An Alexander teacher uses verbal instruction and touch to help you learn more about your mental and physical patterns. It is called a 'lesson', due to it being more like education than bodywork. There are some elements of manipulation and hands-on, however it is not seen as working on 'your body'.
The goal is not to fix a specific problem, but of showing you a way of functioning that works more in line with how we are designed.
The role of the teacher is to help you discover this new way of moving and thinking, which will help bring your system back on track toward its natural state of balance.
In Activity
When you first begin lessons, you will usually start by exploring basic movements, such as sitting, standing, walking and bending.
We perform these movements every day, but how often do we stop to consider how we're doing them? Let alone the effects these often-damaging movements have on our system. During the lesson, the way you normally go about things is being brought to your awareness. You will learn to understand the messages your body is constantly sending you, which we constantly disregard or misinterpret. As you improve your ability to understand and navigate your own proprioceptive senses, you will move in a new way, which will involve less strain, more ease and more freedom.
Table Work
A teacher will also work with you on a bodywork table, where you can rest constructively. This work is relaxing and in its effects therapeutic, however the student is still required to participate. The main benefit of this work is in helping you come to a more rested state, which and give you a moment of contrast from what you're normally doing, which helps you become more aware of your normal way of being.
Workshops and Classes
Workshops are an excellent, cost-effective way to introduce yourself to the Alexander Technique. You can learn a great deal from workshops, which typically cover the fundamental understandings. When you are in a group, these insights are often shared among participants and you can more easily observe changes in others.
Workshops and classes are complimentary to one-to-one lessons, however they can not always substitute them. The greatest changes to your own functioning are primarily found in one-to-one sessions.
