Alexander's Discovery

Treatment-Resistant Conditions
Many of us experience chronic ailments, such as back pain or carpal tunnel syndrome, that seem to resist treatment by traditional medical practices. These problems may hinder our work life, home life, and recreational activities. While certain therapies may help for some period of time, in most cases the problem returns.

Alexander's Condition
This was the unfortunate experience of Matthias Alexander, a well known reciter and actor in the late 19th century. At the height of his career, Alexander's extreme and chronic sore throat almost forced him into retirement. The only advice from doctors, namely gargling and rest, was largely ineffective. Rather than accept the doctors' dim prognosis, Alexander considered that when he was reciting, he might be doing "something" with his throat that caused his condition, and if he could identify and stop this behavior, he would recover. With a determined mind, he set out on a path to discovery.

Searching for Answers
An acute and sensitive observer, Alexander spent years using a mirror to observe himself reciting, which caused painful symptoms, and in normal speech, which did not. He discovered that when he recited, three things occurred. First, he pulled his head back. Second, he depressed his larynx. And third, he sucked in breath through his mouth producing a gasping sound. He noticed that these tendencies were much less pronounced during ordinary speech.

Discovering the Primary Control Mechanism
In trying to correct these three tendencies as he recited, pulling back his head was the only one he could actually control, but, when he held his head forward and up in a certain way, this one action positively affected the larynx and his breathing. From this observation, he came to understand that the orientation of the head is the "Primary Control" that affects much of our body's posture and movement.

The Body As a System
Through further experimentation, Alexander noticed that when his head was not properly situated, his chest rose, causing a hollowing of the back and compression of the spine. By this point, Alexander realized that his problem went well beyond the throat area itself. He saw that how he used his head, neck, torso, and back were all vitally related to his speech process and breathing, particularly during recitation.

Faulty Sensory Intuition
Try as he might, Alexander had great difficulty trying to properly coordinate all the physical parts involved in making speech. Going back to the technique of observing himself in the mirror, he had another startling revelation. Just when he thought he was moving his head forward and up, he was actually pulling his head back -- His senses were fooling him! This led him to misdirect his efforts, falling back on his old habits which felt right, but were actually wrong.

Conscious Direction
Using his strong reasoning abilities, Alexander decided that he had to literally stop and think before reciting, inhibiting his instinctive misdirection. He would then consciously change how he directed his body with a new and improved use of his head and neck. This was a true mental challenge, as it meant replacing old familiar habits, with a new way to use his body, which at first felt unfamiliar and wrong.

Resolve With Results
This process of changing his habitual patterns took much resolve and time, but in the long run it resulted in clearing up the throat, nasal, and vocal problems that had plagued him his entire life. During this period, he also experienced a tremendous improvement in his overall health and well-being, which he also observed as he brought his technique to others seeking his help.

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