Book Review: Body Learning
For this month’s book review I dove into a book I’ve been wanting to read for years now. Body Learning, by Michael Gelb, was used multiple times during my own training, both as a student and as a teacher trainee. My teachers would wave it around and talk about what a good read it was, and I somehow just never managed to actually sit down with a copy. Now that I have, I see why they were so enthusiastic. Body Learning is a remarkably strong narrative about the Technique and what it’s like to live your life by it.
Gelb introduces Body Learning as the book he would have wanted when he started learning the Technique. He describes it as “inspiration and guidance for those who consider commencing this journey, and as refreshment for those who have been traveling it for a while.” (Preface to the second edition, vii) A fluid narrative and intuitive organization, coupled with great articulation and description of the principles, make this an easy read that really communicates the essence of the Technique. The book is targeted towards new students and experienced teachers alike, and everyone in between, making it a rare case where I find myself completely okay with recommending it to everyone.
The book begins, as so many others, with an overview of the principles and application of the Alexander Technique. Gelb makes liberal use of practical examples and discussion of applications from his own experiences and those of his students. Once the theory and practice are out of the way, the section “Further Adventures” discusses a few more recent experiences Gelb has had since the first publication of the book and how his own understanding is still growing and developing. Finally, the book ends with several unusual applications of the technique, connecting Alexander’s theories to subjects such as implementing change on an organizational level, understanding one’s own emotions, and cultivating successful interpersonal relationships.
The plethora of personal anecdotes breathes life into the material, making sure that it doesn’t devolve into dry philosophy but stays constantly connected to the practical everyday use of the work. After the obligatory discussion of Alexander’s discovery, Gelb transitions into his discussion of the principles by introducing seven “operational ideas” that guide the teaching of the Technique. These “operational ideas” are:
Use and Functioning
The Whole Person
Primary Control
Unreliable Sensory Appreciation
Inhibition
Direction
Ends and Means
and they are laid out just like that at the beginning of part 2. I appreciated this use of what my writing teacher used to call “signposting” – stating at the outset what you are going to talk about – because it helped to keep the section focused and give the reader a sense of where the discussion was going. Similarly, each “operational idea” section ends with a series of “checkpoints” – basically discussion questions to deepen the reader’s understanding of the material. Questions like “What does wholeness mean to you?” (p. 41) encourage the reader to put the book down for a moment and really think about what they’re reading, which helps to clear away the philosophy fuzz that sometimes grows in the brain when reading about the work for a prolonged period of time.
This is the part of the review where I’m supposed to talk about the weaknesses of the book, but to be honest, I couldn’t find many. If I have to nitpick, I’d say that the “Ends and Means” section has a surprising number of long blockquotes from other sources, far more quoted material than original material. While these blockquotes are well-chosen and do serve to articulate the points Gelb is making, when I see this many of them concentrated in a small space I become concerned that it might be an indicator of Gelb having trouble articulating the concepts in his own words. But, since the book reinforces time and again that Gelb’s own understanding of the work is still deepening and changing, I’d be inclined to forgive him for this. End-gaining and Means-whereby are some of the hardest concepts to articulate, and I’m sure his own understanding of how to articulate them is still growing.
Overall, Body Learning is a fantastic introduction to the Technique. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested either in learning about the technique for the first time, or deepening their understanding further. While I have read other books that discuss the principles in perhaps easier-to-understand language, Gelb’s liberal use of anecdotes and practical examples allows for the same level of understanding despite the trickier language. I would definitely read this book in a group setting as well, since the Checkpoints are clearly designed to be discussed with a group. Body Learning has easily made it onto my short list of good books for interested students, new or old.
The Nitty-Gritty
Title: Body Learning
Author: Michael J. Gelb
© 1994 by Michael J. Gelb, published by Holt Paperbacks of Henry Holt and Company, LLC
ISBN-10: 0-8050-4206-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-8050-4206-1
Status: Available on Amazon
Forward and Up! is a Pittsburgh-based private practice offering quality instruction in the Alexander Technique in a positive and supportive environment.
