Glossary

Non-doing

‘Non-doing’ in the Alexander technique is used in the sense of what we should not do in the use of ourselves in our daily activities. In other words, non-doing is about preventing harmful habitual responses that lead to a misuse of our whole psychophysical selves.

Non-doing is fundamental in the Alexander technique. FM Alexander thought that:

“... it prevents the self from doing itself harm by misdirection of energy and uncontrolled reaction of the self: it is an act of inhibition which comes into play, when for instance, in response to a given stimulus, we refuse to give consent to certain activity, and thus prevent ourselves from sending those messages which would ordinarily bring about the habitual reaction resulting in the ‘doing’ within the self of what we no longer wish to ‘do’.”

Non-doing is about letting things be and allowing an appropriate response to occur, rather than habitually over-‘doing’ in an effort to achieve a certain goal or outcome.

Non-doing is not to be confused with either stopping rigid or passivity.

See other glossary terms and definitions.