| First published in ExChange, vol. 12 no. 3. |
In noting in his subtitle that his approach is “inspired by the Alexander Technique,” Tony Taylor skirts potential objections to the approach laid out in his book. There is an argument to be made for this choice, given the rankling within the Alexander world about what is (and is not) the Technique. It also frees him to present an introduction to his ten-week course of personal growth that many in Alexander circles would consider unorthodox. It is, however, an approach thoroughly grounded in the writings of F.M. Alexander, as is the line of teaching whence it stems: the Interactive Teaching Method of Dr. Don Weed. (Mr. Taylor takes the trouble to make it clear, however, that the book presents his own view of what he has learned, and that for more information on the ITM approach, one should read Dr. Weed’s books and visit the ITM website at www.alexandertechnique-itm.com, which I think open-minded readers would find most rewarding.)
Don Weed trained over many years’ apprenticeship with Marjorie Barstow, and also studied with Margaret Goldie and Frank Pierce Jones. He has made an exhaustive study of Alexander’s books (even writing them out longhand, and spending many hours discussing them with Ms. Barstow), and has produced textbooks on the subject, such as Basic Principles and What You Think Is What You Get. In his training courses in England and Germany, he requires a similar in-depth study by his trainees, and seems to have followed the approach cited in his tribute to Marj Barstow (in Marjorie Barstow: Her Teaching and Training, edited by Barbara Conable, Andover Press, 1989), when he quotes her in regard to the discoveries she had made and incorporated into her teaching: “I teach everything exactly the way that [F.M.] did, except when I have a darn good reason to change.”
So Mr. Taylor’s approach can hold its own in rationale against any other introductory text, and I feel comfortable critiquing it as such. First impressions: I found the cover rather off-putting in its generic New-Age-iness, and I’m not wild about the title, either. However, one can appreciate the challenge involved. And it’s hard to beat the current cover of Body Learning by Michael Gelb (the baby delightedly standing on its father’s hand). Once you do turn the cover and get into the book, the design is excellent - readable, clear, and spacious without wastefulness.
The photos, while often attractive, are sometimes rather mysterious in what they intend to add to the author’s argument; better captions might improve their impact. A couple of photos, from an Alexander point of view, seem actually to confuse the reader as to what non-interference might be. For example, one of the largest photos in the book, on p. 200, shows the author with a student who is evidently preparing to take a step forward. His hand is making delicate contact with her upper back, but both of them are looking downward in apparent concentration. Her head is particularly forward of the vertical line of her body, and there seems to be a good deal of downward movement into her lower legs. With such a prominent photo, and no explanation of what it is intended to show, I don’t think Mr. Taylor is helping his otherwise excellent argument.
I may sound especially critical of the book, but in fact, I think it has a great deal to recommend it, and I hope that a second edition will improve (or at least give a justification for) things that seem to me now to be flaws. Mr. Taylor’s refreshing presentation of Alexander’s principles, largely without jargon, could be helpful to students and teachers of the Technique at any phase of their exploration.
Mr. Taylor is very clear throughout the book that this is simply an introduction to the work, though he has attempted, rather successfully I think, to convey the most essential aspects of the thinking necessary to effect change. One omission that seems to me problematic (especially since the photo illustrations so clearly allude to it) is his avoidance of discussing hands-on input. He says he does it, and the photos show it, but he writes that discussion of it is beyond the scope of the book. Perhaps so, in the sense of showing the reader how to do it, but having introduced its existence in the text and photos (particularly as something that seems to help students past certain kinds of hurdles in their thinking, evidently supporting the mental discipline required to meet a critical moment without resorting to habit), I think some brief explanation is not only in order, but would be helpful to the reader. It doesn’t seem necessary to describe the experience of hands-on work, but a sentence or two about the rationale and intent might be sufficient to bridge the gap. Mr. Taylor is (quite rightly) at pains to stress the personal responsibility of the student for changes in his or her thinking, but as the book now presents it, hands-on work seems to fly in the face of that (an impression that I think is unnecessary, but I know things about the Technique that readers new to the work won’t). In keeping with the ITM approach, hands-on contact can be clarified as something that simply supports students in their application of a new way of thinking, much as verbal support does, rather than the teacher taking over at a critical moment and overriding students’ thinking altogether to create an experience (which is an approach in some Alexander circles). I am reasonably sure that the former is Mr. Taylor’s intent (and perhaps why he avoids discussing hands on), but the impression his reader gets at the moment is likely to be more the latter.
One last quibble: the book has no index, but I think as a textbook, it would be much improved by having one.
Among the strengths of the book are the numerous illustrative “teaching tales” he relates, from his own and his students’ experience, which help the reader relate personally to Alexander’s challenging ideas. He presents the background and principles of the Technique in a format workable for an introductory ten-week course, with roughly one principle featured each week, and suggestions for homework between classes (including keeping a journal, I’m pleased to see). The chapters are tied together by the theme of a journey, one on which this book just launches the reader, and he gives suggestions for continued study after the “course” ends (including making himself available by email). The ten principles he puts forth are: the use of reason (omitting the term “conscious constructive control”); psychophysical unity; prevention (aka “inhibition”); the most effective way (rather than “means whereby”); from one extreme to another (in other words, the tendency to replace one “doing” with its opposite, rather than stopping and reasoning out a means); feelings are unreliable (rather than “faulty kinesthesia”); fixed, preconceived ideas; mental discipline (applying inhibition in activity, or “thinking in activity”); genuine trust (willingness to stick to one’s thinking despite the feelings of wrongness that will inevitably arise); and working to principle (as opposed to reverting at some point to needing to “know how” in the old habitual sense). Introducing that last principle, he quotes our well-loved exhortation of A. R. Alexander: “Be patient, stick to principle, and it will all open up like a great cauliflower.” Further on, he cites a perhaps less familiar statement by A.R.: “Do not trouble yourself about going slowly; it is necessary to go slowly.” This appears next to a striking photo that emphasizes the point rather nicely - I leave the surprise to you.
Mr. Taylor also elegantly explains how situation-specific the application of the principles may need to be and why, and how careful one should be not to confuse principles with the procedures derived from them. Otherwise, apparent contradictions among principles in application can lead to confusion or dogmatism.
He makes liberal and apt use of quotations from Alexander’s books, which hopefully will attract readers to read the sources for themselves, as he suggests. Best of all he does a very good job (in a sort of anticipated “dialogue” with the reader) of raising and addressing potential questions and objections as he goes along. His apologia for the use of reason as a tool struck me as a bit longer than necessary, but then again he knows what he’s up against, and it did give me time to register that, in fact, those of us who do appreciate that reason is a good and useful tool don’t always use it!
I’m also pleased to see that he lists ATI prominently as a resource for teachers and further information.
Mr. Taylor reports that he first heard of the Alexander Technique in the winter of 1995 when he attended a workshop in Bristol, England, offered by John Gil; he had been running personal and professional development courses as a private consultant for some three years at that point. So at the time he wrote his book, he had been studying for about eight years (completing Dr. Weed’s training course along the way). Considering that, the book is an impressive start on the subject, good enough to recommend for general use now, and hopefully with future improvements (including a thorough scan for typos!), it will become one of my top few suggested texts for new students. I probably will make use of it in my own college class next spring, alongside the work of Michael Gelb, Frank Jones, David Gorman, and Ann Mathews. After all, I can use all the good co-teachers I can get!
© Andrea Matthews. Reproduced with permission.
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This edition © Mouritz 2005. All rights reserved. |
