Without experiencing the Alexander Technique first hand, it can be difficult to explain exactly what it ‘is’. Many teachers quote FM Alexander by saying that practising the technique is “simple, but not easy” and while this may be true, the idea equally applies to explaining what it actually is! The teaching of the technique uses ‘jargon’ and phrases which, while familiar to teachers and students of the work, can often be found to be confusing to those who have not experienced the work before. Thus, the best way to begin to understand the technique is simply to have a lesson with a qualified teacher.
However, in an attempt to explain the technique, these sections have been constructed to explain aspects of the technique using as little ‘jargon’ as possible. Each section can be read individually to give a brief idea of the work, or as a whole to give a more complete picture of the technique, its history, and what the learning process entails.