History

The first yoga teachers to train in the Alexander Technique in the UK were Ken Thompson (starting April 1976), Chris Stevens and Ray Evans (starting September 1976).[1]

 

Writings – Books

Yoga and the Alexander Technique by David Moore.[2]

 

Smart Yoga, by David Moore.[3]

 

Yoga and the Alexander Technique by Karyn Chapman, Kate Morris.[4]

 

Yoga (Know the Game) by Chris Stevens, mentions the Alexander Technique and advocates the semi-supine.[5]

 

Are you a Natural Hatha Yogi by Ken Thompson does not mention the Alexander Technique but is obviously informed by it (and it refers to UoS).[6]

 

Master the Art of Working Out by Malcolm Balk, Andrew Shields contains a section on yoga.[7]

 

The Manner of Action by Graeme Lynn contains a chapter on Hatha yoga asanas.[8]

 

Writings – Articles

‘Working with yoga practitioners: Considerations for teachers of the Alexander Technique’ by David Moore reports on his experiences of practising and working with yoga practitioners.[9]

 

‘Alexander Technique in motion applied to the practice of yoga’ by Meg Jolley: on using images to enliven and inform yoga practice, images based on developmental movement ideas (as taught by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen).[10]

 

The Direction issue ‘Yoga’ contains several articles exploring Alexander Technique and yoga:

 

‘What is yoga?’ by Ken Thompson is on ‘original’ yoga by examining classical texts on yoga which originated between the 4^th century BC and 4^th century AD.[11]

 

‘Off the table’ by Karyn Chapman; on applying the Technique to yoga, seeing yoga postures as merely advanced Alexander Technique procedures.[12]

 

‘Yoking the East and the West’ by Diana Hook; on taking yoga practices into daily activities, e.g. unloading the dishwasher, making the bed, reaching for the top shelf.[13]

 

‘Of one mind’ by Suzanne Faulkner considers the similarities and differences between the Technique and Ashtanga yoga.[14]

 

‘Psycho-physical re-education’ interview with Michael D. Frederick and Sigrid Wagner by Lyn Charlsen: on a variety of aspects of Alexander Technique and yoga, and how they can – or not – mix.[15]

 

See also Christopher Stevens, Ray Evans.

 

References

[1] Ken Thompson, personal correspodence 27 September 2017.

[2] Yoga and the Alexander Technique by David Moore (Einstein’s Moon, 2015).

[3] Smart Yoga, by David Moore (North Atlantic Books, 2017).

[4] Yoga and the Alexander Technique by Karyn Chapman, Kate Morris (Authors, 2010).

[5] Yoga (Know the Game) by Chris Stevens (A & C Black, 1985).

[6] Are you a Natural Hatha Yogi by Ken Thompson (Wide Eyed Frog Publishing, 2002).

[7] Master the Art of Working Out by Malcolm Balk, Andrew Shields (Collins & Brown, 2007).

[8] The Manner of Action by Graeme Lynn (Branden Books, 2015). Pages in this book are not numbered.

[9] ‘Working with yoga practitioners: Considerations for teachers of the Alexander Technique’ by David Moore in STATNews vol. 9, no. 3 edited by Jamie McDowell (STAT, January 2016), pp. 24–26.

[10] ‘Alexander Technique in motion applied to the practice of yoga’ by Meg Jolley in The Congress Papers 2011, Learning from Each Other edited by Siriol Jones, (STAT Books, 2012), pp. 244–48.

[11] ‘What is yoga?’ by Ken Thompson in Direction vol. 3, no. 1 edited by Paul Cook (Direction Journal, 2002), pp. 7–11.

[12] ‘Off the table’ by Karyn Chapman in Direction vol. 3, no. 1 edited by Paul Cook (Direction Journal, 2002), pp. 12–15.

[13] ‘Yoking the East and the West’ by Diana Hook in Direction vol. 3, no. 1 edited by Paul Cook (Direction Journal, 2002), pp. 27–28.

[14] ‘Of one mind’ by Suzanne Faulkner in Direction vol. 3, no. 1 edited by Paul Cook (Direction Journal, 2002), pp. 29–32.

[15] ‘Psycho-physical re-education’ interview with Michael D. Frederick and Sigrid Wagner by Lyn Charlsen in Direction vol. 3, no. 1 edited by Paul Cook (Direction Journal, 2002), pp. 19–26.