine, his voice began to function.
Soon Alexander noticed that he couldn't trust his kinesthetic sense; he was still pulling his head down instead of letting it move up. Alexander came to the conclusion that changing a habit can only be accomplished by changing one’s way of thinking.
Alexander continued observing and developing his ideas for ten years, and dedicated his life to sharing his findings. He opened a three-year training program in London, teaching renowned figures like John Dewey and George Bernard Shaw. During World War I he taught in the United States, but returned to England shortly thereafter, where he worked until his death at the age of 86.
“Talk to the body gently and it will do anything.”
FM Alexander