CHAPTER THREE F. M. Alexander’s discoveries and the development of his ideas FM. Alexander © 2013 The Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique, LondonAlexander’s Technique developed over a number of years, as he came to terms with his problems on stage, performing as an actor and reciter. He made fundamental discoveries that were the solution to his vocal problems. He realized the discoveries were useful in many situations and the ideas developed into his Principles. These Principles are what we now know as the Alexander Technique. We can all relate to the unfolding of his story and to a certain extent we all have to do what he did, if we want to develop reliability and confidence in performance. Alexander was showing great promise as an actor but he was developing problems with his voice. His vocal problems arrived at crisis point in his early twenties, when his career was taking off. Even though he had taken acting and elocution lessons from eminent teachers, he was developing hoarseness in performances so he consulted a doctor. His doctor examined him, found no pathology and so assured him that he had simply overused his voice and advised rest. Alexander’s voice was fine at the start of his next performance but he was soon struggling and by the end of the show he could hardly speak. He was very anxious about his future prospects. He thought about his situation and reasoned that he must be doing something in performance that was straining his voice, something that he did not do at other times. He returned to the doctor for his professional opinion; he asked the doctor to watch him as he spoke and recited, with a view to identifying what he was doing. The doctor said a very significant thing to him, ‘I cannot see the problem. Alexander accepted that he was creating his vocal problem by doing something that appeared normal, even to a medically trained expert. The doctor admitted that he could help Alexander no further. Alexander went home with the intention of solving the problem with self-observation, mirrors and experimentation. At first, like the doctor, he could see nothing unusual. (It is important for musicians to acknowledge that we might find it difficult to see the negative habits that are influencing our playing.) Alexander began to notice some things that he was doing, like tensing his feet on the floor. After some time he began to see he had a tendency to shorten the muscles in the back of his neck when he was reciting. (This is an expression of stress or fear, also known as part of the ‘startle Pattern’,) It took some time but he found that on a temporary basisF, M. ALEXANDER’S DISCOVERIES 7 he could prevent the shortening of the neck muscles that pulled his head back and downin relation to his spine. He noticed that when he managed to avoid pulling his head back and down his voice became less strained and his breathing became freer. He had discovered the first piece in his Technique’s jigsaw, the Primary Control. The way the head relates to the spine has an effect on coordination in general but at this point he was seeing the particular effect on his vocal mechanism. As he continued working in this way his voice became more reliable and he saw clearly that the way he used his body affected the way it functioned - this became central in his thinking and one of his Principles — ‘Use Affects Functioning’. He found the picture was more complex. He noticed that reorganizing his head Forward and Up made him feel lighter and more energized. However, if he got deeply ‘involved’ in his recitation, he would go back to habit, which he noticed by now also included lifting his chest and narrowing his back, restricting his breathing and putting pressure on his larynx. This crystallized into another Principle, Psychophysical Unity; the mind, body and emotions are continuously affecting each other. He needed to find a way for his head to go Forward and Up, for his back to lengthen and widen and his larynx to remain poised and flexible, including when he was deeply involved in reciting. He noticed that the body did not work in sections but as a whole mind-body unity, He found it did not work to concentrate on small sections of his body, for example, just his vocal organs. He saw clearly that his new way of working was most effective when he considered his Whole Self. Sometimes, to his surprise, he noticed in the mirrors that he was not doing what he felt he was doing. This was a very significant discovery and an essential part of his understanding of his problem. By now he had noticed that he had the same pattern of tension in his everyday speech as well as his performing voice. He could not rely on the feedback from his sensory nervous system to tell him what he was doing. His understanding of this condition developed into another Principle of the Technique, Faulty Sensory Perception. (We all have the potential for Unreliable Sensory Perception even if it is only things like, thinking we are hearing a unison when it is actually an octave.) He decided that he was more likely to see the truth in the mirror than sense it through his feelings. He noticed, in the mirror, that his determination to do something new was not enough to effectively make the change because his oldwo FINE ALEAANUEK IFEGIIN ur PUK LANDS habit was stronger than his new intention. (Most of us know it can be difficult to change a habit!) He realized that he had to be very clear about the pattern he needed to stop. This he saw as a corner stone of his Technique — he called it Inhibition. He found the stopping of the old pattern had to be an on-going priority, until the old habit had been weakened enough to make the new pattern available without the interference from the old. When he managed to put Inhibition in place he found he was making significant progress. This realization, that determination or trying hard to do something different did not achieve the goal he was looking for, led him to consider the influence of his emotional state and his attitude to speaking. He realized that he could not choose his emotional state but he could choose his thinking and that had a huge effect on his feelings and coordination. This took form in his concept of End-gaining, which he saw as an impatience to achieve a result directly. His alternative strategy was to work out the best means that would eventually take him to his intended goal. Alexander discovered a way of speeding up the process of change. This new idea, he called Direction. He had discovered that it was no good to push his head Forward and Up — he needed to somehow access the reflex that exists in us to do exactly that. We all had this coordination as young children and some people have not lost it. He found if he directed movement or release, wishing it to happen, this had a subtle effect that speeded up change. So now he had twin allies in Inhibition and Direction both working against his negative habits. He found it important not to ‘try hard to make change happen’, a negative approach he described as ‘Doing’. Instead, he used Inhibition and Direction to encourage his head to balance and was curious to notice any change, he referred to his new (just thinking) approach as ‘Non-doing’. He was allowing the changes to happen rather than forcing the issue. He found this worked on a subtle reflex level. He was working out the Means-whereby he might best achieve his goal. He found, if he directed throughout the activity, his coordination and breathing improved and his sensory awareness became more reliable. His movement became full of poise and lightness, his acting was admired, he became known for his resonant voice. He found himself in great demand as an actor and teacher. His journey included self-acceptance on the pathF, M. ALEXANDER’S DISCOVERIES 19 to self-development. He had to recognize deeply ingrained habits and approach their change with patience and perseverance. This approach helps a musician develop the myriad skills that they need to become an inspired, creative performer. Summary He developed the Principles ® Use Affects Functioning ® Psychophysical Unity © Faulty Sensory Perception © Recognition of Habit © Primary Control © Inhibition e Direction Alexander came to a clear understanding of some basic truths about being human. He found a way to help us to choose how we react to whatever happens in our lives, consciously rather than automatically. This helps us develop the possibility of being present, creative and spontaneous when we might have otherwise have lived, practised and performed habitually. His work helps us to deal with our fears and find flexibility in mind and body - what every musician is looking for.