"You come to learn to inhibit and to direct your activity. You learn, first, to inhibit the habitual reaction to certain classes of stimuli, and second, to direct yourself consciously in such a way as to affect certain muscular pulls, which processes bring about a new reaction to these stimuli, Boiled down, it all comes to inhibiting a particular reaction to a given stimulus. But no one will see it that way. They will see it as getting in and out of a chair the right way. It is nothing of the kind. It is that a pupil decides what he will or will not consent to do."

F. M. Alexander

What is the Alexander Technique in a nutshell?

We are made up of 'what we always do'.

However, surprising as it may seem, we are completely unaware of many of these 'things we always do'. Even though many of the problems we have in our daily lives may actually be caused by this 'what we always do'...

At the heart of the Alexander Technique is the idea of being aware of and stopping the 'things we do all the time', which are our habits, that we were previously unaware are actually causing our problems.

In Alexander Technique lessons, Alexander teacher can help you to become aware of what you have habitually done (habits) that is the cause of the problem and help you to stop doing it.

Those habits may be physical things related to movement and behaviour, or they may be mental and/or emotional, the way we think and perceive things. Many of these habits are unconscious and have been acquired over time. Because they are normally always with you, they are natural to you and it is not easy to recognise them on your own. Alexander teachers are specialists to let you be aware of it and help you to stop it.

In the lessons, together with your Alexander Technique teacher, you will first work on the problems that are on surface and gradually get closer to the essence of the problem at a deeper level, helping you to realise the clues to improving the problems you are having and to lead a more easeful life.

Brief History of the Alexander Technique

The Dawn of the Alexander Technique

Frederick Matthias Alexander was born on 20 January 1869 and grew up in the small town of Vineyard on the north-west coast of the island of Tasmania (Australia).

Alexander was a very sickly child who suffered from respiratory ailments. Due to his frailty, he was unable to attend school from an early age and was tutored in the evenings by a local schoolteacher, and his health gradually improved during his teenage years, which led him to participate in amateur theatre. At the age of 20, he moved to Melbourne, where he spent about three months experiencing a variety of art forms, going to plays and concerts and visiting art galleries. This experience made a deep impression on Alexander and he was determined to train to become an actor/reader.

Alexander quickly gained a reputation as a leading actor and reciter, specialising in Shakespearean monologues. As his reputation spread, Alexander began to take on more and more work and larger assignments. However, a few years into his successful career, friends pointed out to Alexander that they could clearly hear him breathing in through his mouth during performances. This 'audible intake of breath' was a very common habit among actors and reciters of the time. Alexander was quite nervous about this point of view, as he thought he was free from such a bad habit. Around that time, he also began to have other problems with his voice becoming hoarse during performances.

To solve these voice and breathing problems, Alexander consulted doctors and voice trainers and received a lot of advice. But there was no improvement, in fact, the situation kept getting worse. After a few years, he finally lost most of his voice in the performance and could barely finish his performances. At that time there were no microphones or speakers. A muffled voice or loss of voice directly jeopardises his career as an actor and reciter. Alexander became increasingly anxious in the face of this fact.

For this reason, Alexander decided to consult his doctor again. The doctor examined his throat again and assured him that if he rested his voice completely for two weeks before the performance, using it as little as possible, his voice would return to normal. Alexander decided to follow the doctor's advice. After two weeks of this, Alexander went on stage for a performance. At the beginning of the performance, Alexander's voice was not hoarse at all and he sounded like himself. However, halfway through the performance, the hoarseness returned to Alexander's voice and his condition continued to worsen. By the end of the performance, he could barely speak.

The next day, Alexander was disappointed. He visited his doctor and reported what had happened last night. After listening to him, his doctor considered that his advice had had some effect and recommended that he rests his throat for a longer period next time. However, when Alexander recalled carefully, what happened last night was that the voice that came out clear at the beginning of the performance became hoarse in the middle of the performance and almost lost at the end. Alexander then put to the doctor the hoarseness that happened last night may have been caused by 'something I was doing' while I was performing. The doctor considered it carefully for a while and agreed with the idea. Alexander then asked the doctor if he knows what the root cause of the problem is. The doctor honestly replied that he had no idea. 'Very well, if that is so, I must try and find out for myself.' With this decision, Alexander left the doctor.

From my point of view, this is the moment when the Alexander Technique has been originated. Alexander decided to find his own solutions to his problems by himself, the causes of which are not yet known, and to this end he carried out a series of experiments and observations. I could say, he took responsibility to his problems. As a result, Alexander not only discovered the answers to his questions, but also revealed the mechanisms of human movement and behaviour and what was preventing the proper functioning of muscles and reflexes that plague people in modern society.

Some of you reading this might be beginning to think that the Alexander Technique is not particularly relevant to you because you have no voice problems. However, Alexander's logic can be applied to almost any ailment or problem we have, including physical things such as neck, shoulder and back problems, and mental/emotional problems. For example, if you had no back pain before gardening, but after gardening you developed back pain, then the root cause of the problem must be that you were putting too much strain on your body while gardening. Whatever the physical complaint, there is a cause behind it and once it is removed, the pain and discomfort should gradually disappear.

Use affects Functioning

To discover the cause of his problems, Alexander decided to use a mirror. He stood in front of the mirror and observed himself when he was speaking normally and when he was reciting. In doing so, Alexander found a difference between the two. Eventually, he realised that the differences could be summed up in three characteristic tendencies when he was speaking: pulling his head back, depressing his larynx and sucking air through his mouth in such a way as to produce a gasping sound. Until this point, Alexander was completely unaware of these habits. When he observes normal speaking again after noticing these, he also noticed that the same tendencies were present, but to a noticeably smaller degree. He also noticed that these three tendencies were more pronounced when Alexander was reciting passages in which unusual demands were made upon his voice.

This discovery was a very big one for Alexander and drove him on to further exploration. This was a great discovery for Alexander, because it confirmed his original idea that there was a connection between what he was 'doing' when he was acting and the loss of his voice. He was unconsciously causing his own problems, and Alexander realised this fact for the first time.

Which of the three characteristic tendencies should be tackled first?
No concrete ideas. Therefore, Alexander faced the mirror again, observed himself performing again and again, and experimented. Eventually, Alexander got the idea that pulling the head back could be prevented to a certain extent. Moreover, he found that when he stopped pulling his head back, he was also able to prevent the other two tendencies as a result.He also noticed that when those habits were prevented successfully, his voice became less hoarse. And so, after some time of doing this, Alexander returned to his doctor for another check-up and found that there was a considerable improvement in the condition of his throat and vocal cords.

For Alexander this is a very important finding. He was able to improve the voice and breathing problems by preventing the three tendencies. This means that changing the way he uses his body has an impact on the way his body functions. Wrong use of the body causes the body to work in a way he does not want to, which is the mechanism that causes the loss of the voice and gasping. He recognised that the way he used his head, neck and back in particular had a primary impact on the way his body worked, and he regarded this as the 'primary control' (meaning the most important mechanism of how he used his body) in his own use.

Faulty Sensory Perception

"I finally got to the core of the problem", Alexander would think so. He then experimented further to see if he could improve the state of his voice more. The next idea was that since the condition of the voice had been improved by stopping pulling the head back, it would be even better if the head could be brought forward even further.

However, when he tried it, the effect on the voice was almost the same as when the head was pulled back. He found the same depressing on the larynx. What was happening? To observe his movements more closely, Alexander added two more mirrors. By repeatedly observing himself in the mirrors, Alexander made two further discoveries.

One is that his voice problem is not simply a matter of just one part, but involves the use of his entire body. Alexander found that when he was pulling his head back, he was simultaneously using his body in the direction of shortening his stature by pulling his chest up. Conversely, when he used his body in the direction of increasing his own stature, his voice was improved. This made Alexander aware of the need to look at the whole self, rather than simply changing the use of one part of his body. He needed to bring his head forward and upwards in such a way that he didn't lift his chest and didn't arch his back too much.

Another discovery further surprises Alexander. When Alexander tried to prevent doing his habitual use ('not doing') and to do new thing ('doing') at the same time, he could not maintain his preventive action when he tried to speak. What is more, even though he was trying to bring his head forward and upwards, which was the moment he tried to perform, Alexander pulled his head backwards, just as before. Alexander was very surprised to see this fact. He was actually doing the completely opposite of what he thought he was doing.

This told Alexander that his sensory perception, which told him what he was doing and what he was not doing, was faulty. It means that this sensory perception was not reliable and was not able to be used to monitor his own state. At first, Alexander thought this was his own unique idiosyncrasy. But later, when he began to teach the Technique, he realised that this faulty sensory perception was a universal thing that could be found in everyone.

Inhibition and Direction

As a result, Alexander had to reconsider his situation very carefully. He realised that he had never really thought about 'how he is moving' and had simply moved in a habitual way that felt 'right' to him. In other words, the feelings were the only criteria for 'how he moves'. This was fine for the familiar movements that he was used to doing, but in this moment he noticed that he couldn't rely on his feelings to do unfamiliar movements that he hadn't done very often before. Alexander began to address this issue. If the feeling that tells him what he is doing had become unreliable, he thought, it must be possible to bring them back to a reliable state.

The problem was at what stage he was doing something different from what he was trying to do.
No matter how well he thought about 'how he is going to do', when it came to trying to perform it, he would fall back into his original habits. Here, there was a critical moment, which was the moment when he attempted to do the thing he intended to do. In other words, a strong relationship had developed between his intention to perform and the wrong use of his body. Alexander saw this as his 'reaction' to the 'stimulus' of his will. He began to see the mind and body working in unison within him.

The method Alexander eventually found was to 'give up trying to do something' in order to achieve his goal. This may sound strange. In order to change the relationship between his intention to perform and the way he used his body, Alexander found it necessary to train himself to receive the stimulus to perform, and then to refuse to react instantly to it and 'give up doing something'. If he reacts immediately to a stimulus, he does not have time to consider to himself 'how he will do' and send that message to his body. Therefore, he ends up reverting to movements that have become habitual. This is why it is crucial to stop doing something after receiving a stimulus. Alexander did this training over a period of several months. This 'refusing doing something as immediate response to a stimulus' is one of the key principles of the Alexander Technique, which today is named as 'Inhibition'.

In this way, he is ready to send the message of 'how he will do' from the brain to the mechanism. Alexander calls this message 'Direction'. In other words, he consciously orders himself the process that he intends to make happen. The word 'direction' as used by Alexander is defined as the process involved in projecting messages from the brain to the mechanisms and in conducting the energy necessary to the use of these mechanisms. For example, when you notice that your shoulders are stiff, you think that soften the tension in your shoulders, this is also direction.

By first working on pausing in time to give direction for reciting in this way, Alexander arrived at a Technique that consists of the elements of conscious awareness, inhibiting the habit that is causing the problem, and allow himself to have free choice. This is the idea on which the Alexander Technique is based today. Not only did this free Alexander from habits that had put his career at risk, but it also enabled him to overcome the respiratory problems he had suffered from since birth.

Development of the Alexander Technique

When Alexander returned to the stage, many of his fellow actors who were suffering from similar problems began to come to him for help. Alexander started teaching his Technique to others. News spread quickly that Alexander had resolved voice and respiratory problems. Doctors also began to refer some of their patients to Alexander.

Alexander taught the Technique not only through verbal explanations, but also through gentle guidance with his hands (hands-on). He helped many people to become aware of their habits and change their use of the self that were the root causes of the problems.

Some time after he began teaching, a doctor he had befriended saw great potential in Alexander's work and persuaded him to go to London to teach the Technique to a wider audience. in the spring of 1904, Alexander set sail for London. Arriving in London later that year, Alexander set up offices first in Victoria Street and later in Ashley Place in central London, where he continued to teach the Technique. Until his death in October 1955, he continued to develop and extend the Technique to others by teaching it to various people, training teachers of the Technique and publishing five books.

The Principles of the Alexander Technique

The foundation of the Alexander Technique is the process and experience of F. M. Alexander in overcoming his own problems. Alexander (i) took responsibility for his problems and (ii) discovered repeatedly for himself. The principles of the Technique are established in the course of repeated discoveries and improved his problems. Boiled down, the Alexander Technique can be described as a technique for improving one's behaviour and actions by noticing and changing one's reactions to stimuli. And If I use Alexander's expression, the Alexander Technique is a re-education of the phycho-physical mechanisms. 

This discovery, which Alexander made through his own experience, is at the root of the principles in the Alexander Technique. Alexander had examined and updated this initial discovery throughout his life as he passed the Technique on to others.

Here are the principles of the Alexander Technique: 
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1. Recognition of force of habits 
2. Body-Mind-Emotion Unity 
3. Inhibition 
4. Direction 
5. Faulty Sensory Perception or Faulty Sensory Appreciation 
6. End-gaining 
7. Primary Control
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To learn the Alexander Technique is to acquire these principles and apply them to daily life. 
The 'Alexander Technique teacher' is a qualification that indicates a professional capacity to teach the Alexander Technique according to these principles and to help people improve their problems and have more easeful and peaceful life.

Scientific Research related to the Alexander Technique

More than 100 years have already passed since the Alexander Technique was introduced to the world. In that time, various scientific studies have been conducted on the Alexander Technique. There are many different perspectives on what the Alexander Technique does in the first place, what the benefits of the Alexander Technique are, etc. Here I would like to summarise briefly the scientific research on the Alexander Technique.

Brief History of Research on the Alexander Technique

F. M. Alexander himself was probably the first one to investigate his Technique, known today as the 'Alexander Technique'. Alexander's research into solving his own problems and his many discoveries are well documented in the first chapter of The Use of the Self, 'Evolution of a Technique',published in 1932.

In the first half of the 20th century, a growing number of doctors, first in Australia and then in the UK, became convinced that the Alexander Technique was truly effective. These doctors came to trust the power of the Alexander Technique after experiencing it personally and the effects the Technique had on their patients.

In 1937, a joint statement by 19 doctors was published in the British Medical Journal [1]. In the statement, these doctors recognised the effectiveness of the Alexander Technique and recommended that the Alexander Technique should be incorporated into the curriculum for medical students. However, World War II broke out shortly afterwards and the statement has not been fully followed up to this day.

The first medical studies on the Alexander Technique were conducted in the late 1940s. It was performed by Dr Wilfred Barlow, a rheumatologist in London, UK, and an Alexander Technique teacher. His study based on the one of the principle 'Use affects functioning', It is detailed in his book "The Alexander Principle".

Also in the USA, Professor Frank Pierce Jones, a professor of classical literature and Alexander Technique teacher, studied the Alexander Technique for almost 25 years. He used multiple-image photographs and electromyograms to investigate the effectiveness of the Alexander Technique in movement. His series of studies is summarised today in the book "Freedom to change: The development and Science of The Alexander Technique".

Finally, and slightly off topic, Professor Nicholas Tinbergen, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1973, was so impressed with the Alexander Technique that he devoted approximately half of his Nobel Prize speech to mentioning Alexander's work. In his speech, he introduced the Alexander Technique by citing the work of Dr Barlow [2].

References

[1] "Constructive Conscious Control", British Medical Journal 1937; 1 : 1137 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.3986.1137-a

[2] https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1973/tinbergen/lecture/

https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2018/06/tinbergen-lecture.pdf

(Speech about the Alexander Technique starts from page 122)

Recently, the effectiveness of the Alexander Technique has also been tested using randomised controlled tests.

P. Little et al.: "Randomised controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain", British Medical Journal 2008; 337:a884 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.a884 (Open Access)

In this study, published in 2008, the impact of three interventions - Alexander Technique lessons, exercise and massage - on chronic and recurrent lower back pain was evaluated using a randomised controlled tests. The results of the study clearly showed that receiving one-to-one Alexander Technique lessons was associated with long-term benefits. One year after the start of the study, after 24 Alexander Technique lessons, there was a significant reduction in the number of days of pain compared to the control group (21 days per month in the control group compared to 3 days per month in the group that received lessons, a reduction of 86%).

The authors of the paper also concluded that the long-term benefits of taking lessons are unlikely to be a placebo effect from attention or touch through hands-on work, and are more likely to be due to the active learning and application of the Alexander Technique in everyday life. It is also important to add that none of the 288 participants who received Alexander Technique lessons in the tests reported any adverse effects.

J. Woodman: "Self-efficacy and self-care-related outcomes following Alexander Technique lessons for people with chronic neck pain in the ATLAS randomised controlled trial", European Journal of Integrative Medicine 2018, 17, 64-71 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2017.11.006 (Open Access)

Similar studies to the above have also been conducted on chronic neck pain and report that long-term improvements have been achieved with the Alexander Technique.

It is important to note that the Alexander Technique is an educational activity, not a therapeutic. Nevertheless, it is encouraging that such scientific validation of the indirect benefits of the Alexander Technique has been carried out and shown to actually produce positive results, although there is definitely still more research to be done.

Other Alexander Technique-related research papers that I am aware of are listed below. If you know of any others, I would be grateful if you could let me know.

Requires purchase

M. O'Neill et al.: "Effects of Alexander Technique training experience on gait behavior in older adults." J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2015 Jul;19(3):473-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2014.12.006
M. Gleeson et al.: "Can the Alexander Technique improve balance and mobility in older adults with visual impairments? A randomized controlled trial." Clin Rehabil. 2015 Mar; 29(3):244-60. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269215514542636
C. Stallibrass et al. : "Randomized controlled trial of the Alexander Technique for idiopathic Parkinson's disease." Clinical Rehabilitation. 2002;16(7):695-708. https://doi.org/10.1191/0269215502cr544oa

.Open Access

Tarr J. "Educating with the hands: working on the body/self in Alexander Technique." Sociol Health Illn. 2011 Feb;33(2):252-65. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9566.2010.01283.
H. MacPherson et al.: "Alexander Technique Lessons, Acupuncture Sessions or usual care for patients with chronic neck pain (ATLAS): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial". Trials. 2013 Jul 10;14:209. https://doi.org/10.1186/1745-6215-14-209
H. Essex et al.: "An economic evaluation of Alexander Technique lessons or acupuncture sessions for patients with chronic neck pain: A randomized trial (ATLAS)." PLoS One. 2017 Dec 6;12(12) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178918

Books

At the end of this page, I would like to introduce some useful books for learning the Alexander Technique.

F. M. アレクサンダー自身の著作

F. M. Alexander published five books before his death in 1955. However, it is common today that Alexander wrote four books, as some of his early books were combined into one expanded edition.

Reading Alexander's books is very important for learning the Technique. Recently, the books published by Mouritz have also been available in kindle except "The Use of the Self", so it has become much easier to obtain them. This is a welcome change from the days when you had to order them directly from the publishers. They are also reasonably priced. I recommend that anyone interested in the book as a first choice.

"Man's Supreme Inheritance" (Mouritz)

The first book by F. M. Alexander, published in 1910. The Mouritz edition in widespread use today is based on the enlarged version of 'Man's Supreme Inheritance' published in 1918, combining "Man's Supreme Inheritance" in 1910, ''Addenda' published in 1911 and 'Conscious Control' in 1912. This is an ambitious book that manages to convey the basic ideas of the Alexander Technique. It also features a discussion of how individuals can change their behaviour and actions from a larger perspective.

Amazon Link: https://amzn.asia/d/7N8VL8P

"Constructive Conscious Control of the Individual" (Mouritz)

This is his second book, published in 1923. I personally think it is the most well-structured book of Alexander's writings as a single volume. In this sense, it is also a relatively easy book to read. The book consistently discusses the importance of the sensory appreciation/perception abilities of the individual through the feelings, and the problems caused by their unreliability, from four different perspectives. It is very important for understanding F. M. Alexander's ideas on the Technique. For me, the title, 'of the individual', is a strong reference to Alexander's own thoughts on the Technique.

Amazon Link: https://amzn.asia/d/fwPMc62

"The Use of the Self" (Orion Spring)

This is his third book, published in 1932. The first chapter of this work, 'Evolution of a Technique', is extremely valuable as it is a memoir, a detailed record of Alexander's own experiences on which the Technique was oroginated. For those new to Alexander's work, I recommend reading the first chapter of this book first. It also features a written case study of work with a golfer and a stutterer, which provides a more concrete format for learning Alexander's ideas and methods. Concepts such as 'The Self' and 'Use', which are essential to understand the Alexander Technique today, are developed and discussed. It helps us to understand what was beyond Alexander's gaze.

Amazon Link: https://amzn.asia/d/ddgRN03

"The Universal Constant in Living" (Mouritz)

It was his fourth and last book, published in 1941. Alexander began writing this book in response to requests from readers even though Alexander felt that he had already explained the Technique enough in his previous books. So, the book is comprehensive, covering a wide range of elements of the Technique. In particular, the description of the Technique is very sophisticated due to his accumulated experience, and it is very useful to read through chapters 1, 2 and 5 of the book for a general overview of the basic concepts of the Alexander Technique. I personally think that the book is also distinctive that Alexander writes about the Technique with an emphasis on inhibition, non-doing, 'stopping what you are doing'. Alexander died in 1955, so there is no record in his own writings of the development of the Technique since the publication of this book (there are some references to it in the writings of other Alexander Technique teachers). This is a very important book also in this respect.

Amazon Link: https://amzn.asia/d/572ftHB

"Conscious Control" (Methuen & Co LTD)

his is the original version of Conscious Control, published in 1912. The current edition of Man's Supreme Inheritance contains a slightly revised version of this book. Since this is a short book, it is relatively easy to read and an accessible introduction to Alexander's early ideas.

Link: https://www.alexander.ie/fm_books.html

For beginners

Here are some introductory books on the Alexander Technique. They are all excellent books written for those who know little about it, but these are good to read as supplementary before and after taking lessons.

Barbara Conable, William Conable: "How to learn the Alexander Technique"

This is a good book that explains the Alexander Technique, especially from the physical aspects. I think it is very clearly written. The authors, Barbara Conable and William Conable, are also originators of 'body mapping', one of the methods that can help you learn the Alexander Technique. It is recommended for those who want to learn the Alexander Technique firstly from a physical perspective.

Link: (English) https://amzn.asia/d/bJSnb4S (Japanese) https://amzn.asia/d/70rRRiq

Micheal Gelb: "Body Learning: Introduction to the Alexander Technique"

It is one of the most popular introductory book of the Alexander Technique worldwide. It was written to answer the author's own question, 'What is the Alexander Technique?' and the book carefully explains the basic ideas of the Technique.

Link: (English) https://amzn.asia/d/8IMMcw6 (Japanese) https://amzn.asia/d/7ebMwYZ

Richard Brennan: "Alexander Technique Manual"

This is another introductory book to the Alexander Technique that has been translated and read in various languages around the world (for some reason there is no Japanese edition...). It is a good book that covers a wide range of topics, including the basic concepts of the Alexander Technique and its application to daily life, sports and for pregnant women. It is a very helpful book with lots of pictures so that you can understand the author's explanation also visually. It is the book I read most often among introductory books, partly because it is the book of the teacher I learnt from. I can only find the hardcover version on Amazon, but there is also a paperback version that came out in 2018, which I recommend as it is easier to handle.

Link: (Hardcover) https://amzn.asia/d/05KGHyw (Paperbacl) https://www.alexander.ie/books.html

Richard Brenann: "Alexander Technique Workbook"

This is another introductory book by the same author, but the key point of this book is that it describes a variety of works that you can do with the book. By reading this book, you can learn the basics of the Alexander Technique and do self-work as a practical experience.

Link: (English) https://www.alexander.ie/books.html (Japanese) https://amzn.asia/d/fIuMwif

For those who want to deepen the Technique

The books below are for those who have already taken Alexander Technique lessons or want to know more about it, or are looking for specific application of the Technique. They are all very profound and interesting. You will know how powerful the Alexander Technique is and how deep it allows us to go.

Micheal Bloch: "F. M., The Life of Frederick Matthias Alexander"

This biography follows the life of extraordinary man Frederick Matthias Alexander. It traces the birth of the Alexander Technique and its subsequent development and evolution, following the events of Alexander's own life.

Link: https://amzn.asia/d/ft8P2cR

Patrick. J. Macdonald: "The Alexander Technique as I see"

A commentary on the Alexander Technique by Patrick MacDonald, a first generation Alexander Technique teacher, who was taught directly by F. M. Alexander. It is a must-read book with thoughts on a wide range of topics such as 'Why learn the Technique' and 'What it means to teach the Technique'.

Link: (English) https://amzn.asia/d/bx26wlN (Japanese) https://amzn.asia/d/dOJWZD0

Wilfred Barlow: "The Alexander Principle"

This is also an old book, but it is about the Alexander Technique (at the time of the book written, the Technique was not yet called 'the Alexander Technique' but it was just called Alexander Principles as the title suggests) by Dr. Wilfred Barlow, a doctor and Alexander Technique teacher. The book focuses on one very important principles of the Alexander Technique, 'Use affects functioning', and explains the Alexander Technique from two combined perspectives of doctor and teacher.

Link: https://amzn.asia/d/aTlYRXI

Marjory Barlow: "An Examined Life"

The book consists of an interview with Marjorie Barlow, F. M. Alexander's niece and one of the first generation of Alexander Technique teachers. She talks a lot about Alexander himself, her experiences with F. M. Alexander and her own teaching experience. All of them are very insightful and help you to understand the Alexander Technique. The two Memorial Lectures at the end of the book are compact, yet excellent in conveying the essence of the Alexander Technique.

Link: https://mouritz.org/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=128

Walter Carrington & Sean Carey: "Personally Speaking"

The book contains an interview with Walter Carrington, also one of the first generation of Alexander Technique teachers. It is a must-read book that talks in detail about the beginnings of the Alexander Technique, its content and what it means to teach the Alexander Technique. I have read and studied it many times.

Link: https://mouritz.org/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=18&product_id=16

Pedro de Alcantara: "Indirect Procedure: A Musician's Guide to the Alexander Technique"

This is an introduction to the Alexander Technique for musicians. Although it is an introductory book, the first half of the book explains the key concepts of the Alexander Technique very elaborately and is very helpful even if you are not a musician. The second half of the book explains how musicians can apply the Alexander Technique with plenty of concrete examples.

This is actually the first Alexander Technique book I ever picked up in my life (I read the Japanese version). Unfortunately, I didn't really get it at the time, but reading it now, I can see that every explanation makes more sense to me.

Link: (English) https://amzn.asia/d/316rM1y (Japanese) https://amzn.asia/d/h3vsvq5

Missy Vinyard: "How you stand, how you move, how you live"

This is a guide to the Alexander Technique by an American Alexander Technique teacher. It features a plenty of concrete examples of exchanges and interactions in lessons. The book is structured in such a way that you can learn about the Alexander Technique by reading the explanations with reference to what happened in the lessons and doing the self-work that follows. What I found particularly interesting was the section on hands-on: chapter 21 is a very interesting step-by-step description of hands-on training.

Link: https://amzn.asia/d/0jXmxCw

Richard Brenann: "Back In Balance"

From Here I am going to introduce three books by my teacher, the first of which is this one on the subject of balance. Richard himself had been suffering from severe back pain and sciatica for many years before he discovered the Alexander Technique, which helped him to improve his condition. Chapter 3 talks about sitting as one of the habits fostered by today's society, which is very interesting.

Link: https://amzn.asia/d/a2PVp34

Richard Brenann: "Change Your Posture, Change Your Life"

This is a book that introduces the Alexander Technique in plain language, using 'posture' as a starting point. Whatever the reality, the Alexander Technique is often discussed in conjunction with 'posture'. This book explains in simple terms how the 'habits' of posture affect our daily life and how we can improve it with the Alexander Technique.

Link: https://amzn.asia/d/0wZdXJx

Richard Brenann: "How to Breathe"

The Alexander Technique and breathing are inseparable topics, as F. M. Alexander developed the Technique in the process of overcoming voice and breathing problems. As Alexander himself was called 'Breathing man' when he started teaching the Technique. It can be said that the Alexander Technique started as a technique to improve people's breathing. This book is an easy-to-follow guide that focuses on how natural breathing works, misconceptions about breathing and how to apply the principles of the Alexander Technique to breathing. The book is also beautifully illustrated by watercolours.

Link: (Enlgish) https://amzn.asia/d/0wZdXJx (Japanese) https://amzn.asia/d/fBwq5gK