Faulty Sensory Appreciation comes about when we do not receive accurate sensory feedback about our physical condition and use.  This feedback comes to us through our kinaesthetic and proprioceptive sense mechanisms.

As Alexander discovered: ‘I had proved in my own case and in that of others that instinctive control and direction of use had become so unsatisfactory, and the associated feeling so untrustworthy as a guide, that is could lead us to do the very opposite of what we wished to do or thought we were doing’.

F M Alexander ~ The Use of the Self p23

This concept has been given a clever and up to date description: ‘Think of Faulty Sensory Appreciation as Fake News from your senses‘

‘The Alexander Technique for Young Musicians’ p4

This can be illustrated by someone who habitually slumps over when sitting.  This slumped position will ‘feel right’ to them even though they can see in a mirror, for instance, that they have ‘bad posture’.  The converse is also true.  If this person comes to an Alexander lesson and the teacher helps them to re-align their body use, the pupil may initially experience this new way of sitting as ‘feeling wrong’.

The fact that our usual body sensations and feelings ‘feel right’ to us, makes learning the Alexander Technique on our own, even with the help of books, extremely hard to do.  This is because we continually revert back to our misuse, which feels familiar and therefore ‘right’ to us, so it is very hard to bring about any change in the way we use ourselves, because the new improved use initially feels wrong to us. With an Alexander teacher’s help and guidance we can, with time, re-educate our bodies so that we gain a more accurate sensory appreciation and understanding about our use.

Free

This is a small word of great significance in the Alexander Technique, and may be used many times during lessons.  ‘Free’ refers to a light and alert easing of muscle tension, which allows the body to balance and co-ordinate itself without interference.  ‘Free’ is different from ‘relax’.  Many people, when they try to relax, just let their bodies collapse heavily down so that they concertina their spine and torso, restrict their breathing and squash their internal organs.  They often become quite dull and sluggish in the process.  This unhelpful interpretation of the word ‘relax’ tends to create problems rather than relieving them, so teachers generally choose to use ‘free’  or ‘ease’ instead.  In Alexander lessons, we learn to give ourselves a set of directions and aim to ‘Allow the neck to be free’ whatever we are doing.

Freedom of Thought and Action

In order to gain freedom of thought and action Alexander realised that when we inhibit or avoid our habitual reactions, we are free to choose the way we wish to respond to a stimulus. This can be in relation to making a movement or in response to events in society.  Alexander explored the concept of freedom, when writing during the ‘criminal outrage’ of World War Two.  He believed that ordinary people could not be freed from blame because they were ‘shelving individual responsibility onto the shoulder of some leader’… and that ‘their desire to be told what to do’ made them ‘guilty in the manner of waging war’.   

Alexander also believed that democracy could only come about ‘through full development of man’s potentiality not only for individual freedom of thought and action, but for that individual freedom IN thought and action in the general use and functioning of the self, which gives in process control of individual and therefore collective reaction, in the way of life essential to the practice of democracy’.

F M Alexander ~ The Universal Constant in Living p.243

Psychophysical

F M Alexander believed the relationship of mind and body was such that they act as one unit, so that the human organism functions and responds to situations as a whole. He believed that we ‘translate everything, whether physical, mental or spiritual, into muscular tension’ and, as Alexander developed his eponymous Technique, he saw it as a form of psychophysical re-education.

Neuroscientists are today doing research that supports this theory. Baroness Susan Greenfield talks about the way the brain increases connectivity with learning and how London black cab drivers develop larger hippocampi as a result of learning ‘the knowledge’ – the names and location of all the London streets. It follows, therefore, that in re-learning how to use our bodies and minds, there would be significant neural changes taking places in our brains as a result.

In order to bring about any changes in the way we use ourselves, some of our attitudes, thoughts and feelings may need to change, along with any physical changes that may come about in our posture or the way we move.

Alexander wrote that ‘the term psycho-physical is used…. throughout my works to indicate the impossibility of separating “physical” and “mental” operations in our conception of the working of the human organism’ and that ‘the two must be considered entirely interdependent’ (p. 5)

When discussing education Alexander, in his inimitable manner, went as far as to argue that he considered it to be a problem that the ‘human beings to be educated’.… (have) ‘a more or less debauched kinaesthesia, in which psycho-physical reactions are abnormal and harmful’ and that ‘satisfactory education is incompatible’ with such unnatural reactions (p. 107). It is perhaps wise for us to remember that Alexander wrote this in 1923 and was expressing himself in the manner of that time!

Alexander believed that it was only when instructions given whilst teaching ‘include the correct “means-whereby” that the process of carrying them out involves the satisfactory use of the psycho-physical mechanisms concerned’ which would aid the whole learning process. (p. 109)

F Matthias Alexander ~ Constructive Conscious Control of the Individual

Up

This seems simple enough but up, as used in the Alexander Technique, is not necessarily up towards the sky. ‘Up’ is always referring to a lengthening flow through our bodies, up along our spine, whatever direction the spine is assuming at the time. So if you are lying down, up is actually a horizontal lengthening.

Importantly, it is a refusing to pull down and contract or shorten the neck, spine and torso, which would interfere with our primary control and general functioning.

As Alexander researched the causes of his vocal problems he found that

‘the best conditions of my larynx and vocal mechanisms and the least tendency to hoarseness were associated with a lengthening of the stature’… and that ‘it was necessary that my head should tend to go upwards, not downwards, when putting it forward; in short, that to lengthen I must put my head forward and up’.

F M Alexander ~ The Use of the Self  p.14

Above

In Primal Alexander online lessons, the term ‘Above’ is often used instead of ‘Up’. This is used to convey a sense of an upward flow of energy through the body.

Use refers to the habitual and characteristic manner in which a person moves and uses their body, all the time, whatever they are doing. Our use is influenced by our thinking and by our emotions and to bring about changes in our use, we need to allow changes to take place in our thinking and in our reactions to things.

The way we use ourselves affects the functioning of the whole body, our whole psychophysical being. As F M Alexander put it:

‘Talk about a man’s individuality and character: it’s the way he uses himself’ Aphorisms

Alexander also wished to make clear:

‘when I employ the word “use” it is not in that limited sense of the use of any specific part (of the body)….. but in a… more comprehensive sense applying to the working of the organism in general’.

When we interfere with our natural use (subconsciously most of the time) we can develop habitual patterns of mis-use and overuse, which generally lead to problems of distortion, tension and sometimes pain. 

F M Alexander ~ The Use of the Self  p.4

Semi Supine

Supine

The term supine comes from Latin and means to lie flat on your back.

Semi-supine Procedure

The semi-supine procedure is a specific Alexander Technique term and refers to the position used to practice the Lying Down Procedure. In the semi-supine position, you lie on your back with your knees bent.

The Lying Down / Active Rest / Constructive Rest / Semi-Supine Procedure

These days this procedure has been given many names!  I wonder how many more it will be given in the future…

In Alexander lessons you’ll probably lie in semi-supine position on the Alexander table for part of the lesson.  Your head will be supported by one or more books, according to your Head Neck Back relationship. Your Alexander Teacher will show you the number of books that are required in order to align your neck and spine correctly. The teacher gently uses his or her hands and vocal instructions, to help you develop your awareness and to let go of old habits of tension. When you practice at home use the floor, as beds are too soft and don’t give enough support.

Pupil using the Semi-supine Procedure during an Alexander lesson

The semi-supine procedure is an invaluable tool to use to recharge your batteries and unwind You will also look after your back and become more aware of your body use and mind-body connections. Most people love using it.

Instructions on using the Semi-Supine Procedure

Further details about how to use the Semi Supine Procedure are to be found in my article on using the Lying Down Procedure  However, you will learn it best from a teacher

Alexander’s work is all about learning to make conscious choices, in order to direct and organise our psychophysical responses to situations, with awareness of the way we use ourselves whilst doing so.

Before we can consciously change our use, we need to utilise the technique of inhibition, to avoid being ruled by habitual reactions based upon faulty sensory appreciation and mis-use which interferes with our co-ordination and functioning. Once we have done this, we may then consciously control and direct our use during activity.

Conscious control is not a process that we superimpose, in order to force change to the way our body mechanisms or mind work.  Rather, it is a constructive process that works with our natural energies which are ‘directed and controlled by reasoning processes which have been primarily employed in connection with the use of (our) psycho-physical organism’.

F M Alexander ~ The Constructive Conscious Control of the Individual.

Doing
The term ‘doing’ refers to the common but unhelpful tendency to physically make changes with our muscles in order to do the Alexander directions. This often results in a person stiffening, tensing and even pushing with their muscles, rather than thinking their directions in order to bring about changes in the way they use themselves.

Non-doing
When we briefly pause, inhibit and give ourselves directions, we then allow the muscles to act. Indeed, the very directions given, incorporate this concept of non-doing e.g. ’ I will allow my head to go forward and up’….

As Alexander found when he tried to alter the way he was using his voice:-

When ‘I tried… to do the new thing which my conscious direction should bring about (such as putting the head forward and up) and speak at the same time, I found I immediately reverted to all my old wrong habits….. After many disappointing experiences of this kind I decided to give up any attempt for the present to “do” anything to gain my end and I came to see at last that if I was ever to be able to change my habitual use…. it would be necessary for me to make the experience of receiving the stimulus to speak and of refusing to do anything in response.….. I therefore decided to confine my work to giving myself the directions for the new “means-whereby“, instead of actually trying to “do” them or to relate them to the “end” of speaking.’

F M Alexander ~ The Use of the Self p.27

The term ‘Directions’ is used in the Alexander Technique with two different but frequently overlapping meanings.

1 ‘Directions’ are the mental instructions we learn to give ourselves before and during an action, in order to bring about changes in the way we use ourselves whilst performing the action.

2 The instructions that are given also indicate the ‘direction’ in which we wish to release and lengthen muscles. For instance, letting our knees and thighs ease out and away from our hip joints.

Directions

It is important to notice the word ‘Allow’ in these directions. When we stop interfering with how the body wants to work, we allow it to function as it was designed to.

• Allow my neck to be free

• Allow my head to go forward and up

• Allow my back to lengthen and widen

• Allow my knees to ease out and away

Example

After experimentation, Alexander discovered he could change his habits of misuse, in which he pulled his head back and down when speaking, that resulted in his having vocal problems.  First he had to inhibit, stop his habit, then give himself a set of new directions.

In Alexander’s rather convoluted language:

‘Once this misdirection was inhibited, my next step would be to discover what direction would be necessary to ensure a new and improved use of the head and neck, and, indirectly, of the larynx and breathing and other mechanisms… and in its place employ my reasoning processes…. to select… the means-whereby a more satisfactory use could be brought about’ and then ‘to project consciously the directions required for putting these means into effect.’

During lessons, Alexander teachers aim to give pupils the experience that Alexander describes. First pausing and inhibiting their old habits of misuse.  Then ‘projecting the directions for the new and more satisfactory use in their proper sequence, primary, secondary, etc “all together, one after the other”… whilst the teacher at the same time with his hands makes him familiar with the new sensory experience’.

F M Alexander ~ The Use of the Self pp. 25/ 64

F M Alexander used the term ‘Primary Control’ to refer to the way in which our Head Neck Back relationship is a primary influence and dynamic organiser, for the co-ordination of our body mechanism and our movements. Elisabeth Walker, who trained with Alexander, says that he saw the primary control as being ‘a master reflex in co-ordinating the whole psychophysical organism’. This subtle control is only possible when we do not interfere by tightening our neck muscles, but allow the head to balance freely and easily on the atlanto-occipital joint at the top of the spine. ~ Forward and Away ~ Elisabeth Walker 2008.

Alexander discovered that his vocal mechanisms and whole organism functioned best when he stopped tightening his neck muscles when he spoke and moved around. This tension pulled his head back and down, restricted his voice, shortened his stature, interfered with his balance, his co-ordination and the way his body worked. This happened both at rest and in movement.

Inhibition and Direction

Alexander found that to change, he first needed to inhibit this habit of tightening his neck muscles, which interfered with the way his body worked naturally. Then he needed to give himself directions to act in a way that allowed him to freely and easily lengthen into movement. Importantly, Alexander discovered ‘that to lengthen I must put my head forward and up. As is shewn…. this proved to be the primary control of my use in all my activities’.

F M Alexander ~ The Use of the Self p.14

In Alexander Technique lessons we learn to be aware of how we interfere with this primary control relationship through our habitual patterns of tension, contraction and ‘mis-use’. We then ‘inhibit’ and unlearn those habits. We learn to give ourselves instructions and direct before and during activity. This allows the Head-Neck-Back relationship to re-establish itself and function as it is designed to do.