Zen in the Art of Archery

          by Eugen Herrigel

available from amazon.com

The brief and elegant account by a German philosophy professor of his training in archery in Japan in the late 1920s.

“The best textbook on the Alexander Technique apart from Alexander’s books.”

                      Walter Carrington

Freedom To Change: The Development and Science of The Alexander Technique

    by Frank Pierce Jones

available from Mornum Time Press

The best single source about the Technique, from a person who trained to teach the Technique with both F. M. Alexander and A. R. Alexander, F. M.’s brother and close teaching associate. Jones had been a professor of classics at Brown University and later became a first rate scientist at Tufts University where he investigated the Alexander Technique. The book contains a history of the Technique, a chapter devoted to each of Alexander’s four books, and a description of his experimental studies at Tufts. There is also a chapter on Alexander’s relationship with the American philosopher John Dewey.

The Use of the Self  by F.M. Alexander

available from amazon.com

This is the third of four books authored by F. M. Alexander. First published in 1932, it was intended in part as a textbook for his newly started course to train teachers of the Technique. The first chapter is Alexander’s description of his process of inventing the Technique. For many, this is the easiest of Alexander’s books to read.

A note about the books authored by F. M. Alexander

F. M. Alexander wrote four books. The first, originally published in 1910 is Man’s Supreme Inheritance. The second, from 1923, is Constructive Conscious Control of the Individual which Alexander thought was his best description of his work. The third The Use of the Self is noted above. The fourth, recognized as his most mature statement, The Universal Constant in Living is from 1941. Readers must keep in mind that Alexander was continually evolving his Technique and way of teaching it. For example, by the 1950s he had ceased using the sort of verbal “preventive orders” or “directions” as they are detailed in the chapter ‘The Illustration’, in Constructive Conscious Control of the Individual.

For those who are more deeply interested in Alexander’s writings, there is a fifth book, Articles and Lectures, published in 1995 by Mouritz. This is a collection of every extant article Alexander wrote, starting in 1894. It also contains transcriptions of three lectures he gave to different audiences, several letters, and a collection of quotes of Alexander from actual lessons, written down by his eavesdropping secretary. Each item is introduced with notes by the brilliant editor of the volume, Jean M. O. Fischer.

Be aware that Alexander wrote in a style that most readers today find unfamiliar. Thus you are urged to read beyond any antiquated word choice, syntax, and uncommonly long sentences. Also keep in mind that Alexander was describing something that can only be actually known from direct experience, thus words are inadequate from the start. Nevertheless, the books are very worthwhile and fascinating reading for anyone interested in the Technique.

Body Learning: An Introduction to

the Alexander Technique by Michael J. Gelb

available from amazon.com and michaelgelb.com

A notably excellent introduction to the Technique which includes superbly illustrative photographs.

Alexander D. Murray’s  F. M. Alexander: In his own words, and in the words of those who knew him

available from blurb.com

A tremendously important collection tracing Alexander’s development of his Technique. Murray’s deep understanding from over fifty years of learning and applying the Technique is the basis for the enlightening choices from many original source texts.