Pain in the Neck?
By Madelene Webb
Neck pain and back problems are two common prompts that bring many
people to their first encounter with the Alexander Technique. But
though many come initially to find relief for a specific problem,
the Alexander approach offers an experience with the potential to
change the way you organise and look after yourself as a whole being.
Daily rituals like picking up children, carrying bags and working
in front of the computer screen can create pain if we don't use
ourselves in a balanced way. And it seems that the actions we often
take to try and improve our physical performance - running, the
gym, swimming and cycling - aren't always pain-free either.
There is nothing gimmicky or faddy about the Alexander Technique
which has been around for over a century; the basic principles are
commonsense. As we grow up we adopt harmful habits of managing ourselves
and our bodies, perhaps rushing about with little attention to what
we do with ourselves as a whole. We focus on the ends rather than
taking care of the means. (We are 'end-gaining', as FM Alexander,
the originator of the technique, termed it). We misuse ourselves,
habitually applying unnecessary tension to almost everything that
we do, scrunching ourselves up and disturbing the crucial balanced
relationship between our head, neck and back.
The Alexander Technique takes us back to basics by unlearning the
misuse that we've acquired. And by learning to think about how we
use ourselves and consciously preventing our harmful habits we can
start to experience a different way of managing ourselves in any
situation - be it in reducing stress, finding greater ease and comfort
while using the computer, improving body language and confidence
in public speaking, playing sport or a musical instrument or simply
enjoying less pain in everyday and social activities. And if we
improve the way we use ourselves we can take care of many of the
underlying causes of conditions such as neck and back ache, repetitive
strain injury, migraines and headaches, joint problems, breathing
problems, high blood pressure, stress and anxiety related problems
and 'postural problems'.
Explaining the Alexander experience - which is essentially an experience
of change on a neuromuscular level - is notoriously difficult. It's
not about over-intellectualising or feeling the burn. It's something
quite different. Pupils often comment on feelings of lightness and
effortlessness of movement, calmness or a sense of feeling 'floaty'
or taller.
Alexander lessons are 'lessons', not exercise classes or therapeutic
sessions. They are carried out on a one-to-one basis, with the teacher
using a very gentle guiding touch and some verbal instruction.
Restoring the balance of your head on your spine is central to
the technique. As you become more experienced at applying the Alexander
Technique, you learn to look after this balance throughout your
day. Regularly practising 'semi-supine' - applying 'Alexander thinking'
whilst lying on your back on the floor with your head supported
and knees bent - is also part of the process, and though it sounds
deceptively simple it can deliver extraordinarily powerful benefits.
I first started learning the Alexander Technique 18 years ago.
I have been teaching individual lessons in central and north London
for 8 years. I also hold regular introductory sessions at Shine
Holistic on Church Street where those interested can combine a group
lesson with a follow-up individual lesson.
How many lessons will you need? Twenty will give you a good grounding
but really it depends on each individual and how you make the technique
part of your life and well-being.
For more information please go to www.nopain-gain.com or to
book a lesson or a place on an introductory course (next one Saturday,
June 17) please call Shine Holistic on 020 7241 5033 or Madelene
Webb (mstat) on 07939 347099. |
