The small child in this photo is alert and poised, with her back freely lengthening, quite naturally. Her head is balanced on her neck in such a way that all her muscles are able to work freely and in co-ordination, so that the heavy weight of her head is transferred evenly right through her body, onto her sitting bones.

If the child is able to maintain this free and easy poise as she grows up, she will be fortunate. Most of us started out life with a similar, natural but unconscious, postural alignment but most of us lose it over time. Many people start Alexander lessons in order to improve their posture and reduce back pain.

In Alexander Technique lessons we can begin to reclaim this birthright, by learning to maintain our poise and increase our freedom of movement, through making conscious choices about the way we use ourselves during all our activities. Sometimes, we even feel younger again.

An elderly pupil recently told me “I wish someone had told me about my sitting bones as a child, rather than hitting me and telling me to ‘sit up straight’! I could never find a way to sit up then but since I’ve been coming to Alexander lessons and I’ve discovered my sitting bones, it’s all so much easier and more comfortable”.

Just telling children to ‘sit up straight’ usually doesn’t work (even without the fear and tension that must have been created by such aggression). There are gentler and more effective ways of encouraging good posture and body use!

Tag Archives: sitting

The poise of a 3 year old