Daniel very kindly agreed to share his story of how he came to have Alexander Technique lessons, and how he benefited from them.
Describe your background and what brought you to the Alexander Technique
I am an energy manager, so that means working a lot with computers hunched over a desk,
not a very healthy lifestyle. I don't do as much exercise as I should, and about 10 years ago I thought it was a bright idea to dive into a river for fun and ended up injuring my back , and I've had back problems since then. So, they they got a lot worse a couple of years ago and I eventually went through various routes chiropractors, et cetera, found my way to the Alexander Technique, and it's been great.
What were the main benefits of taking out all the lessons?
I think it made me feel a lot less stressed, for one thing, and it also showed me that I could
actually move normally again. I thought perhaps I had something permanently wrong with my back, or something, and I was kind of looking at the Alexander Technique as a temporary remedy, but it actually showed me there wasn't something physically wrong with my back, I'd just learned bad movement patterns and by then the Alexander Technique showed me how to relearn to move.
Were there any unexpected benefits?
Yeah, absolutely! I wasn't expecting to get the sense of calm the Alexander Technique gives me. It's really reduced a lot of my stress, and I wasn't expecting to get this kind of confidence boost that it's given me, because I think when you've had an injury for a very long time, it does dent your confidence, you don't feel able-bodied, so to speak, and learning that I could correct those problems. So that's really boosted my confidence and made me feel a lot better.
How would you describe the Alexander Technique to others in your own words?
I would say it's not really like physical exercise, per se, more like mental exercise, so you're kind of training yourself to be much more Zen, for want of a better word, much more calm, and not to interfere with how your body naturally moves and functions. So it's like meditating standing up, meditation in motion.
Would you recommend the Alexander Technique to others?
Oh, without a doubt yes! I would say even if you don't have any specific health issues, if you want to reduce stress a bit, and just learn how to move more freely and easily, be more relaxed, yeah absolutely, give it a try.
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