From automatic response to conscious coordination

When a loud noise startles us (and sometimes even when we expect it), we automatically respond with a pattern known as the startle reflex. Dr. Frank Pierce Jones, physician and Alexander Technique teacher, described this pattern as remarkably consistent. He wrote:

“It begins with a blink of the eyes; then the head jerks forward; the shoulders rise and the arms stiffen; the abdominal muscles contract; breathing stops, and the knees bend. The pattern allows for minor variations, but its main features remain the same.”

We can identify three basic types of startle reflexes, which may evolve into more complex response patterns. Because the startle reflex is brief and unexpected, it is difficult to observe and even harder to control. Its main value lies in serving as a model for slower, more complex patterns of response.

The classic startle reflex

When we are startled by a loud sound, we enter a sequence of reflex reactions: we blink, gasp and hold our breath, raise our shoulders, pull the head back and down, tighten the abdominal muscles, and flex and bring the knees together. We also release chemicals that speed up our heartbeat and make our breathing quick and shallow.

In this state we become temporarily stronger and hyper-alert. This is useful if we need to escape from danger—but not so helpful when we need to play a concert, audition, or take an exam.

The slow-onset startle reflex

When we anticipate an activity with fear or anxiety about what might go wrong, we develop a state of tension linked to that activity. The physical symptoms of anxiety are almost identical to those of the startle reflex, though they tend to appear more gradually. In this type of pattern, we also release adrenaline, our heart rate increases, and our breathing becomes short and shallow.

However, if we can notice the beginning of the pattern, we can prevent it from fully developing—or even reverse it.

The chronic startle reflex

If we live under constant pressure and stress, we may develop a chronic startle pattern. This makes us feel insecure and ungrounded. We tend to pull the head back and down in relation to the spine, and to over-contract the back of the neck.
This continuous state of alertness restricts our breathing and generates excessive tension both in our thinking and in our body, limiting coordination and freedom of movement.

Fear, anxiety, fatigue, and pain are common triggers that can lead to startle-like reactions.
In all of these cases, the neck muscles shorten, pulling the head back and down, usually followed by flexion in the abdomen and knees—making the body shrink and occupy less space than its natural size.

Preventing the reflex

When F. M. Alexander discovered how to prevent the pulling back of his head in relation to his spine, he found a key to resolving his difficulties. He observed that this pattern—pulling the head back and down—created pressure on his larynx and interfered with his breathing. He made a crucial connection when he realized that he was compressing his body in space. At first, he thought this only happened while performing, but later noticed that a milder version of the same pattern was present all the time, in all his daily activities.

Making music requires exceptional coordination. The conscious part of our brain performs this coordination poorly on its own, while the subconscious and muscular reflexes organize it much more efficiently.

The work in my classes focuses on consciously developing a deep connection between thought and movement, using imagination as the primary tool. The physical results of this process are indirect. It is not about making a new kind of effort to move, but about releasing unnecessary effort that we are already making without realizing it.

For example, when we work on the wave-like movement of the spine, we aim to allow the head to balance through muscular reflexes, rather than trying to “find the correct position” directly—a strategy that would only lead to extra tension in an attempt to “hold the head still.” We achieve very little if we strive too hard for freedom of movement.

In our practice, the ideal “position” of the head is one of constant rebalancing. This is a reflex response that cannot be achieved by “doing something,” but rather by stopping unnecessary doing. It is also important to recognize that this natural rebalancing happens more easily when we are calm and feel a sense of safety. A feeling of insecurity tends to trigger the startle pattern, which begins precisely with the fixation of the head, preventing its dynamic reorganization.

Our head rebalances several times per second—unless we create tension that interrupts the process, fixing its relationship to the rest of the body (especially to the spine). The human body is not designed to remain static or to find a “correct position” and hold it immobile.

Primary Control

The term “Primary Control”, used by Alexander, refers to this dynamic relationship. It is “Primary” because it is essential to the functioning of the whole organism, and because it is the first bodily relationship that responds to any stimulus in daily life. The word “Control” describes how the head continuously reorganizes itself on top of the spine, facilitating other coordinated responses throughout the body.

The kind of control we seek comes from ease, fluidity, and release, not from the tension that arises from our idea of “effort.” Some people describe this fine balance of the head as a form of “inner movement.”

Alexander observed that we tend to live according to our previous experiences. If we are told to “stand up straight” and try to improve our posture, our idea of what “straight” means becomes our internal reference for adopting a posture we believe is correct.

Alexander’s work offers a different way of understanding posture. It includes not only movement and balance but also our emotional state as part of postural organization. The integrated, soft, and balanced quality we seek becomes the indirect result of applying Alexander’s principles to daily life.

The idea of placing the head in the “right position” is a common misunderstanding—and a perfect example of what Alexander called “end-gaining”, or trying too hard to do something correctly.

When we talk about good posture, what we truly mean is a continuous rebalancing that allows us to maintain coordination, organization, and presence in everything we do—with ease and minimal effort. Whether it’s washing dishes, sitting down and standing up, playing a musical instrument, singing, practicing yoga, or meditating, this dynamic balance supports all our activities.

References:
- F. P. Jones, John Hanson & Florence Gray, “Startle as a Paradigm of Malposture”, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 19 (1964), pp. 21–22.
- F. P. Jones, “Conscious Control and its Relation to Human Posture and Movement”, Sheldrake Press, London, 1967.
- Judith Kleinman & Peter Buckoke, “The Alexander Technique for Musicians”, London, 2013.

Artículos relacionados