About
Paul Baxter
STAT-Qualified Alexander Technique Teacher
My Alexander Technique Story:
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In 1996, I first encountered the Alexander Technique while searching for something different—something meaningful. Stuck in a job I didn’t enjoy, I began weekly AT lessons. After a few weeks, my teacher told me I wasn’t quite "getting it." She explained that truly letting go of habitual muscular tension is a deep and challenging process, requiring time and commitment. I accepted the challenge, beginning what would become a transformative journey.
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This journey taught me that muscular tension often accompanies certain beliefs about ourselves and how we think we should operate in the world. As Alexander said, we are a psychophysical unity. For someone like me, who wasn’t looking to change who I was but rather to understand myself better, this path became complex yet rewarding.
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After nearly five years of lessons, I felt empowered enough to leave my job and move to the Lake District (Kendal) to train as an AT teacher. Three years of full-time training (1,600 contact hours) later, I emerged as a STAT-qualified AT teacher in 2004. However, I still felt like a beginner in many ways, continuing to explore and deepen my understanding of the technique.
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My journey took me back to Prague in 2004, where I was the only AT teacher at the time. Working with musicians, dancers, and enthusiastic students, I witnessed the life-changing impact of AT. Yet, in my focus on helping others, I neglected my own self-care and eventually burned out, leading me back to the UK in 2010.
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In 2013, I furthered my exploration by attending the Dance and Somatic Practices Conference at Coventry University. This expanded my understanding of how diverse somatic practices can support and enrich an Alexander approach.
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In 2018, I completed an MA in Creative Writing at Lancaster University, where I integrated my somatic experiences into my creative writing. My studies explored concepts like "writing as a somatic practice" and "autobiographical movement," which shaped both the framework and content of my writing project. Now based in Cornwall, I continue to blend the Alexander Technique with somatic movement, dedicated to helping and educating others.
My Somatic Movement Journey:
My journey into somatic movement began in 2010-11, where I immersed myself in various Alexander Technique (AT) workshops with respected teachers like Miranda Tufnell, Margaret Edis, and Giora Pinkas, among others. I also revisited lessons with my original AT teacher and expanded my horizons by attending Gurdjieff Movements classes in Bath and London, all while teaching AT in Coventry and Warwickshire.
A pivotal moment came in 2013 when a chance encounter with Decoda, a local somatic movement group, led me to the Dance and Somatic Practices Conference at Coventry University. Here, I was introduced to Skinner Releasing, Feldenkrais, and other practices that positioned AT differently from my previous experiences - it was one of many somatic practices, integrated into everyday life rather than being something separate or "special." A workshop by Helen Poynor, with its blend of energy and stillness, left a lasting impression, prompting me to delve deeper into her work.
My exploration of somatic practices continued, including performances, singing workshops, and participation in the International Alexander Technique Congress in Limerick. I also explored movement with practitioners like Wolfgang Weiser and attended workshops such as "The Art of Being in Motion" with Helen Poynor and Shelagh O’Neill.
A significant milestone in my somatic journey was the year-long ecological training course with Sandra Reeve, completed in 2023. This bespoke training involved developing a creative project within a group of twelve participants.
Throughout this decade-long exploration, I engaged deeply with Joged Amerta, a non-stylised dance movement art from Java, emphasising our interconnectedness and placing movement at the core of being. This practice, with its spiritual dimension, resonated with my journey, allowing me to grow and manifest through movement.
Since 2018, I’ve also practised Authentic Movement with a regular partner, exploring different modes of witnessing, from observing in natural environments to experimenting with remote witnessing.
This practice has enriched my Alexander Technique approach, helping me to monitor myself and welcome whatever arises while engaging in movement.