>Next, John Link, I've heard of Feldenkrais and enjoyed visiting the web site >you recommended. One question it didn't answer is how it differs from >Alexander Technique, which I've been studying for several years.
I've only taken a few Alexander classes and once I had a private lesson with an Alexander teacher who had previously been a Feldenkrais practitioner, so I'm not the best one to answer about the Alexander Technique. Still, here are my impressions, based on my experience and what I've heard from my students:
Feldenkrais Method
1) Group mode in which all participants are active.
2) Wide range of movements used, from small to large (e.g, lifting and lowerng a single finger, going from lying on the back to sitting by rolling through the side, going from standing to sitting on the floor in a spiral, going up into and down from a headstand).
3) Pedagogy oriented toward systematically exploring a wide range of variations.
Alexander Technique
1) No distinct group mode. Group classes are semi-private lessons in which the students take turns having the attention of the teacher.
2) Small repertoire of movements used (standing up from and sitting down onto a chair).
3) Pedagogy oriented toward rehearsing correct action.
> (I also >practice yoga. It just goes to show you that relaxation techniques are only helpful if you actually use them to relax!!)
Although I suggested the Feldenkrais Method because of what someone else wrote about the importance of relaxation, the Feldenkrais Method is not primarily a relaxation technique. If it were, I wouldn't be making a career of it for myself. Instead, the Feldenkrais Method is a way to learn to organize oneself effectively for action, and that includes moving in a way that is relaxed.
Be well, John Link
P.S. I've just put together a Feldenkrais page for myself. See the link below. And in case you missed it previosly, here is a link to a two-part article I wrote about Feldenkrais for singers:
http://www.themestream.com/gspd_browse/author/view_author_info.gsp?auth_id=70698\ 1
http://www.mp3.com/JohnLinkFeldenkrais http://www.mp3.com/JohnLinkVocalQuintet
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