Stress Reduction
The English term
"stress" means literally pressure, strain or
tension. In the evolution of man, the stress
response was as an increased willingness to act,
specifically designed for a dangerous situation
and was as such helpful. Today, the stress
response has become a permanent attitude toward
life. Harmless activities such as looking for a
parking lot, shopping or contacting another
person are perceived as a problem. We respond to
the stimuli of life as if we were in constant
danger. The constant tensions can be read on our
bodies: tense jaw, hunched shoulders, stiffened
neck, curvature of the spine and fixed knees are
manifestations of this way of life. If the
tensions last for a long time, this can lead to
chronic back pain, digestive disorders, impaired
breathing, headaches, cardiovascular problems,
depression, etc..
The Alexander Technique does not assume that
life itself is a continuous emergency situation,
nor does it attempt to primarily manipulate the
stimuli, which offers us life. It rather changes
our inapt habitual responses to stimuli. It
makes us aware of the stress reactions and gives
us more freedom of choice and confidence for our
actions. With this, the Alexander Technique
gives us resources to deal constructively with
stress and to let life develop more natural .
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