The ancient Hellenistic philosophy of Stoicism is often misunderstood as advocating a “stiff upper lip” in the face of life’s struggles. In reality, it is concerned with living wisely, cultivating emotional resilience and developing self-mastery.
So, what does Stoicism have to do with the Alexander Technique?
Like Stoicism, the Alexander Technique is frequently misunderstood. It is often regarded simply as a method for directly controlling posture. Yet posture is not an isolated mechanism to be corrected. Our habitual patterns of tension, contraction and movement reflect how we respond to the pressures and difficulties of life.
The Alexander Technique is therefore better understood as a process of learning and development. It helps us become aware of our habitual reactions and gradually changes our relationship with them. When we encounter a strong stimulus, the aim is not to insert a deliberate pause before reacting. Rather, through practice, we progressively discover that our automatic patterns of reaction are no longer triggered in the same way.
As these habitual reactions lose their hold, we become increasingly able to remain balanced, present and in touch with our capacity to reason—even in challenging circumstances.
In psychological language, this capacity might be described as “containment.” In the language of the Alexander Technique, it is called “inhibition.” Here, inhibition does not mean suppressing feelings, restraining ourselves or consciously stopping a reaction. It is a developing state in which the patterns that would ordinarily disturb our balance cease to operate automatically.
This is where the Alexander Technique and Stoicism meet. Both are concerned with developing the capacity to face life’s challenges without being governed by automatic reactions. In doing so, we remain more fully in contact with ourselves, our reason and our freedom to respond wisely.
If you’d like to explore this in practice, find out more about Alexander Technique lessons with me in North London.
