“Body mapping is the term given by Alexander Technique teachers William and Barbara Conable to the process of constructively applying an understanding of anatomy to improving how we move. Barbara has provided an excellent introduction to this work in her book How to Learn the Alexander Technique. If you are new to this work, I strongly recommend reading this book, and also obtaining a book with good anatomical pictures – my favorites are Grant’s Atlas of Anatomy, by Anne M.R. Agur, Williams and Wilkins, and Anatomy of Movement by Blandine Calais-Germain.
“The importance of having an accurate understanding of how the various parts of our body fit together lies in one of the basic tenets of Alexander Technique work. I like to state it as “If you change what you think, you can change how you move. And if you change how you move, you will change what you feel.” Body mapping works directly on the “thinking” end of this equation – the only end with any real “leverage” for making changes. By changing our conceptions of how our parts fit together, we can change how we move them. The accompanying feeling can be one of enormous relief – and fascination with the wisdom underlying our creation.”
(This quote was taken from Body Mapping, an excellent article by Alexander Technique teacher Stacy Gehman)
Body Mapping, like Constructive Rest, is a process that anybody can use on their own, without having the need for Alexander Technique lessons. Barbara Conable’s book, How to Learn the Alexander Technique, is very useful for anyone exploring Body Mapping and is available from: Amazon.com (USA), Amazon.co.uk (UK), and Amazon.ca (Canada).
William Conable describes the development of Body Mapping:
For Alexander Technique teachers:
What Every Teacher needs to Know – An Interview with Barbara Conable – Body mapping, inhibition and direction, breathing, the spine and more.
How to Use Bodymapping in your AT Teaching by Barbara Conable is taken from a lecture given to the Swiss Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique.