How to ground yourself using Alexander Technique

In anxious times (like this) small changes can make a huge difference to our mental health. When I get particularly anxious I notice that I tend to focus on my mind and the negative thoughts going through my head - awareness of my body and physical health goes out the window. So, what can you do when anxious thoughts become overwhelming, to get yourself out of this suffocating cycle?

Many people chose meditation or yoga. Meditation focuses on clearing the mind and training unruly thoughts by concentrating on breathing, so after hours of practise we are able to sit with a completely empty mind. Yoga takes you out of your head by focusing on improving the strength of the body. Both are proven to successful in reducing stress. However, my preferred route to calm is through practising Alexander Technique, as I find it is a perfect combination of the two.

Alexander Technique is a method of bodily awareness, named after its creator Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869 - 1955). It was developed in the 1890s, with aims to correct poor posture habits, create awareness of the body, and promote relaxed and pain-free movement.

Alexander was a Shakespearean orator, who found that he was consistently losing his voice when performing without the help of amplification. He went to many doctors, who could find no physical cause for his problem. Alexander began to question his posture during performances, wondering whether he might be damaging himself, without knowing. He found that he was pulling his head backwards and downwards during every performance, which was affecting his ability to breathe correctly and project his voice. After working on this problem - by noticing when he was holding his head incorrectly, then changing it to its natural position - he no longer lost his voice during his performances.

How can Alexander Technique help you?

It is most commonly practised by musicians and vocalists, as it helps improve air flow through the lungs and posture when holding an instrument. Luckily, I have been able to have lessons in this technique through music (I am a cellist) and I have found many benefits from studying Alexander Technique. During five years of lessons, I have become much more aware of my body and my habits of bad posture (for example, my head always falls forwards when I am tired, which I try to remember to correct). I have also found it is a life-saver when struggling with particularly stressful times, as I am able to focus on my body and not the problems around me.

In terms of physical health benefits, the NHS has said that there is some evidence to suggest that it helps to improve long-term neck pain, back pain and can also help many suffering from Parkinson’s disease to carry out daily tasks more easily. It is also said (but without significant evidence) to help improve other health conditions, such as headaches, asthma, insomnia and stress.

Of course, many people don’t have the time, money or ability to take Alexander Technique lessons; and not everyone wants to spend the required 1,600 hours, spanning three years, to become a qualified teacher and member of the Alexander Technique community. However, I believe that everyone can use the methods, created by Alexander (more than a century ago!), to find peace within themselves at anytime, anywhere. In fact, Alexander himself believed that a teacher was unnecessary in making positive changes in our bodies.

I see this practise as a different form of meditation, one that brings you out of your mind and into your body. In 2020, this is a very important skill to have. The more aware we are of our bodies, the more likely we are to know what our bodies need (e.g. exercise, certain foods, sleep etc.).

“You translate everything, whether physical or mental or spiritual, into muscular tension.”

F. M. Alexander, the developer of the Alexander Technique

Thinking

The concept of Alexander Technique was created wholly by thinking about your body, posture and breathing. Alexander didn’t move his head through massage therapy or by going to a chiropractor (chiropractic practise wasn’t actually around at the time). He just noticed the problem, didn’t beat himself up and made a simple correction to the problematic area of his body, which soon had a very positive affect on his whole life.

Breathing

Much like in meditation and mindfulness, breathing is very important. The first thing that you should think about when starting an Alexander Technique session is breathing. Notice how you breathe normally - how long do you inhale and exhale? Do you hold any tension between breaths? Then try to breathe deeper and longer, making sure there is no tension in your body between, or during, breaths. The aim is to consciously feel the air filling your lungs, your chest expanding and your diaphragm lowering. Then feel your lungs and chest deflating while you breathe out. I personally find it more calming when you have a longer pause after the exhale, as this makes sure the body has fully relaxed in-between breaths.

My current AT teacher taught me a very effective and simple breathing meditation. You lightly hold onto your thumb on your right hand, whilst calmly breathing in and out five times. At each inhale, ask yourself whether there is any tension held in your body. Then, on the exhale, ask it to be free. It is important not to force any changes. Just by noticing tension in our bodies, we are able to free it. You then repeat this for each finger on both hands.

Three postures: Semi-supine, sitting and standing

When I need to ground myself I often chose one of three different postures to become aware of my body, my surroundings and, most importantly, get out of my head. Many AT practises involve mindful movement, where a teacher would chose a specific action, such as walking or lunging, and analyse how we complete these actions. However, I find these stationary methods are the most calming and align better with meditation and self-awareness.

Semi-supine

The first is called ‘semi-supine’ and it involves lying on the floor, with your knees bent upwards, your hands resting on your stomach and with a medium-thickness book under your head. If you are in a private space, then I recommend trying this first, as I think this position is the best for instant and great results. It is important that you don’t lie on a bed, as it is too soft a surface for the body to hold itself correctly and you also can’t feel the surface under the back as clearly. I would suggest lying on a carpet or yoga mat.

This position is often called “constructive rest” or “active rest”, as in this position we can relax, be aware of our bodies and notice any changes occurring in our spine and overall posture. This position also allows the spine to lengthen and rest from holding up the torso, arms and head.

These questions are a good starting point to think about while lying down:

- Am I breathing calmly?

- Is my back flat on the floor (allowing my spine to lengthen)?

- Is my head resting on my book (instead of the neck)?

- Am I facing directly upwards?

- Are my knees bent?

- Are my feet roughly hip width apart?

- Are my hands resting on my stomach?

- Am I holding any tension in my body?

It is important that when you notice any tension, you aren’t angry with yourself as this can create more unnecessary tension. Just breathe and ask for that tension to be released. Then move on to the next area.

After practising this a few times, you will (hopefully) begin to notice these areas of tension more quickly and be able to relax more efficiently. Building this awareness takes time, but it is definitely worth it!

Sitting

To ground yourself while sitting, first make sure your feet are grounded on the floor and you aren’t sitting cross-legged or with your feet partly off the ground. Feeling connected to the ground and the Earth, in every position, is very important for finding balance and calm.

Then notice how you are sitting on your chair. Are you slouching? Or maybe sitting too upright, with tension in the back? Aim to move your back to a comfortable position and angle, using the pelvis to support the spine.

I find it useful to rock the pelvis backwards and forwards, then side to side to find the perfect balance of weight for each sitting bone. This also helps me to become more aware of the sitting bones resting on the chair.

Remember to focus on the breath. You can place your hands on your lap, while making sure the shoulders are relaxed and the head is balanced and flowing upwards from the spine.

Standing

If you are out in public and cannot get into the semi-supine position, you can easily use techniques for body awareness while standing up.

When standing, notice your feet. Are they both fully on the floor? Are they supporting your weight equally? One of my teachers spoke about the feet being a three-pin plug. One pin at the heel, then two on each side of the balls of your feet. Make sure that each of these pins are carrying equal weight and are using the support of the ground. This support then helps push the legs upwards, then the torso and finally the head.

When standing, I like to become aware of gravity. Not focusing on how it pulls us down, but instead on how it keeps us grounded. Our feet can use the support of the Earth to push us upwards. Let us flow up from the earth, into the feet, then the legs, then the hips, through the spine, up through the head and beyond. Make sure the stomach is not pushing forwards or pulling back. The stomach can often be a centre of tension, so it is good to be aware of this and to notice when the muscles are clenching. I have done this method when I have had stomach pain. Just remembering that I have control over my body means that I am able to release some of the built up tension in the muscles and so I can relieve some of my stomach pain.

Once you have found the most effective Alexander Technique positions and meditations for you, and have incorporated it into your self-care routine, it should become easier to ground yourself in anxious times. Practising Alexander Technique regularly should also help you to feel more grounded at all times and to become more aware of your body, your breathing and your thoughts everyday. We are able to make significant changes to our lives by changing the habits of our bodies and minds. As Alexander stated, “people do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures”. I am determined to keep practising this technique so that I can change my habits, and my future, for the better.