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Frederick Mathias Alexander

F.M. Alexander

Frederick Mathias Alexander was born in 1869 into a large family living the demanding life of pioneers, farming and ranching on the island of Tasmania, Australia.

Self reliance, common sense and a practical down-to-earth manner were essential qualities for success in such an environment.

Young Alexander received almost no formal education, but did develop a passion for the only two books present in his family home, the Bible and the Complete Works of Shakespeare.

During his teens, he was able to contribute to the family income by working locally as a kind of troubador, travelling from settlement to settlement, performing both Biblical and Shakespearean recitations on demand.

By 1890, Alexander was a successful young actor giving one-man shows in the national capital city, Sydney.

Voice problems, however, which had been worsening over a number of years, became so critical that he began to lose his voice during performances.

Determined to find out why, Alexander set up three mirrors around himself and studied how he moved when he performed. Nine years of research ensued. Solving his problem turned out to be a daunting task, but his unusually insightful common sense along with dogged perseverance eventually won the day.

Among his discoveries was that the way he held his head actually strained his neck and shoulder muscles, and constricted his larynx. When he figured out how to change this "bad habit," he was thrilled to observe his voice problem start to disappear! The Alexander Technique was born. Other seminal discoveries followed.

Alexander came to understand that he was not the only person who posessed a few bad habits which worked to undermine performance and health. Having learned how to help himself, he realized that he would be able to help others.

In 1903, Alexander had the opportunity to move to London, England, where he established a highly successful practice until his death in 1955. Among his many students were such luminaries of the day as Alduous Huxley, George Bernard Shaw, Dr. Raymond Dart and Professor John Dewey.

Today, after more than a century of continuous growth, the Alexander Technique is recognized as one of the most sophisticated and successful methods for bringing fundamental change and awareness to our lives.

It is an extraordinarily effective way of dissolving long-standing habits of thought and movement that interfere with our ability to function naturally, with poise and flexibility.

The Alexander Technique provides us with a practical way to examine our unconscious habits. These familiar, yet often inefficient, patterns can produce conditions of ill health, excessive tension and unfulfilled potential.

F. M. Alexander discovered and demonstrated throughout his life that it is entirely possible to recognize and put a stop to these self-imposed tensions, thereby aquiring improved co-ordination, alertness and a healthier use of ourselves.

Since Alexander made his initial discoveries, scientists, educators, Nobel prize winners, renowned artists and athletes have acclaimed and supported his work. The Alexander Technique is included in the curriculum of the most prestigious schools of music and the performing arts in Canada, the United States, Australia and Europe.

F. M. Alexander tells the story of how he made his discoveries in a book entitled,

, “The Use of the Self,” published by Gollancz Publishing in 1985.