Applied Alexander Technique Blog

Friends,

Angela Bradshaw gives a wonderful, clear explanation of the Alexander Technique. Try her demonstration right along with the video. Say hello to your body in a new way!

What a marvelous way to use our minds, discover our habits and find that we can learn to move in a new, more efficient way. Better posture, lighter movement, less pain.

Would you like some? Find a teacher near you, or contact me for lessons in the Bay Area.*

Peace,

Dana

* Three locations: Mountain View, Milpitas, and San Jose

Hello my friends,

Why do I teach Alexander Technique?

Why do I dance?

It feels expansive, it feels good, it is a joy like no other.

I move my body and I feel my soul. It springs lightly upward when I dance.

In Alexander work, it is a release of my neck that lets my thoughts go upward and my head, with it.

I feel a unique sense of flow and lightness. It feels light and my head floats up. It is like meditation in action and I create it as I walk, sit, stand, move, and dance.

Want some?

We are psycho-physical-spiritual beings and this is like chocolate for the soul. It is like bringing light to the body, the light of awareness, freedom, joy.

Letting your neck be free is a close parallel to dancing. It's like watching a hummingbird...poised so lightly...stillness and yet all-moving.

Sharing a way to have freedom and joy in your body, in the moment, in the Now.

Namaste,

Dana

Hello my dancing friends,

I invite you to come to an Alexander Technique workshop and free your hips!

Alexander Technique gives you that extra edge, by releasing tension you may not even notice - till it releases. It's that level of tension that's just "how you are..."

Unless it isn't.

This class will focus on freeing the hips for easier, lighter, smoother movement. Release tension in your muscles and joints. Discover the power of your legs!

We’ll take a look at how your skeleton is built and learn to free the hips and legs to move easily and independently. Learn new ways to connect your thinking and your body for freer, easier movement. Knowledge is power!

Saturday, March 30 11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Continue reading "Alexander Technique for Dancers at Cheryl Burke Dance " »

Hello my friends!

Have you ever noticed that you can tell who someone is from a distance, just by their posture?

In some ways, posture literally is like a carrying card that says who we are, before we arrive.

Think about it; we recognize people by the way the carry themselves. Most of our posture is not on purpose, it’s just how we are. It’s our habit; it’s not conscious.

Our habits of posture are also the limiting factor from looking better and moving better on the dance floor. One of my dancer students had issues with shoulder tension; we traced it back to years of playing the violin. Old habits CAN be changed, but the first step is to become aware of them. Maybe it isn't about dance...

If you're hearing the same comments from your teacher, over time, maybe a look at your basic alignment OUTSIDE the dance studio will be the key.

Do you want that last little bit of extension without tightening up? Would you like to have better balance because you literally feel more clearly, where your head and feet are as you move?

Lightness in movement and better balance and poise are key traits of the Alexander Technique. Students say they feel a sense of flow in the body. Beyond letting go of pain, is a positive sense of well-being.

Are you curious? Drop me a line. I'm offering a limited number of free, 20 minute consultations between now and the end of January. Come find out what it feels like to allow flow rather than push...

Start the New Year with freedom and flow!

Dana

Hello my friends!

The holidays are upon us! It’s a fun time to dress up and be glam.

If you’re like me, you like being comfortable in your shoes – and you also love, love LOVE your heels ☺.

Come to a fun class for walking in heels!

Students – dancers and non-dancers alike – say they find they are more confident and more comfortable. Balance and poise improve. You'll leave walking with more ease and have better posture, too!

* Learn tips and tricks for walking in heels that you can immediately use.

* Bring a pair of heels that you love, and a pair of “hope” heels that are sitting on the sidelines. Dancers, your dance heels are welcome!

* Bring shoes of any comfortable height. A Better in Stilettos® class will help you walk better in heels of any height! You can start small and grow tall.

Class: Alexander Technique/ Better in Stilettos®
Date: Saturday, December 15, 2012
Time: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Cost: $20 in advance, $25 at the door
Call the studio for an advance ticket and save $5.00 (650) 864-9150

Address: Cheryl Burke Dance
1400 No. Shoreline Blvd., #A-1 Mt. View California 94043
Phone: (650) 864-9150

Remember, "...if you're going to wear them - wear them well!®

See you this Saturday,

In heels!
Dana

Hello friends!

Sometimes people aren't sure about new things...like Alexander Technique. I can understand that feeling. It took me three years from the time I first heard about it, to try it!

When I was a kid, we used to watch Life Cereal commercials. Do you remember “Does Mikey like it?

If you're still waiting to try a "taste" of Alexander Technique, here’s a chance for you to find out, "...did Mikey like it?"

A Pilates instructor and competitive dancer who participated in my class last Saturday wrote,

" …I traveled from San Rafael, about 1-1/2 hours away, to find out about the Alexander Technique...The ride home, another 1-1/2 hours, was totally different than the drive down. I was floating and connecting to some inner grace. I'll bet you don't hear that from too many folks about driving on 101N!"

Come try it! If dance is Life, then Alexander Technique is the milk…everything flows better and it’s much more fun. It’s known to help balance, release tension and ease pain.

Maybe you’ll even enjoy driving more on 101. :-)

Saturday at 11 am, at Cheryl Burke Dance, Mountain View....read on for details :-)

Continue reading "Alexander Technique for Dancers at Cheryl Burke Dance - Saturday drop-in classes" »

Hello my friends!

I wanted to let you know about some more group classes coming up in November, at Cheryl Burke Dance in Mountain View.

Saturdays, Nov. 3, 10, and 17
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
$20 in advance (call the dance studio) $25 at the door.

For anyone who’s had lessons or knows a bit about Alexander Technique, I invite you to the wonderful world of Up!

If you haven't experienced it yet, come on in, the water's warm! No previous experience necessary.

Here's the scoop:

Continue reading "Alexander Technique for Dancers at Cheryl Burke Dance" »

Hello my dancing friends!

I had so much fun working with people at the Pacific Grand Ball.

One dancer really understood this work. She surprised me, sitting in the chair and asking, "may I have some of your energy?"

Yes! This does open the flow of energy in the body.

I barely touched her; she felt the energy flow. Gentle Alexander hands-on, undoing tension and sensing the flow.

We all have this ability; we're born able to move effortlessly. I love seeing people's eyes widen as they suddenly have this feeling of a free neck. They get it; this is about releasing and freedom.

Thank you for stopping by.
Come again!

Dana

Hello my friends!

I’m excited to teach Alexander Technique at Cheryl Burke Dance.

If Alexander Technique is new to you, here's what it is and more importantly, why to learn it, in a nutshell.

When you dance, is your neck free? Do you stiffen it a little...or a lot? Do you struggle for balance or relax into it?

When your neck is contracted and stiff, it pulls your head down into your neck and shoulders. It may push your head forward or pull it back down into your shoulders. Either way, it puts you off balance and out of alignment. It creates tension throughout the body, slows you down and shortens your line.

Alexander Technique helps you release tension patterns in movement that are so habitual, we don't even feel them. It focuses on the freedom of the head and neck in movement and creates freedom and poise.

Come try it! Come discover how free you can be!

See you soon - Saturday, September 22nd at 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. Call the studio at 650.864.9150 or drop me a line if you're planning to come.

with Joy!

Dana

Hello friends,

Who comes for Alexander Technique lessons?

The British Medical Journal gives an overview:

If you have back or neck pain, or if you are a dancer or musician and would like to improve your performance, I encourage you to take a look at this video.

To your health!

Dana

Hello, my friends!

The body that sits in front of that computer is your dancing body!
Come undo the tension and pain of daily life and enjoy your dancing more!
Leave with skills you can immediately use to improve your dancing and your life.

Come to Cheryl Burke Dance for a special, two-hour workshop on Saturday, Sept. 22nd! Try something new, have some fun and feel better!

No previous experience necessary

• Release muscular tension.
• Alleviate pain.
• Better balance.
• Light, easy, efficient, graceful movement.
• Feel better!

Alexander Technique is unique in that it specifically increases your awareness of your head, neck and back, and gives you tools to release tension, direct the lines of your own body, and flow in movement.

Date: Saturday, September 22
Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Cost: $25
at: Cheryl Burke Dance, Mt. View 650-864-9150

Everyone: Please bring a yoga mat and 2-3 paperback books (or a bath towel) to place under your head during floor work.

Ladies: Please wear or bring loose slacks or workout clothes.

Don't miss this opportunity!

Dana

Alexander Technique is a world-class system of body awareness in activity that relieves pain and releases muscular tension. Taught at 50 Conservatories and Universities and used in pain management centers across the U.S., and integrated into medical systems in England, Israel and Australia.

Dana Ben-Yehuda, M. AmSAT, is a Certified Teacher of the Alexander Technique with over 1600 hours of training. She has been in private practice for over ten years and works with dancers, musicians, and computer users suffering from neck & back pain.

To the members of El Camino Hospital's Cancer Support Group, hello!

Come learn how the Alexander Technique can help cancer patients and their caregivers, at the support group meeting on August 28, 2012.

Alexander Technique gives a sense of peace in the body and alleviates pain. It saves energy when you sit, stand, and walk. (BBC, "Perspective: Posture and Pain.") Students say they feel lighter and that tension melts away. By practicing Alexander Technique, simple sitting and standing comes into balance and alignment. I use this in my ballroom dancing all the time. Balance helps movement, posture and poise, and you can use it at any level.

Benefits of the Alexander Technique:

– Learn easier ways to move – sit, stand, and walk with less effort
– Alleviate pain – relieve physical tension – quiet the mind
– Learn a cheerful process that gives freer movement and better balance

A cancer survivor and former Alexander student says:

Continue reading "El Camino Hospital, Cancer Support Group - the Alexander Technique" »

How would it feel to have less tightness and more freedom in your body?

The basic way you do things all day long trains the same body you use for dancing. Come to an Alexander Technique workshop to shed everyday habits of tension, free your dancing body, and have some fun!

People liked the two previous workshops so we are doing another! This week we’ll learn ways to apply the Alexander Technique to relieve pain, feel lighter, and have freer movement.

- Learn basic concepts of the Alexander Technique
- Increase awareness of the head and neck
- Explore how this connects with releasing into length

Date: Saturday, July 21st, 3:30 - 4:30 pm

Cost: $12

Location: Dance Vita
85 43rd Street, San Mateo, CA
650-345-VITA

Everyone: Please bring a yoga mat and 2-3 paperback books (or a bath towel) to place under your head during floor work.

Ladies: Please wear or bring loose slacks or yoga pants.

See you there!

Dana

Hello my friends,

Come to an Alexander Technique workshop at Dance Vita Ballroom Studio this Saturday, July 14, 3:30-4:30 pm, in San Mateo: Alexander Technique - Alleviate Pain and Improve Line and Flow

This will be the second workshop in a series, however I’ll refresh the basics, so everyone is welcome.

Note from last week: some people found relief from pain just in that one hour. I tell you, this is helpful and if you have back pain or you dance, I hope you come!

* Alleviate pain
* Release more freely into length
* Improve body awareness

Continue reading "Alexander Technique - Workshop for Dancers" »

Hello my friends!

Do you have back pain? This is a brief video with one scientist's view of the Alexander Technique. Sharon Gourdji came for lessons because of low back pain that had persisted over a number of years. Half a dozen lessons later, she is feeling better.

She is also a dancer and has some insights on unexpected benefits that she found:

Come and dance! Come gain freedom from back pain. The British Medical Journal (BMJ) published a large scale study on low back pain and Alexander Technique. Results showed dramatic reduction in pain with long-lasting results and zero - Zero - serious adverse effects. Patients went from 21 days of pain a month, down to 3 days of pain a month, with 24 lessons in the Alexander Technique, alone.

Come out of pain and into life again.

Namaste,

Dana

Hello my friends,

One of my students came because of posture, and discovered that Alexander Technique helped her deal with a much more serious issue in her life...Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

In fact, the MS Foundation does recommend Alexander Technique for people dealing with MS. Here is an article that the MS Foundation published. It was reviewed by the Multiple Sclerosis Advisory Board. Three AT teachers were interviewed (Jane Kosminsky, Robert Rickover, and myself) as well as two more of my students.

I hope that anyone with MS has an Alexander Teacher nearby and tries this.

Namaste,

Dana

Hello my friends!

I'm so happy to share Alexander Technique and the magical feeling that it gives me. I love the way it helps me release tension out of my neck and shoulders.

Come and feel it for yourself in two workshops, Saturday, July 7th and 14th, at Dance Vita Ballroom Studio. $12/one, $20/two.

So many times we try too hard and only end up with sore muscles and excess tension. This is a way to learn to release tension and still be upright - to let your head be up on top naturally, without strain or pushing. Feel like your bones are hanging and you move without effort.

There is a difference between an appropriate amount of tone (good) and excessive tension (bad; it blocks your movement). These workshops help you learn conscious control of muscular effort. Imagine if you could do more with less effort?

Alexander Technique is a fundamental skill that you can apply to anything in life - from less effort brushing your teeth, to less effort being up on your toes.

Continue reading "Alexander Technique at Dance Vita Ballroom Studio" »

Hello friends,

I'm happy to share with you about an upcoming workshop that I'll be teaching. Dancers: this is specially fine-tuned for you. We'll focus on reducing pain in the muscles and joints, releasing into length and improving awareness, particularly, the head and neck.

How would it feel to have less tightness and more freedom in your body?

This series of 1- hour workshops will give you tools to let your muscles flow with ease and improve your balance. Through hands on activities drawn from the Alexander Technique, a sophisticated system of musculoskeletal rehabilitation, you will learn to:

• Reduce pain
• Release into length
• Improve body awareness
• Resolve common movement problems that cause chronic pain
• Release compressed joints and muscles

Come unwind tension and feel better! Leave with skills that you can immediately apply to improve your dancing line, and your life.

Dates: Saturdays, July 7 and 14
Location: Dance Vita Ballroom Studio in San Mateo
Time: 3:30 – 4:30 pm
Cost: $12/class or both for $20. Highly recommended to attend both days!

Everyone: Please bring a yoga mat and 2-3 paperback books (or a bath towel) to place under your head during floor work.

Ladies: Please wear or bring loose slacks or yoga pants.

Alexander Technique is the method taught at the Julliard School, the San Francisco Ballet and American Conservatory Theater, to improve line and flow, increase body awareness, and to manage pain and tension issues.

Hello my friends,

No wonder it feels better after Alexander lessons...

This "head forward posture" increases stress and compression on the whole spine and through it, the entire body. You can see that as the head moves forward, it more than triples the weight on the neck!

There are different ways to open up this posture and feel better. I teach the Alexander Technique. This is a way of using light tough and gentle guidance with verbal instruction to release tension from your neck. Your head floats up, your muscles release and the whole system is freed to reorganize and become better aligned. Results include feeling light, easy, and pain-free. Many students regain up to 1 1/2" in height.

Forward head posture also adds years to your appearance. Do you look old before your time due to forward head posture?

You can look younger, feel better, stand tall! Find a way that works for you! I invite you to try the Alexander Technique.

Namaste,
Dana

Hello friends!

I recently decided to try Toastmasters. The local chapter allowed me to come as a guest and test the waters. Today's theme was about life as it may be, in the future. Living in Silicon Valley, that means technology and how that changes our lives.

My Alexander thought about that is, as life as we know it, changes, how well do we adapt? If we don't, won't, or can't, what are the repercussions?

How do we change in response to technology? Given Moore’s Law and the rapidity of change, are we able to change fast enough to keep up with the times? Or do we become quicker in reply, but pay the price with our relationships, lack of free time, being overweight, out of shape, and too stressed to relax after dinner and play baseball with our kids?

Continue reading "Toastmasters, Alexander Technique and Imagination" »

Good morning, friends!

Here's an interesting look at how children with learning and developmental disabilities respond to the Alexander Technique.

Israel is progressive and the health system recognizes Alexander Technique for back pain. Here it is being used with children who have developmental issues.

Fascinating video; well worth watching:

Hello my friends,

Good posture can give you a competitive edge whether you’re looking for a job or you’re up for promotion. This Thursday is Career Day at the APICS Santa Clara Valley Chapter.

Come hear a talk about literally positioning yourself to win.

I'll give a talk about how good posture can give you a competitive edge whether you’re looking for a job, or you’re up for promotion. I’ll share results from some new studies on job hunting and posture, and I’ll give you some quick tips that you can use right away.

Other speakers will also cover topics like resumes, interviews, personal strategies, and follow-up.

12:15 PM - 5:30 PM

Questions: Call APICS at 408-727-1125

If you're interested in some posture coaching for your own job hunt, I suggest considering a short series of Alexander sessions. Give me a call!

CONTINUE READING for details on Career Day/ where to go, etc.

Continue reading "Job Hunting? Improve your Posture to Increase your Odds" »

Hello my friends!

Here is a rare find: Nikolaas Tinbergen's Nobel Prize acceptance speech from 1973, for his work in ethology and stress diseases.

Quite a bit of his speech is all about the Alexander Technique; what it is, why and how he overcame his own scientific skepticism, and the results of the lessons he, his wife and daughter all took.

Fascinating slides with before and after photographs of patients of Dr. Wilfred Barlow are about 2/3 through the speech. Dr. Barlow was a noted rheumatologist, who trained with F.M. Alexander to be a practitioner of the Technique.

Nine minutes fly by when the information transforms your life.

Namaste,

Dana

Hello my friends,

Thanks so much for stopping by again. It's always nice to take a moment to say hi. If you are on a personal quest for health and fitness, I'm glad to talk with you. I am very thankful for my own health and do not take it for granted!

Here are some quick highlights of the past year:

- SJSU Dance Dept – Guest instructor

- Journal for California Dental Hygienists Assn (CDHA) I was requested to write an article for this reviewed Journal. The issue was later picked up and republished by the American Dental Hygienists’ Assn. (ADHA.) .) Click on this link to download the article.

- East West Bookstore – a lively talk/demo of Alexander Technique

- Radio interview with Bonnie Coleen on KEST radio. I share some stories about the Technique and the essence of its power for transformation. Click here to listen to the podcast.

Do you know someone who may benefit from Alexander Technique? I am grateful for your referrals. For anyone who's curious to find out if this may help them, I'm offering a free, 20 minute telephone consultation.

with appreciation,

Dana

Greetings!

As January is well under way, health and fitness are on many of our minds. Good posture helps with whatever you do. You will instantly look more confident and more slender. It helps with body mechanics and improves your workout results.

According to the current issue of Harvard Medical School Health Beat Extra:

"Good posture trims your silhouette and projects confidence. More importantly, it lessens wear and tear on the spine and allows you to breathe deeply. Good posture helps you gain full benefits from the effort you put into exercising, too."

It's true! Proper form helps you use the muscles you are targeting when you exercise. You will get better results if you use yourself correctly rather than compensate by momentum or using some other body parts.

Learn how the Alexander Technique helps you put your mind into your body. Putting your "sole" into the gym gets you started. It takes consciousness to reap the benefits.

If you're going to put in time, you may as well reap the benefits!

Drop me a line and I will offer a free, 20 minute phone consultation.

Let's get fit and look younger in 2012!

Dana

Hello my friends,

Did you drop in because you saw the news on ABC television, about how to be free from back pain without drugs?

Or are you an old friend who visits now and again?

Charlotte Keenan, a researcher for ABC Action News was looking for a way out of back pain. She came across a report about a method that promises to be drug free and free her from pain. It's called the Alexander Technique. It is moving into the mainstream. Come find out...

She investigated with a reporter's inquisitive mind and she found that it is connected with awareness and retraining how we move.

Easy, right?

Not so simple if you've ever tried to do it on your own. Have you ever tried to change your golf swing? Or maintain good posture while you sit and text from your phone? It's not so easy to do on your own. After all, if it were that easy, we'd all be doing it. Get some input from a pro and your progress will be faster.

Here's a video from ABC Action News
Ali Gorman, R. N., reports that a method is becoming mainstream and appears to be effective:

I am an Alexander Teacher. I help people out of pain. Are you a little bit curious?

Give me a call! I'll give you a free, 20 minute telephone consultation.

Here's to a life in Joy and out of pain!

Namaste,

Dana

Hello my friends!

The American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT) Gains National Visibility

Over 600 teachers nationwide, and 3,500 teachers internationally, are reaching out to help people understand how this work helps relieve back pain by 85%, help balance, reduce tension and help people relieve stress, both mind and body. This is the 8th annual International Alexander Awareness Week!

Find an event near you!

I will be speaking at Jenny Craig in Mountain View. The way you carry yourself impacts how you feel inside. Walk Tall! Be Light!

Carry yourself well and feel a sense of your spine in every meaning of the word. When you are centered in yourself, it is easier to make better choices.

Come look 5-10 pounds thinner instantly by improving your posture.

See you at Jenny Craig!

Dana

Hello my friends!

This Saturday at the Pacific Grand Ball was wonderful. I had the opportunity to work amongst many good people and see a bit of the most beautiful dancing in the world.

A number of people tried Alexander hands-on. Everyone who tried it, liked it! A short time on the table was enough to feel a change; freer, lighter, easier in the joints and taller, to boot!

More people were curious; what the heck is this Alexander, anyway?

"It's like dancing; try a few steps, try a little gentle hands-on and see."

For those of you who were brave souls, thank you for your trust. Maybe next time, if you weren't one of those people, come for a few minutes and try it!

Imagine releasing your joints into movement rather than muscle through, with effort. And...it feels good. This is a skill that can be learned, and like dancing, it works best when your teacher dances with you so you feel it. This is similar; it works best with gentle hands-on, so you feel it.

Hope to see you soon! Call me and mention the PGB; I'll give you a free 20 minute telephone consultation.

Dana

Hello friends and dancers!

The Pacific Grand Ball is coming up on September 24th!

While you're there, you are invited to try some gentle touch, Alexander hands-on and release tension from your neck and back. Restore your energy and renew yourself!
$1/minute, special event pricing.

This is a special offer; sign up at the event or contact me in advance to reserve time.
Most people say that they feel better right away. It's a long day...try it and see!

In health,

Dana

p.s. follow the PGB on Facebook for the latest updates!

Hello friends!

I am very happy to share an article in the current Journal for the California Dental Hygienists' Association (CDHA).

Click on this link to download the article: Working Pain-Free: The Alexander Technique

Dental hygienists often crouch over people, work under time pressure and are often in pain. This article is about a way of working pain free. Please feel free to read - and share!

Cathy Draper, RDH, MS, and editor of the CDHA Journal, also writes:

"The focus of this issue of the CHDA Journal is pain. Whether you are a clinician, educator or a student, you will find timely information on anesthetic options, techniques and ergonomics to incorporate into your daily practice. Our ability to provide effective pain control can improve the outcomes in the care we deliver and ultimately change the public’s perceptions about oral health and dental treatment. "

Download the full issue of the current (Summer 2011) CDHA Journal. For your convenience: the article on Alexander technique is on pages 22-23.

With appreciation to my dental hygienist who always provides me with compassionate care, and to all dental hygienists everywhere.

In health,

Dana

Hello my friends!

It is morning and I'm sitting here with my coffee, listening to NPR. Sitting here reminds me that too much sitting leaves many of us aching at the end of the day. Sitting is literally a pain.

Musicians have double trouble; some of them sit to play and all of them use their hands and arms in repetitive motions. There must be something wrong with the way we sit, the way we use our arms, or it wouldn't hurt. It's not supposed to; really, it's not.

Basically, we need to figure out what it is that we are doing that is connected with our pain. Are we slumping? Tensing up and hunching over? Obviously, if we could tell, we wouldn't do it! What are some ways out of this endless loop? Keep reading...for one of them...

Continue reading "Alexander Technique: A Balm For Back Pain? on NPR" »

Hello my friends,

Have you tried Alexander Technique and struggled to explain it to your friends and family?

Have you heard of the Technique but haven't been able to figure out what it is?

Here's a podcast for you - you can listen online or download it to your iTunes.

Pull up a chair, have a cup of coffee and listen in...

Continue reading "Podcast: Conscious Living - Introduction to the Alexander Technique" »

Hello my friends,

A recent article in the New York Times (6/24/11) makes the connection between posture and pain. Low back pain is all too common in the United States, affecting some 80% of Americans at one time or another in their lifetime. Mary Ann Wilmarth, chief of physical therapy at Harvard University Health Services, says “Posture is the key."

For better posture, the Times recommends the Alexander Technique, a method that not only improves posture, but also reduces tension and pain.

“The majority of back pain is the result of muscle and ligament strain or weakness, and can often be prevented by developing core strength and proper posture,” said Dr. Daniel Mazanec, associate director of the Center for Spine Health at the Cleveland Clinic. A study published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ 2008; 337:a884) showed 86% reduction in pain through 24 lessons in the Alexander Technique alone. Study results were measured a year after the study began, showing lasting results six months after the lessons ended.

Continue reading "NY Times: for Better Posture/Less Back Pain try Alexander Technique" »

Hello my friends,

If you're still not clear about how this method for standing up straight without "standing up straight" works, take a look at this quick video.

Lisa Lutton gives a great demo about how thinking differently connects with posture and feeling better.

On WWWL TV:

One day, I visited the training course and received a gift from a visit six months earlier when I had visited before. One of the trainees on the course read me a poem she wrote from that earlier time.

Attentive yet detached,
Simple, gentle yet powerful,
Doing by non-doing,
Invisible and visible meet
Mysteriously in the
Empty hand…

Naturally at ease in her touch,
She creates a vast space
In which I can breathe
Peacefully and freely...

--Yuko Okada

I am humbled...and grateful. Thank you, Yuko.

Namaste,

Dana

Hello friends,

On the morning before my talk at East-West Bookstore, Bonnie Coleen interviewed me about the Alexander Technique, on her personal growth talk radio, Seeing Beyond. We spoke about the essence of the Technique; what it is and also, what happens in a lesson. Bonnie did a great job pulling stories out of me. I hope you'll listen and let me know what you think!

Hear the talk online by clicking here.

You'll hear an invitation to come to East-West, so please be just a little patient as it begins.

I'd love to hear from you.

Peace,

Dana

Hello my friends!

Are you curious about what this Alexander Technique is all about?
Come to a free talk that I'll be giving later this month.

It will be at East-West Bookstore in downtown Mt. View. Here is the information from their Events listing.

Come say hi if you attend. If you mention that you saw the notice of the event on this blog, I'll offer you a complimentary 20-minute consultation.

Peace,

Dana

About the Event:
We all know that good posture is better for our health. Indeed, the way we carry ourselves in our daily life affects our whole self—the entire, psycho-physical-spiritual being. But despite all we know about posture, why is it so difficult to do? Mind and body are inextricably linked and we can help that connection improve its function. Dana Ben-Yehuda, M.AmSAT, is a Certified Alexander Teacher in her 10th year of private practice. The Alexander Technique is about the connection between thought and muscular activity and is a skill for self-empowered healing. Come to a lively talk/demonstration and see for yourself what it's all about.

Details below

Continue reading "Health is a Question of Balance - Free Talk" »

Hello my friends,

Today's Huffington Post has an article by blogger, *Dr. Loren Fishman: The Ten Commandments of Back Pain.

Amongst her recommendations, Dr. Fishman recommends Alexander Technique. She said that her patients say that it "works wonders for back pain."

Take a look...give me a call. Living pain free is a worthwhile goal.

Peace,

Dana

*Dr. Fishman is the Medical Director of Manhattan Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in New York City.

Hello Friends!

It has been too long...and it is time to reconnect. Thanks so much for stopping by.

The Dance Department at San Jose State University has a year-long class in Kinesiology. This term they're studying practices for injury prevention and well-being. Luckily, that includes Alexander Technique and I was lucky to be invited to teach.

The Technique is a skill for thinking in the body, in activity and stillness. It's a way of increasing your awareness that empowers you to have more conscious control in movement. So...come find freedom to choose your expression, dancers! If you didn't wake up in time today, see you Thursday!*

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:00 am, May 3 - 12.

Hope to see you there!

Dana

*Enrollment in the course is required.

Hello my friends,

Here is the amazing Ann Matthews, giving an Alexander floor lesson at 84 years old.

She is amazing and as she tells her personal story, she's an inspiration:

Be inspired! Learn to use the tools we are given and live better!

Peace,
Dana

Call it the anti-pain, anti-gravity method

- for better posture, relief from back and neck pain, freedom of movement
- to live pain free – a feeling of lightness and ease - optimal functioning

It’s called the Alexander Technique, a gentle method for restoring natural patterns of movement.

There was a time in life when you walked upright in a natural, easy manner and you didn’t have to think about it.

What happened?

Over time, we pick up poor habits of posture that make us feel heavy. Thumping our feet, feeling heavy as we walk because we are out of balance.

Imagine going for a walk outdoors and coming to a gate in a fence. If it’s well balanced, the lightest touch sets it in motion. When it’s hanging off the hinges, it is heavy and hard to move.

The same is true for people.

One of the fundamental principles of the Technique is the head needs to be in balance on top of the spine, and the head and neck also in balance in relation to the torso. It's called the Primary Control. Any imbalances will increase the muscular effort in moving around in your daily life, just like pushing a gate off balance makes it so much heavier to move.

Continue reading "Better posture, less pain: the Alexander Technique" »

Hello friends!

Did I mention that I recommended two books to this curious student-to-be?

I certainly think that reading F.M. Alexander is key if you want the true essence of the Technique. Everything else is a distillation and interpretation. Try his book, The Use of the Self. If you only read the first chapter, “Evolution of a Technique,” you would have the essence of the work.

You can find The Use of the Self at AmSAT* Books online.

For clear pictures and very clear, practical guidance, I like Glynn MacDonald's book:

2) The Complete Illustrated Guide to Alexander Technique: A Practical Approach to Health, Poise, and Fitness, by Glynn MacDonald

Curious to hear if you read these; let me know if they are helpful!

Peace,
Dana

*The American Society for the Alexander Technique

Hello my friends,

One of my just-beginning students felt the need to understand what will happen during lessons in the Alexander Technique, in order to fully be engaged in doing the work. Good point! He requested a "how-to" book and I offered two suggestions.

He looked online and wrote back that there were positive reviews of one book, however there was one negative review and he was concerned. What was the problem? Someone - it happened to be a chiropractor - couldn't understand how to do the process, after reading F.M. Alexander's own description.

I tell you, it is a thorny issue, because the problem is part of the answer.

The reason that it is so difficult to learn this method from a book is that we can't feel correctly, what we are doing with our bodies. If that doesn't make sense, try thinking of it this way. If we could feel what we’re doing that’s connected with our bad posture, we’d fix it. Therefore, the logical conclusion is that our inner sense of our bodies isn’t giving us a true picture.

That's what this method is all about. Alexander Technique trues up this inner sense so you feel what you are doing in the right way and self-correct. It is a skill that you acquire and can use for the rest of your life.

My (hopefully new student) wanted to understand this process, so I sent him a simple explanation of how it works.

Continue reading "Keeping it Simple: Better Posture, Better Functioning" »

Hello friends,

I want to tell a story today about what entrances me about this work that I do.

It is gratifying to help people and a blessing and a gift to help people out of pain.

But it is the sense of wonder that keeps me endlessly fascinated with this fabulous method. While in training to be a teacher, it mystified me that it worked. "Of course it works!" exclaimed my teacher. And it does...

I first came in contact with the Alexander Technique in 1983, when I began taking lessons in Tel-Aviv, Israel. All that I can remember from my first lesson is a Zen-like experience as I floated down the street, afterward. Although the streets were noisy and bustling, a sense of peace and inner quiet accompanied me home.

That experience is at the core of what entrances me with this Work. I have often wondered, what is this Alexander Technique, anyway? How can we talk about something that is often known for posture and pain, yet affects people so profoundly in their spirit?

I finally came to realize that it might be helpful to return to what Mr. Alexander used to say. He called it, "the Work."

He also said that we are psycho-physical beings.
I would add, that we are psycho-physical-spiritual beings.

The conventional description is that the Work helps people undo postural patterns that are often at the root of pain.

However, the Work is not only about body mechanics. It is a skill to undo habit patterns that have put us wrong, over time. That is as true for habitual reactions to emotional stimuli as it is for physical patterns in how we move our bodies in daily life.

Physically, the premise is that the way we carry ourselves, affects how we function.

On a deeper level, I believe that this work helps to open the flow of Chi and wake up our Consciousness.

To me, this is where the deeper challenges lie...the development of human potential....the Work.

Namaste,
Dana

Hello Friends,

I have been inspired by a child who has an amazing ability as a virtuoso and also seems to have fun at the same time. She plays while she plays, in all senses of the word.

This video is of a very young, very special little girl.

She extraordinary. Beyond her amazing prodigy, I'm looking at how loose and free she is. One day she'll stun the world.

Alexander students say that lessons in the Alexander Technique give them a sense of freedom, ease, and lightness in movement. I invite you to come and try!

To all my musician friends and students,wishing you all free elbows, free wrists, and as much joy as you can handle!

Namaste,
Dana

Oprah Magazine recommends Alexander Technique for back pain. "When Ibuprofen Won't Cut It" ....use Alexander Technique!

The recommendation is based on a large-scale study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in August, 2008.

In April, 2009, O Magazine published a more complete article, reporting on the back pain study.

See the original study on the BMJ site

Go, Oprah! :-)

Hello friends!

Today in the Wall St. Journal, "What's Your Workout? Sharpening Mind and Body with Martial Arts," by Jen Murphy, tells the story of one man's quest to cure his back pain.

Mr. Mark Fromm practiced martial arts and boxing in his teens and early 20's. He was forced to stop and suffered from back pain for years after a car crash in his college years, and tried many things to cure his pain.

What worked for him: the Alexander Technique, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and yiquan .

Mr. Fromm emphasizes need for mindfulness in all activities. Yes! Whether you're trying to solve a software problem or a body problem the first step is awareness. All of his practices bring one into the present moment.

Here’s the video of Mr. Fromm and his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Peace,
Dana

Hello friends,

I’ve recently enjoying a return to creative cooking. It started with a recent trip abroad, and a reminder of how good it is to eat freshly cooked, unprocessed food that has real flavor. I was keenly aware of how much better the food tasted for all the additives that were not in it. We bought small quantities of real, fresh food that didn’t have expiration dates a month out. We shopped often and lightly, and ate well.

Not surprisingly, all my teaching metaphors lately have been food-related. For instance, I work with a number of musicians; many of them are in pain from too much muscular tension in their minds and bodies as they play.

It suddenly came to me that making music is a lot like cooking soup. There’s a certain amount of muscular effort necessary to play, and a certain amount of salt necessary for good taste. I prefer adding salt to the soup till it's right, rather than using too much and throwing in potatoes to soak up the excess.

Continue reading "A Recipe for Pain-Free Practice" »

Hello Friends,

I just have a simple thought to share today.

Perfect posture eludes most of us. But what is perfection, anyway?

Is it a perfectly balanced mannikin in the storefront window? If that defines perfect, would you even want it?

Maybe perfection is more of a state of flow rather than position....

Maybe ease and balance and lightness of being are what we really want...

Freedom from pain, poise and grace. Those are the hallmarks of the Alexander Technique. When we have those qualities, posture....happens....

I will go dancing soon and think about flow, and line...and ease.

Wishing you grace to light your day,
Dana

Hello Friends,

Thanks for stopping by again. I'm inspired by my colleagues - surely a nice thing! It's wonderful to learn so much from them. My friend, Sandra Riddell, in Edinburgh, wrote a lovely letter about a quote from Viktor Frankl. We had a lovely exchange that I'd like to share. With her permission, here 'tis:

Viktor Frankl was a survivor of the concentration camps. He went on to develop a system of psychotherapy based on his experiences there, and the philosophy he outlined in his book, Man's Search for Meaning.

"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. The last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." Dr. Viktor Frankl

Continue reading "Viktor Frankl: the Freedom to Choose" »

April 15, 2010

Hello Friends,

Are you on Twitter? Do you have fun with it or do you use it with a sense of purpose and seriousness, for marketing a business?

One of my colleagues in Holland, Maaike Aarts, wondered about making her tweets about the Alexander Technique more lighthearted and funny.

I think she’s right on target. I have more fun reading Tweets that have humor, are inspirational, or both. Whatever the subject matter, I tend to remember the Tweet and seek out the Tweeter.

I think the same holds true for learning something; we tend to remember the times we have fun without any effort. Doesn't it make sense to be easy and light in our words as well as our bodies?

Happy Tweeting!
Dana

Hello my friends!

It is almost spring and sunny and I am watching an amazing video that shows Roger Federer's footwork. Take a look!

What I notice is his amazing alignment and what in the Alexander world, is called "Use."

The narration describes his footwork and shows the direction of his movement in slo-mo.

You can also look at his alignment. See the perfect relationship between his head, neck and back. He is poised, aligned, and centered in all his moves.

Alexander used the word, "Use," to refer to the way we carry ourselves in every activity of life. He postulated that the basic way our head is set up on our neck, and the head and neck in relation to the back, is what he called the Primary Control for the entire, psycho-physical being.

The point, as one student of mine said, is "...making the most of the facility that one still has."

This related NY Times article on Mr. Federer states that "The argument for Federer as the greatest player in men’s tennis history starts from the ground up."

I suggest that it also starts from the head, down. Look at his head and eyes, turning and focused on the ball and also, on where he's about to go. Can you see the alignment? The head leads and the body follows.

Be well! Stop a moment during your day to say Hello! to awareness and being present in your body.

The first step is awareness....

It is a sunny day and I'm heading out to enjoy it.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Little moments of awareness add up....let's do this again soon.

Good morning friends,

It's January and many people are trying to improve their bodies and their health.

Depending on what your problem is, you may choose from a host of offerings. To lose weight, go to the gym and diet. To stop smoking, some people use patches. To cure back pain, what do you do?

The British publication, Pulse, just published a report on a study on self-care for back pain in the current issue of Family Practice. Doctors prescribed either exercise or the Alexander Technique. In the early phases, about 40% of people liked either one. As the study went on, the balance shifted to 66% of patients liking the Alexander Technique, while those who preferred exercise stayed about the same.

I suppose that leaves some people who didn't like either one, but maybe that's to be expected.

I think that having a 2/3 chance that you'll like something that's non-invasive, gentle, and empowers you to care for yourself to cure back pain, is worth checking out.

Give me a call! If you're in my area, maybe I can help. If not, I'll help you find a teacher near you.

Did you know?
A study on back pain was published in the British Medical Journal in August, 2008. It showed that people went from 21 days of pain per month to 3 days of pain, using 24 lessons in the Alexander Technique alone.

Hey friends!

Victoria Beckham decided that rather than give up her 5 inch heels to improve her posture, she could take lessons in the Alexander Technique.

It's all over the news. Marie Claire in the U.K. wrote about it today.

The Daily Mail got the word out the day before.

Walking in stilettos is all about balance, and the Alexander Technique is a great way to get there. I love my heels and will be teaching workshops on walking in stilettos, coming soon.

Stay tuned for more info!

Hello good friends,

It's so nice when you stop by and visit. Perhaps we can chat about nothing again. Isn't that how Seinfeld got started? It's a show about nothing....

Sometimes when you take a lesson, the best thing to do is just go along with whatever is happening. It's better not to think too much and let yourself experience a different way of moving. Have you ever gotten intense from trying too hard? If we play with the word, we have "in" and "tense." Put them together and maybe it's tension going inward, or inner tension. Either way, that's too much work.

I like to call my studio, the "no work, no pain school."

Sometimes it is Just Fine and in fact, preferable to lay on the table and go into the Zone. The body has a wisdom of its own. So many times what we really need is to renew the experience of letting it happen.

Sometimes, a mind is a terrible thing to use.

Hello my friends!

Thanks so much for stopping by. Grab a cup of coffee and pull up a chair. I'd like to go back to the discussion that was the reason for this blog. What is this stuff, anyway? Why do we talk about the "Alexander Technique?"

Lately, it seems to me that it would be better go back to what Mr. Alexander used to say. He called it, "the Work."

If you've ever taken lessons and then tried to describe the Alexander Technique, you understand the challenge that this represents.

There’s the conventional description of how it helps people undo postural patterns that are often at the root of pain.

Then there are the deeper ramifications of the work. That's where this blog, Applied Alexander Technique®, comes into play for me.

F.M. (Alexander) said that we are psycho-physical beings.

If so, then perhaps we need an entirely new, synthesized language to begin to truly discuss this in holistic terms of the Self.

The aspect of this work that attracts me most deeply is that it is not only about body mechanics. The Alexander Technique is a skill to UNdo habit patterns that have put us wrong, over time. That is as true for habitual reactions to emotional stimuli as it is for physical patterns in how we move our bodies in daily life.

Physically, the premise is that the way we carry ourselves, affects how we function. Absolutely true! For instance, in dance, good posture in activity gives balance, ease, and poise. In terms of the how-it's-done, the Technique is incredibly gentle. Instead of pulling on some body part that is tight and off-center to make it go in the right direction, we UNdo the reason it's tight in the first place.

Once upon a time, we were born with bodies that worked and were balanced. We ran and played and walked upright because that is how children are born and grow.

That open, upright posture is still within us and it can be reawakened.

On an internal level, I also believe and sense that this work helps to open the flow of Chi and wake up our Consciousness.

That's where the real challenges lie...the development of human potential....that is truly, the Work.

Give me a call sometime!

Dana

Aloha, my friends!

I promised to let you know how my pineapple crown does.

You may recall the instructions. They said to pull off the bottom inch or so of leaves from around the crown, let it dry on the counter for 2-3 days, and at long last, to put the crown in 1 1/2" of water.

Two days after being in water, I thought it was going to die. The remaining outer leaves started turning brown and soggy. A few fell off. I was worried about writing to you.

I kept adding a little water to the dish and kept it out of the sun but in a bright spot on the kitchen counter.

Several days later, I ventured to lift it out of the water and see what was going on.

Roots! But quelle surprise! It is growing roots, but not out the bottom!

Continue reading "Roots! Or, A Pineapple's Story" »

Hello my friends,

Welcome....come on in and enjoy some of the sweet end of summer while we can. I just came back from Hawaii and have lots of good energy to share.

I woke up this morning thinking about Maui.

I woke up feeling the Island air and how soft it is. I can still feel it, caressing my skin. It is so warm that it melts me, but not so warm that it burns. It is soft, it is soothing, and I could drift away into it, into the Zone.

Melting into nothingness, feeling my body float away till there is nothing left and I’m just floating in space; that is the experience for me of sitting quietly out by the ocean’s edge.

Two days ago, I was lying under a tree on Ka’anapali beach. The breeze was warm and gentle. I drifted off to sleep, and when I woke, it was to consciousness but not to any particular sensation.

Can I do Constructive Rest while floating off in a Hawaiian breeze?
In that floating feeling, how does one find a sense of direction?

I notice that I can think very lightly up my spine, just letting it be and yet knowing it is there.

Thinking lightly down my legs, out the heels, but not pulling, not pulling at all.

I notice that my back widens out the shoulders in either direction. I send a thought going up my neck and notice my head is lightly poised on top.

It is as if I am floating in space. Nothing is pulling, yet I sense that there is a space that my body takes.

I can think in a direction in my body, in whatever position I may be.

I can think of Maui and the warm, Hawaiian air and let it fill me again, all the way here in the Mainland.

That is the skill, of thinking in the body that is taught in the Alexander Technique. Like any skill, it takes practice. This morning I can still feel Hawaii and the ocean in my body. What a good skill…it is so worth practicing…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit, or in Hawaiian, Mahalo!

Aloha,

Dana

Hello Friends,

Continuing on a theme of amazing use of one's body, here's Fred Astaire swinging a golf club.

Look at his balance and poise! I am always stunned and enthralled by the natural alignment and grace in his spine.

One of the basic premises of the Alexander Technique is that "Use affects Function." In other words, the way we carry ourselves in activity affects how well we function, feel and perform.

Watch as Mr. Astaire dances his way through a whole sequence of perfect swings.

Hello my friends,

Anne O. Glausser and Anne-Marie Corley, of the MIT Graduate Program in Science Writing, created a radio broadcast about the Alexander Technique.

They interviewed Dr. Donald B. Levy, of Harvard's Osher Clinic. They also met with and took a lesson from Kitty Breen and recorded some of the lesson for this broadcast. Ms. Breen is an AmSAT Certified Alexander Teacher in Cambridge, MA.

Dr. Levy is the Medical Director of the Osher Clinical Center For Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies. He speaks about back pain and Alexander Technique, and refers to results from a study that was published in the British Medical Journal. Dr. Levy speaks clearly about what the Technique is, and what it is not. I was impressed!

I’ve heard it and think it’s very good. If you have anyone in your life who might find the Technique useful, this is a nice way for them to find out about it, and the piece is brief; only 4 minutes, 25 seconds.

The piece originally aired on WMBR's Soundtrack Science show on Monday, April 6 from 4-5pm EDT (1-2 pm, PDT). It is posted here, with permission.

Click on this link to hear the broadcast. You will have the option to listen online, or to save the file on your computer.

It is also available in WMBR's archives. To listen via WMBR, click on this link to their main page. Scroll down the page to the link for Sound Track Science, Monday April 6 broadcast. The link offers the option to either listen online, or download the MP3 file of the broadcast.

Please let me know what you think of this!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Hello friends,

Lately, I am reading a new book: Forgive for Good, by Dr. Fred Luskin, and enjoying it very much.

It's all about forgiveness, and that necessarily includes looking at grievances that we can learn to forgive.

Dr. Luskin talks about how much mindspace we give to grievances in our lives. He uses the example of a flight controller's screen that shows planes flying around as dark spots on the screen. They are an analogy for the dark feelings we get when we harbor grievances. Dr. Luskin goes on to say that dwelling on wrongs that have been done to us is like making those planes stay in the air forever, circling round and round. They are a corollary to how much mindspace we give our grievances. He suggests letting the planes land...

I tried it and what I noticed when my planes of dark feelings landed, is that what I was left looking at was the sky. Clear, blue sky (and my imagination added just a few, small puffy white clouds.) The sky was wide open and all things were possible. I felt sunny inside.

Reading this book is causing an attitudinal shift in me. It is making me wake up and look for the sky instead of the dark planes in my life. I'm learning to let the planes settle and focus on the sky.

I started thinking about applying the principle of dark planes to pain. Pain is like dark planes that become the focus of our attention, to the exclusion of the sky. Often times when various places hurt, we ignore everything else and our entire awareness may become focused on pain.

I think that this is one of the ways Alexander Technique helps with pain. In the practice, we stop focusing on the dark planes that are our aches and pains and let ourselves notice the whole and flow with it. So, my friends, let your mind wander a bit. Let it wander up and down your back and out your shoulders, and on to the world beyond. Try a lesson if you're curious; it is easier to learn this skill with a teacher.

Good morning, my friends!

Here's some news!

The April, 2009 issue of O, the Oprah Magazine is available today, March 17th.

It has a very nice article about back pain and the Alexander Technique, titled A Dramatic Cure for Back Pain. I am very happy to have been interviewed during the writing process even though not quoted, and I hope you enjoy the article!

The article discusses the study on back pain and Alexander Technique that was published in the British Medical Journal on August 19, 2008.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Please share this with everyone!

Making the Crooked Straight
- by Simona Fuma – reprinted with permission

They're the words a girl loves to hear: "Have you gotten taller?" "You've lost weight!" Such were the unsolicited comments I received when I visited the United States from my home in Israel recently, where, for the last three months, I had been practicing the Alexander Technique (AT)—a movement re-education program that involves hands-on adjustments to improve posture and coordination.

While yoga, Pilates and other posture-enhancing methods have swept the U.S. in recent years, AT has enjoyed a thriving presence under the radar. Its hubs include London, New York, San Francisco and Israel, which boasts one of the highest numbers of AT teachers per capita (300). Stateside, there are an estimated 800 certified teachers and tens of thousands of students.

Oscar-winning actress Hillary Swank was one of those students while preparing for her 2001 role as an 18th-century French countess in The Affair of the Necklace. "Jean Louis [her AT instructor] taught me that an aristocrat didn't just sit down in a chair," Swank famously told the The New York Times. "She floated down. And she floated up and down stairs. She certainly didn't climb them, for that implies effort." AT also counts Lady Judi Dench, Paul McCartney and Sting among its famous fans.

According to Dana Ben-Yehuda, media spokesperson for the American Society of the Alexander Technique (AmSAT)—and, perhaps fittingly, the daughter of an Israeli father—in the U.S. the Alexander Technique is popular among two categories of people. "Singers, actors and musicians use the technique to enhance their performances," she explains. In fact, the father of AT, Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955), was an Australian actor who developed the method to help him overcome chronic laryngitis.

The other category comprises people who are in pain and looking to AT for relief. After all, most health experts agree that good posture and proper muscle relaxation go a long way toward preventing back pain, the fifth most frequent reason for all physician visits in the U.S.

Dr. Howard L. Rosner, medical director of The Pain Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, says that the number one complaint of the patients he sees is lower back pain, and he recommends the Alexander Technique, along with other forms of physical therapy, to treat muscular-skeletal pain. "The Alexander Technique can retrain people to use their bodies more constructively," he says. "It can impact neck pain, low back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome."

Continue reading "Alexander Technique - Making the Crooked Straight" »

Hi there!

It's so nice to see you again!

The Applied Alexander® blog is all the Alexander Technique (AT, for short), life musings and interesting tidbits, and an exploration of how AT is relevant to the entire mind-body continuum.

Today's post is about the Technique, from a different point of view.

Dr. Craig Bowron only had one lesson from my colleague, Lauren Hill. He did the best one-lesson job I have ever heard of communicating clearly about the way it feels.

He was interviewed on Twin Cities Live, KSTP Channel 5 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Here's what he had to say:

Thanks so much for stopping by; come back again soon.

Here's what came into my Inbox this morning. It's from the e-newsletter, Bottom Line Health. "100-Year-Old Solution to Back Pain -- Alexander Technique Body Movement Method Works Better than Other Therapies for Back Pain, Even a Year Later "

Media/journalists: Dana Ben-Yehuda is the Media Spokesperson for the American Society for the Alexander Technique. Contact her at dbenyehuda(at)comcast(dot)net

Wishing you a happy day!

Dana

Bottom Line's Daily Health News
February 8, 2009

In This Issue...

100-Year-Old Solution to Back Pain

Alexander Technique Body Movement Method Works Better than Other Therapies for Back Pain, Even a Year Later

Special from Bottom Line's Daily Health News
February 9, 2009

If you suffer from chronic back pain, you may want to consider a century-old, non-invasive, drug-free treatment method called the Alexander technique, which reeducates people on how to support and move their bodies. Recently an English study involving 579 patients with back pain put the Alexander technique to the test and demonstrated that it was effective and provided sustainable relief.

THE STUDY

Researchers established four groups of patients -- one took six Alexander technique lessons... another took 24 lessons... a third group had massage therapy only... and the fourth group had what the study team called "normal care." (Normal care was defined as care that would be offered by a general practitioner, and could include pain medications, non-mandatory referral to physiotherapy, etc.) All four groups were further divided in half, with one half walking briskly for 30 minutes a day and the others not exercising at all. Participants answered questionnaires about pain and function improvement at three months and one year. Results: The two Alexander technique groups reported significantly reduced back pain and improved functioning, including after 12 months, while there was little change in the massage and normal care groups. Among those who took just six lessons but who also did brisk walking, improvement was almost as great as those who took 24 lessons but did not exercise.

To find out more about the Alexander technique, I called Hope Gillerman, who has taught classes at physical rehabilitation centers and had a private practice in New York City for more than 25 years. Methods like acupuncture can offer immediate pain relief, notes Gillerman, but people with back pain also need a long-term, self-healing regimen -- and that is what the Alexander technique is. Most back pain comes from incorrect posture, poor body mechanics and excessive muscle tension, which increases when people are fatigued, angry, upset or in one position for a long time. Under duress, tension automatically builds in the back of the neck and the shoulders, pulling the heavy head downward into the spine, which causes compression. The fact that the pain becomes chronic further exacerbates all of these problems, Gillerman points out... since pain is upsetting and stops people from doing things and moving as they normally would, people develop more harmful habits. The Alexander technique can be effective because it addresses and helps to correct not only the cause of the injury, but also those harmful habits brought on by the pain.

HOW IT WORKS

At the heart of the Alexander technique is learning to keep the spine erect and properly supported. Gillerman explains that most people are unstable and "collapsed" through their torso, and hold and move their limbs in a rigid and stiff pattern. Without proper muscular support, the spine compresses, harming joints and tissues.

Here are three ways Gillerman helps her students envision what to do...

Continue reading "Bottom Line's Daily Health News Reports on Alexander Technique for Back Pain" »

Hello friends,

Here's news about MRI scans and low back pain.

Tara Parker-Pope reported on interesting information about low back pain, X-rays and MRIs. In her article, she reports that many people who have back pain undergo diagnostic tests that are not helpful. Sometimes, as a result of these tests, people undergo treatment that may not be necessary. It can be expensive as well as painful.

Ms. Parker-Pope cites a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. This study showed that 2 out of 3 people scanned with MRI showed evidence of disk problems. It concluded: Given the high prevalence of these findings and of back pain, the discovery by MRI of bulges or protrusions in people with low back pain may frequently be coincidental. Indeed; the people scanned were not in pain.

Ms. Parker-Pope also writes about another study, this one, published in The Lancet.

The report states in part: “Analysis of results from the 6 included studies shows that lumbar imaging for low back pain without features suggestive of a serious underlying condition does not, on average, improve clinical outcomes. This finding particularly applies to patients with acute or subacute, non-specific low back pain evaluated in primary care settings.”

At the same time, most people suffer with back pain at some point in time. According to Tara Parker-Pope’s article, that number is roughly two-thirds of us.

What is a person to do?

A study published in the British Medical Journal on Aug. 19, 2008, shows 86% reduction in number of days in pain per month following 24 lessons in the Alexander Technique. Patients went from 21 days of pain per month down to 3 days of pain.

Check it out: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/337/aug19_2/a884

Hello friends,

Remember, I promised to tell you how I might apply this thinking in the body to real life? I will tell you about my experience with the dentist....and undoing tension in my neck.

A year or two ago, I had to have a root canal and was literally getting uptight and tight-necked about it. I decided to try and apply the Alexander Technique to my thoughts about the dentist.

I started by doing the same thing I ask all my students to do: "First, we stop." Just Stop - Pause - and notice where I am and what's going on with me.

Then I began undoing the tension in my neck. You can do it along with me....we can do it, step-by-step.

Want to try? We'll start with something simple and expand to the neck.

Continue reading "A Visit to the Dentist without Pain - Neck or Otherwise" »

Hello friends,

It is a cool, gray and rainy day. It is getting lighter since we passed the solstice and I'm enjoying the lengthening days. One day I would love to visit Stonehenge and celebrate the end of darkening days and the beginning of the return of the sun. Have you ever been? I would love to hear from you.

Along those lines, here are a few sites with cheerful themes:

San Jose Heritage Rose Garden...here is their "Wall of Roses" page. Take a look and breathe in the beauty of these roses for a few moments. See if you don't feel better, no matter the weather!

And always, the ocean....remember, it is sunny and warm somewhere.....my favorite is Hawai'i.

Here is a list of blogs that offer information supporting wellness. Applied Alexander® is among them....browse through and see what else you may find!

Hello my curious friends!

Are you curious as to what the Alexander Technique is all about? I mean, how does it work and what does a lesson look like?

My friend and colleague, Annette Schmidt, has published an introductory video to show you exactly what it's about.

Does this make you wonder if it may help you, and if so, how?

Send a note to me; your questions and comments are welcome!

Curiosity is where it begins....

Hello all my friends who may ever or have ever suffered with back pain.

The British Medical Journal recently published an article on the on cost-effectiveness of the Alexander Technique for people with low back pain. According to the NBC Nightly News, Americans spend $90 billion dollars a year on back pain. Compare that to 24 lessons in the Alexander Technique and 86% reduction in pain, lasting over time.

Download article from BMJ

One of the most wonderful thing about the Technique is that it teaches you to change your thinking, and therefore, change the response in your body. It is an empowering method for self-care.

Take a look....

Part one:

and see part two of the video

Continue reading "The British Medical Journal reports on cost-effective treatment for low back pain" »

An open letter to the NBC Nightly News, with Brian Williams.

re: NBC Nightly News: Back Story

October 6, 2008, "Back Pain Epidemic Outpaces Treatment Options."

and October 7, 2008, "Cutting Down on Back Pain without Surgery."

The videos from NBC's broadcast are at the end of this post.

In October, the NBC Nightly News published two videos and two broadcasts about back pain. In response to this story, I’d like to bring to your attention as well as the attention of Brian Williams and Robert Bazell, two articles recently published in the British Medical Journal that answer the questions raised on the Nightly News.

1) “Back Pain Epidemic Outpaces Treatment Options”
Brian Williams aired this story on back pain and treatment options. The numbers quoted were beyond belief: we spend $90 billion a year in the US on back pain treatments; $60,000 per surgery.

2) The following night, Mr. Williams showed the video, “Cutting Down on Back Pain Without Surgery.” He began by saying that they double-checked the numbers from Monday's broadcast because they were so unbelievable; it turns out that they’re real. Robert Bazell, NBC News Chief science correspondent, ends the video saying, "...but experts say most people should try a non-surgical treatment first."

In answer:
3) A recent study shows 85% reduction in back pain without surgery and with zero serious adverse effects, through 24 lessons in the Alexander Technique. The study results were published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) on August 19, 2008; it is known as the ATEAM Trial. See: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/337/aug19_2/a884

4) On December 11, 2008, the BMJ published another article as well as an online video: "ATEAM Trial; the Economic Evaluation,” about the cost-effectiveness of the Alexander Technique as shown by the study. See:
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/337/dec11_2/a2656

The American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT) provides the following results from the study:

579 patients were involved in this multi-center clinical trial, which is one of the few major studies to show significant long-term benefits for patients with chronic non-specific low-back pain. BMJ, 2008;337:a884

One year after the trial started and following 24 Alexander Technique lessons the number of days in pain fell by 85% compared with the control group. The average number of activities limited by back pain had fallen by 42%.

In real numbers:
Control Group = 21 days of pain per month
After 6 lessons plus exercise = 11 days of pain per month
After 24 lessons = 3 days in pain per month

I am reaching out on behalf of the millions of people who have or will suffer with back pain. Surely this method offers sufficient potential to be investigated and reported on by the NBC Nightly News. If the results are as published in the British Medical Journal, then this is indeed an idea whose time has come. The Alexander Technique: a non-invasive, gentle, educational method for self-empowered care. The Technique is recognized in Israel, England, Australia, and many other countries from Switzerland to Brazil. It has been in continuous practice for over 100 years and is offered at over 50 Universities and Conservatories across the United States.

It is time to save money and save backs.

Please let me know how I may be helpful in providing information or pointing you to sources to investigate this further.

Respectfully yours,

Dana Ben-Yehuda
Certified Alexander Technique Teacher, M.AmSAT

Contact me at: dbenyehuda(at)comcast(dot)net

CONTINUE TO SEE THE VIDEOS FROM NBC NIGHTLY NEWS

Continue reading "A way out of Back Pain without Surgery" »

Back Pain Epidemic Outpaces Treatment Options

This is the first of a series aired the week of October 6, 2008, by the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, on back pain and treatment options. The numbers are beyond belief: we spend $90 billion a year in the US on back pain treatments; $60,000 per surgery.

The following night they showed this video, Cutting Down on Back Pain Without Surgery. Brian Williams began by saying that they double-checked the numbers from Monday's broadcast because they were so unbelievable.

They're real. Check it out:

Robert Bazell ends the video saying, "...but experts say most people should try a non-surgical treatment first."

A recent study shows 85% reduction in back pain without surgery and with zero serious adverse effects, through 24 lessons in the Alexander Technique. It was published on August 19, 2008 in the British Medical Journal.

Contact me at: dbenyehuda(at)comcast(dot)net

Dana Ben-Yehuda, M. AmSAT
Media Spokesperson American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT)
and Certified Alexander Teacher

Several months ago I returned to meditation after some years away. As I sit, quietness seeps through my body and all my cares fall away. I take time just to be in my body and enjoy the aliveness that it brings.

It reminds me of a story I used to make up about why going to the ballroom dance lightens my spirits so much. I used to imagine that I brought a big, white box all tied up with a big, red ribbon with me. I’d put all my troubles into it and leave the box right by the entrance door to the dance. I’d go in and dance and hope that someone would pick up that box and steal it. That never happened, but on my way out, I’d pick up the box and somehow, it was always lighter.

The same thing happens when I meditate. All the rest of the world can wait while I settle into my body and sit in a chair. I let a few deep breaths in and out. I let all the cares and woes wait and I focus on the flow of energy going right through my body.

The Alexander Technique does something very similar for me. The first step is awareness. In that way, it reminds me of a meditation in the body. It is always done in present time and all the work you do to retrain how you move is done in the Now.

I invite you to come try a lesson. Park your troubles at my door in the big white box with the nice red ribbon and come on in.

The American Society for the Alexander Technique announced:

A clinical trial published in the British Medical Journal show Alexander Technique lessons are effective and provide long-term benefit.

As reported by the British Medical Journal on August 19, 2008, back pain sufferers who took 24 lessons in the Alexander Technique had 85% less back pain, one year after the study began. The number of days in pain fell to only three per month, vs. 21 days in pain in the control group. The average number of activities limited by back pain had fallen by 42%. Six lessons followed by exercise were about 70% as effective as 24 lessons.

There were zero adverse effects by any of the participants who received Alexander Technique lessons.

Click here to download a copy of the press release in PDF format.

Or read it here, online.

Continue reading "Study Results Show 85% Reduction in Back Pain" »

Good morning my friends!

We have news again, about back pain and the Alexander Technique.

Dr. Peter Gott writes a nationally syndicated column for United Media. Today's column is about low back pain and alternative methods for treating it.

Dr. Gott responds to a reader with sciatica and low back pain. He admires his reader's desire to avoid surgery and suggests several methods for non-surgical intervention. He correctly identifies the Alexander Technique in terms of postural issues, noting that it deals with the spine, and refers to the head, neck, and back relationship. However, he didn't discuss the significant implications of a recent study on low back pain, long-term relief, and the Alexander Technique.

I'm writing to call a very recent, large scale study on low-back pain and the Alexander Technique to Dr. Gott's attention. The British Medical Journal published research on August 19, 2008, titled "Randomised controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain." This was a large-scale study with 579 participants, one of the few to show long-term relief from back pain.

The Pittsburg-Post Gazette quotes the study on September 11, 2008:

"...out of 579 subjects with lower back pain, the 144 who took 24 lessons in the Alexander Technique had an average 48 percent reduction in their Roland disability score, and an 86 percent reduction in their days of pain compared with the control group of 144 subjects, who had no intervention."

That's only 3 days in pain per month compared to 21 days in pain per month for the control group.

Click here to download a copy of the study directly, in PDF format.

These is a significant study and I encourage Dr. Gott to write about it!

---------------------------

Dana Ben-Yehuda is the Media Spokesperson for the American Society for the Alexander Technique. Download the AmSAT Press Kit by clicking here.

Contact her for further information or interviews, at:
dbenyehuda@comcast.net
650-964-4308

Hello friends,

With all the talk about the ATEAM study about Alexander Technique and back pain, are you left behind in the dust wondering what the heck the Alexander Technique is, anyway? And how does it work and what are the principles upon which it is based?

I just knew you'd say you couldn't wait to hear more. Here is the answer for you, nice and easy and all wrapped up in a nutshell. Aren't you just a wee bit curious? Read on, and I'll speak about golfing and being centered.

I'll even tell you why learning about the principles matters. Promise!

Here are five basic principles of the Technique:

• faulty sensory awareness - this is the sense of where we are in space, called proprioception. Try looking in the mirror; are you surprised to see imbalances that you do not feel? Our inner sense can be tuned up again so it gives a truer picture.

• force of habit - you can learn to change poor postural habits to positive ones and put this force to work for you in a very good way

• the primary control – that the head-neck relationship is of primary importance in coordinating the use of the entire psycho-physical being

• inhibition – to refrain from doing. Here's an example:

the idea of sitting down often triggers an automatic response to tighten the back of the neck and retract the head. You can learn not to compress your spine by not contracting your head and neck. Are you automatically trying it as you read this? It's not easy, is it. That's faulty sensory awareness (see above).

• direction – consciously directing the body with our thought

Why does any of this matter?

Continue reading "What is the Alexander Technique?" »

Hello my friends,

Did you know that back pain is the most common kind of pain suffered here in America?

According to the American Pain Foundation, “Back pain is the leading cause of disability in Americans under 45 year old. More than 26 million Americans between the ages of 20-64 experience frequent back pain.”

My previous post brought a recent publication to your attention. On August 19, 2008, the British Medical Journal published research that showed long-term benefits of Alexander lessons for the
relief of back pain, that have been shown to be effective a year later.

Given how many people suffer from back pain, is it any wonder that articles referencing the study have sprouted like mushrooms, overnight? Google cited 88 articles in 48 hours since the study was released.

One of my colleagues, Debby Jay*, recently sent out highlights of a couple of these articles. Thanks very much, Debby, for sharing this:

From PULSE (a resource for MD's in England):

Alexander technique offers major back pain benefits

20 Aug 08
By Nigel Praities

Alexander technique provides significant benefit over usual care for
patients with chronic low back pain, say the authors of the first long-term UK trial ...

In a landmark trial likely to be considered in the National Institute of
Clinical Health Excellence (NICE) guidelines for back pain due for release next year, 24 sessions of Alexander technique resulted in a 86% reduction in days in pain and a 42% reduction in disability compared with usual care after one year ...

Professor Paul Little, lead author and professor of primary care research,
said his study showed Alexander technique was a low-cost alternative to
currently available care...

Continue reading "Back Pain: Alexander Technique Provides Long-Term Relief" »

Good news, my friends!

The British Medical Journal just published results from the first, large-scale trial of the Alexander Technique. This is a large-scale, randomized, controlled study of back pain and the Alexander Technique.

The British Medical Journal published the study results on 8/19/08. Results are very favorable! You can find it at the BMJ website or here is a direct link to the study.

Also, here are links to articles that already came out since the study was released. Wow, the press is quick on the draw!

BBC News: Back pain eased by good posture

Telegraph News: Alexander posture technique 'most effective at reducing back pain'

The Guardian: Health: Alexander technique 'does ease back pain'

The Daily Mail: An old cure for a modern malaise: Alexander Technique can beat chronic back pain

It is wonderful to share this news and just in time for International Alexander Awareness Week, October 4 - 12, 2008. Stay tuned.... :-)

Hello, my friends. How are you today?

Here’s a question for you. Have you had your eyes examined recently? I did, and learned that flashing eyes are not just a figment of fiction and fairy tales.

Dr. Michael Marmor, world-renowned retinal specialist and Professor of Ophthalmology, Stanford University, sat across from me. He wanted to measure the electricity that is emitted from my retina, as a measure of the health of my eye.

“Do you mean that our eyes really emit electricity?”

“Yes!”

I started to smile, “…so the idea of someone having flashing eyes is real?”

“We are electrical beings. The body works through electricity!”

I was fascinated. Pacemakers work on electricity. Brain neurons and in fact, the nervous system communicate electrically. Now I learn that our eyes not only have electricity, they emit it.

Continue reading "Beings of Light" »

“You have such good posture!”

“Do people tell you a lot that you have great posture?”

“I want to have good posture like you.”

I hear things like this very often but am always caught offguard. Given that the work I do is helpful for being upright, my own surprise is surprising, so I took some time to think about it.

I suppose I do have what you’d call good posture. It’s the way I use myself; it’s how I move and stand. But that’s not really the point of this work, at least not the first point of it.

One of the principles of the Technique is that Use affects Functioning. I think that given the constraints of a condition, practicing the Alexander Technique is one way to have the best Use possible, and therefore, better functioning.

My teacher-trainer, Giora Pinkas, says that we have to “honor the structure.” It is not about forcing your bones into a shape they cannot go. It’s more about realizing that, given the limitations of anyone’s structure, how can we have some ease? How can we have the best functioning possible?

Along with that ease and better functioning, does good posture evolve as a result? Or is better posture part of finding more ease?

Continue reading "Posture Happens" »

Hello again!

How did you come to find this blog? How did you find out about the Alexander Technique?

A number of people have come to me for lessons recently. When I asked how they found out about the Alexander Technique, several people have said that they have been reading a book:

How You Stand, How You Move, How You Live: Learning the Alexander Technique to Explore Your Mind-Body Connection and Achieve Self-Mastery, by Missy Vineyard

People tell me they are enjoying the book. It has many case studies with interesting stories and also gives a great amount of detailed information about studying the technique, and also, teaching it.

I know of this book from Missy Vineyard, and have been reading it, myself. I find that it is not simple reading, however it has a great deal of information that’s both interesting and also, food for thought. I particularly enjoy her discussion of the mind-body connection and neuroscience.

If you are looking for a complete book, this may be a good place to start.

Continue reading "How You Stand, How You Move, How You Live: Learning the Alexander Technique to Explore Your Mind-Body Connection and Achieve Self-Mastery, By Missy Vineyard" »

Hi Friends,

Welcome back. Yesterday we were talking about being Creatures of Habit and I promised to tell you about me.

I remember being horrified to realize that I was contracting my neck severely, every time I moved, and then to discover that I could not control this behavior. Try it again; try not pulling your head back into your neck as you get up. (And try not to achieve this through the unfair and unproductive means of stiffening your neck like a block of wood. Try to simply not do something you usually do!)

F.M. Alexander noticed habits of his own that he determined were at the root cause of losing his voice and thereby, threatening to ruin his career as an actor. He discovered a pattern of compression along the spine and through his joints, all the way to gripping the floor with his feet. He was tightening his throat and neck and throwing his head back and his chest out.

Have you ever tried to change a habit and then noticed just how tenacious they can be? F.M. (as he was known) discovered this difficulty. He reasoned that these patterns of contraction and compression were connected with the difficulties he was having with his voice. He tried telling himself not to do them, but when he’d begin to actually speak, he discovered that he reverted right back to his old habits.

Sound familiar?

Continue reading "Creatures of Habit, Part Two" »

We are creatures of habit, or so they say. But are we really? Are you willing to admit to it?

I do. I readily admit to being a creature of habit, and I propose that habits are good - as long as they’re the ones we want.

If you agree with me, then it’s also true that good habits are a matter of consciousness and choosing the habitual ways in which we live our lives.

My first (habitual) reaction to the idea of habits was to think of them as bad things: “He smokes like a chimney.” “She eats when she’s stressed.” “I’m always late to appointments.”

Then I thought further and came up with many good habits that we’re all supposed to cultivate, like flossing your teeth and exercising and getting enough sleep.

One way to think of habits is as a reaction to a stimulus that occurs without our thinking about it. Smokers may react to the stimulus of finishing dinner by wanting a cigarette. That’s their habit. Some people react to any bad news by becoming alarmed; other people are more sanguine and take it in stride. We have habits of mental and also physical reaction and they happen coincidentally. How do you react to the alarm clock in the morning? Can you say that it’s entirely mental, or do you also react physically? How about habits of fear, or anger? Do you know someone who reacts to a request defensively, with fear, or aggressively, with anger? How about people you like; do they react with a smile?

We can cultivate happy habits like growing beautiful roses, and we can pluck unwanted habits like dandelions in the lawn. They may come back, but if we keep removing them eventually the lawn will be clear and green.
(Ha! I can hear you laughing about the dandelions from here! Do they ever give up?)

Continue reading "Creatures of Habit" »

Here's an article written by the MS Foundation* about the Alexander Technique. Posted here for download with permission. Click on this link to read the article.

This is very useful information for anyone as it's a good article that outlines the history of F.M. Alexander as well as explaining why and how it works.

It also includes pictures and notes about the actor, William Hurt, who has been an advocate of the Technique.

Enjoy!

* Multiple Sclerosis Foundation

Will Rogers said, “If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.”

Maybe you’re wondering how on earth what the most popular and highest paid actor in Hollywood in the 1930’s said could possible coincide with helping your stiff neck or tight shoulders.

Well, pull up a chair and let’s explore the idea.

Mr. Rogers said to stop digging.
He didn’t say to start something else.
The first thing to do is to stop.

I’m always telling my students, “First, we stop,” and I mean that literally.

Whatever is going on, IS, but while it’s obvious that it’s not anything less, what’s not always obvious is that it isn’t anything more.

If your neck is stiff and you come in to see me, I may suggest that you let it be what it is. I’ll say, “Let’s not add to it. Just don’t make it worse.”

Try it. Are your shoulders hiked up around your ears?
Try leaving them there and just noticing them.
What happens when you do? Do they start to release on their own?

When you stop digging the hole, it’s still there. Now you can observe it and perhaps some creative idea will percolate up on how to turn it to advantage.

Continue reading "Will Rogers and a New Perspective." »

Have you ever met someone with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)? It could be that you have, and don’t even know it; over 2.5 million people worldwide are living with MS. Some famous people who live with this include Montel Williams and Teri Garr.

Montel speaks about how he fights back and how exercise and an eating regimen play an important role, in an interview by the Seattle Times, January 23, 2008.

The MS Foundation is celebrating March as National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness and Education Month and the MS Society is celebrating MS Awareness Week, March 10-17, 2008. It’s all about education and assistance and empowering people with MS to live well.

Among the various types of exercise and movement awareness methods recommended for people with MS, the MS Foundation recommends the Alexander Technique. It can help improve balance and control, teach efficient movement and reduce fatigue, all of which are beneficial for Multiple Sclerosis.

Here is an article published in MS Focus about the Alexander Technique and Multiple Sclerosis, January 2006 issue. It’s called Come to Your Senses with the Alexander Technique. Posted here with permission. Download a copy of the article in PDF format.

In recognition of MS Awareness Month, I’m offering a special class focusing on MS and the Alexander Technique. It is free and suitable for all people, healthy or with MS. If you’re in the area, I hope to see you. You are welcome!

When you are centered and grounded in your body you are centered and grounded in your Self.

Do you want to try and prove it to yourself?

Try slumping in your chair. Let your chin come rest on your chest, if your neck will stretch that far. Let your arms fall into your lap. Let your back collapse.

Now try and sing The Star Spangled Banner in a bright and sprightly voice. It doesn’t work very easily.

It is hard to be up when you’re down.

And it’s hard to be down when you’re up.

One of the things I tell all my students is, “Wherever you are, you’re Up!”
That’s because in Alexander terms, “Up” means up the spine and out the top of the head. Therefore, “Up” is a relative term to you, wherever you are. And given that, then truly wherever you are there is an Up and it is within you!

We literally cannot separate mind from body, and mood and mind and spirit are intertwined.

Think about someone who is happy. What do you see? Are they smiling? Are the corners of their mouth turning up? I bet they are not frowning and tears are not rolling down their face. It seems simplistic, but it’s very true. We read people by their expression and also by their body language, and we do it all the time.

Continue reading "Wherever You Are, You’re Up!" »

We started talking about what happens in an Alexander lesson. One part of the lesson is often done standing, or sitting in a chair. Another part is done lying on a table, or a “table turn.” We also call this Constructive Rest.

Generally speaking, it’s the second part of the Alexander lesson. However, there’s no hard and fast rule; you could begin the lesson with a table turn.

How does this happen?

I’ll have you lie on your back on a padded table, with your knees bent and feet placed flat on the table. Your head will rest on a couple of paperback books. This is to keep your head from falling back and compressing your neck. Generally, you’ll put your hands on your stomach, so your elbows will be slightly away from your body. This work is done fully clothed. I do ask that you remove your shoes, so you might like to wear warm socks.

Continue reading "An Alexander Technique First Lesson, Part Two" »

Would you like to find out what happens in a first lesson? I’ll try and explain it in a 1-2-3 process.

First of all, we sit down to talk for a couple of minutes. I’ll reiterate that I am not a physician and I do not diagnose or treat illness or injury. However, I still want to understand what issues are of concern to you so I’ll ask you to tell me about them.

Next, I might ask you to do a simple activity such as walk around the room, pick up an object (phone, etc) and put it down, and take a seat. This gives me a chance to observe you in movement and notice how you move when you sit and stand. If you wish, you could bring a musical instrument or a tennis racket or a golf club and I’ll observe you using it.

Then the learning begins.

We’ll work together, using a chair or perhaps walking about. I’ll use words as well as gentle, hands-on guidance to help you begin to move differently and also to understand what it is that you are doing that perhaps is connected with the problem you’re having.

For instance, many times the first thing that happens when you begin to move is tightening your neck and snapping your head back. This is part of a pattern of compression that is often at the root of many physical ailments.

Do you want to find out if you do this? Here’s a way you may be able to notice on your own.

Continue reading "An Alexander Technique First Lesson, Part One" »

Walter Carrington narrates this film of F.M. Alexander teaching a lesson. The film was taken in 1949.

This film is freely available on YouTube.

Welcome to my blog! I am so glad you dropped in for a visit.

Please pull up a chair and get a cup of tea – or coffee - and let’s have a chat.

I hope you have already heard about the Alexander Technique. * This blog is for another purpose than providing information. I will probably still do some explaining, as many visitors may not have previous experience of the Technique, but what I really want to do is to talk about the Alexander Technique and Life. That means applying the principles of the Technique in other ways than we do in lessons. I like to call it, “Applied Alexander®.”

In lessons I look at the way a person moves; how they walk, sit, stand, and use a computer or perhaps, a musical instrument. We look at waking up a body sense that has gone dormant, and training ourselves to think in the body.

And in another way, we can look at the way our minds move, at the way our emotions flow through us.

Continue reading "Welcome to Applied Alexander®" »