11/23/2019
BEST POSSIBLE OR BETTER THEN BEFORE,
WHICH IS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO?
A few years ago I had an encounter with an aspiring Teacher of The Alexander Technique. He was very critical of my way of teaching with the general motif being that I am not strict enough and that my way of work is not demanding enough.
I was very shaken by his words, am I a bad teacher? Am I too lax in my standards? He obviously thought so.
Reflecting back to the four years I was in training to become a Teacher of the Alexander Technique. And, to the experience I have of teaching in a training program for Teachers of the Alexander Technique, I knew exactly what he was talking about. In that setting nothing less then the highest possible level of employing the Alexander Technique is demanded.
At the same time, I looked at my nearly thirty years of experience as a Teacher. And at the many clients who have drifted to me from other Teachers and commented on how clear and effective my teaching is. At the fact that most of my students understand the Alexander Technique and make it part of their life after only ten or twelve lessons. And suddenly a flash of understanding came to me.
The reason most people benefit from the Alexander Technique is that before they learn the Alexander Technique they do something F. M. Alexander called 'end gaining'. End gaining is the process whereby we are unaware of the habits and movements we employ in our day to day activity because we are primarily concerned with the reason for our activity (the end), and not, what we do to get the result (the means whereby). This common behaviour allows for tension and poor alignment to be present and harm us while we do even the most simple tasks (sitting, standing, walking, breathing, talking Etc.).
As a Teacher of the Alexander Technique I guide people through simple activities while helping them identify and avoid harmful habits, and, at the same time teach them how to replace these habitual patterns with superior means to the end, so that they can still engage in any activety while maintaining minimal strain and ideal alignment. This is what all Teachers of The Alexander Technique do.
What made it seem that I was lax as a Teacher is that I did not demand that the session be on a level that can be described as 'the best possible'. While this high standard is reasonable for those who have professional aspirations and intend to spend years mastering their skills as Teachers of the Alexander Technique. This level is too demanding and intimidating to the novice. Instead, I keep just a little ahead of my students current level of skill employing what I think of as a 'better then before' standard. By doing this I avoid intimidating or overwhelming my clients. They discover how easy and simple it is to improve, and, what they need to do to continuously improve. very quickly my students are doing homework I have designed to establish a foundation for a life long practice of the Alexander Technique, and, not long after that, they are changing their way of doing almost everything, and enjoying the many wonderful benefits of The Alexander Technique. Things like; reduced pain, increased energy, and confidence in their co-ordination and motor skills.
while 'best possible' may be the ideal or end that we aspire to. 'Better then before' is the best possible means to get to this end quickly and effectively.
To sum things up, by keeping what seems to be a lax attitude, which is a appalling to an idealist and novice, I am doing a good service for my clients, who want to spend as little time and money as possible on their lessons while getting the best possible results.
