How You Stand, How You Move, How You Live: Learning the Alexander Technique to Explore Your Mind-Body Connection and Achieve Self-Mastery

Vineyard, founder and director of the Alexander Technique School of New England, presents a thorough introduction and guide to the posture and movement method that's been used for more than a century to improve performance, reduce chronic pain and heal injuries. In this volume, ""the first authoritative, comprehensive and all-new guide"" to the technique in 20 years, Vineyard shows readers how understanding and improving habits of movement like ""head-neck coordination"" and even sitting ""help you achieve self-mastery,"" here defined as the ""self-understanding"" and ""bodily control"" needed to ""identify and release our harmful reactions to pain, fear, and anxiety."" The upshot: a healthier, more resilient mind and body. Through numerous case studies and a handful of exercises, Vineyard teaches self-awareness and the primary Alexander Technique skills: conscious inhibition-""quieting your inner conversation""-and ""directing,"" a heightened sense of space and the body's place in it. Vineyard details the internal processes which govern movement, and the factors that lead to ""maladaptive change in muscle activity""; she also has tips for troubleshooting common problems like pain and weakness. Those already familiar with the Alexander Technique or other mind-body methods will get the most out of this book, though newcomers will find it a sound introduction; unfortunately, all readers will lose patience with Vineyard's case study overkill.