The Differences in Pilates’ and Alexander’s Approaches to Self- Improvement: Part I

"I must admit", he wrote in his third book, "The Use of the Self", "that when I began in investigation, I, in common with most people, conceived of 'body' and 'mind' as separate parts of the same organism and consequently believed that human ills, difficulties and shortcomings could be classified as either 'mental' or 'physical' and dealt with on specifically 'mental' or specifically 'physical' lines. My practical experiences, however, led me to abandon this point of view and...(my technique)...is based on the opposite conception, namely, that it is IMPOSSIBLE to separate 'mental" and 'physical' processes in any form of human activity."

In his second book, "Constructive Conscious Control of the Individual" Alexander addressed the problem this impossibility of separation created for his writing: I am forced to use the words 'physical' and 'mental...because there are no words at present which adequately express the manifestations of pycho-physical activity...I wish therefore to make it clear that whenever I use the word 'mental', it is to be understood is representing all processes or manifestations which are generally recognized as not wholly 'physical', and vice versa the word 'physical' as representing all processes and manifestations which are generally recognized as not wholly 'mental'."

Part II of this article, to be published next month at Suite101.com, will examine how Pilates' and Alexander's conceptions of mind and body affected the nature of their approaches to improving health and well-being.

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Robert Rickover is a teacher of the Alexander Technique living in Lincoln, Nebraska. He also teaches regularly in Toronto, Canada. Robert is the author of "Fitness Without Stress - A Guide to the Alexander Technique" and is the creator of The Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique website at http://www.alexandertechnique.com

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