Direction

Direction A consciously projected thought intended to influence the organisation of psychophysical coordination. It is not a physical action, but a mental prompt that invites the body to reorganise without interference. In Alexander Technique practice, direction exemplifies non-doing—where intention guides activity without mechanical effort.

The term also functions as a systemic leverage point, akin to Donella Meadows’ concept of strategic influence within a complex system. Alexander’s view that the mental and physical are inseparable suggests that directing thought influences movement—and vice versa. If one accepts this interdependence, the quality of direction becomes central to the accuracy and adaptability of human movement.