The Alexander Technique has therapeutic benefits but is not a therapy. It involves bodywork but not manipulation, massage, exercise or relaxation techniques. It is a practical method of learning about and improving our habits of use. Most of the time we are slaves to our habits. What goes on in our bodies, minds and emotions – our posture, way of moving, level of tension, degree of effort, mindset – is so familiar to us that we are unaware of it. Problems arise when we get into bad habits. In Alexander Technique we recognise that “use affects functioning”. The term “use” is more often associated with tools or machinery. Using a tool incorrectly is likely to damage it and if we use machinery in the wrong way it is likely to break down. Humans, as psycho-physical beings, are much more complex than any piece of machinery. Our mis-use of ourselves can result in excess tension, pain, distortion, anxiety or increased wear and tear on our joints. We use educational terms in Alexander Technique because it is a process of re-education rather than a therapy. The Technique is taught in a series of lessons. The process of learning must begin with pupils becoming aware of their patterns of use, so that they are no longer governed by unconscious habits. At the same time as stopping their habitual reactions, pupils learn how to consciously control or direct themselves whilst carrying on their daily lives. “Thinking in activity” is how one pupil has described it.