Visualisation as a teaching tool

Imagination and Biofeedback in Alexander Technique Teaching

In exploring Alexander Technique teaching at the children's clinic I used to run, we discovered that blending imagination with biofeedback can create powerful learning moments. The combination of internal awareness and external validation offers students a unique pathway to understanding their bodies and developing conscious control.

Simon's story: Simon was a seven-year-old boy who was paralysed from the waist down. His journey illustrates how creative teaching approaches can unlock unexpected possibilities.

The Challenge: Connecting with Unfelt Limbs

Simon was paralysed from the waist down. He couldn't feel his legs.

How do we help someone develop awareness of body parts they cannot sense? How do we build the neural pathways that might support movement when physical sensation is absent?

I needed an approach that bypassed the usual sensory feedback loop, something that could engage Simon's intention and attention in a way that felt natural and playful rather than clinical or frustrating.

The Imaginative Approach: Friendly Aliens and Aerial Signals

I introduced a playful narrative to help Simon engage with his legs. Simon and I imagined that two friendly aliens had come to visit Earth and needed his help to gather information about the human body. Simon's mission was to send out imaginary signals—like little aerials—from his back, down through his legs and toes, to help the aliens understand what it's like to have human legs.

This imaginative framework transformed the task—"feel your legs"—from an impossible one into an engaging game with a clear purpose. Through this process, Simon began to find a sense of direction and intention toward his legs. He was thinking in spaces he couldn't feel, creating mental pathways where physical ones were blocked.

The Scientific Bridge: Biofeedback Validation

To complement this imaginative work, we used electromyograms (EMGs)—a form of biofeedback equipment that measures neural activity. Even though Simon couldn't physically feel his legs, the EMG equipment could detect and display the subtle neural activity occurring as he engaged his imagination.

This created a remarkable feedback loop: Simon's imagination triggered real neural activity, which the EMG detected and displayed, providing him (and us) with concrete evidence that his mental direction was creating measurable physiological changes. The biofeedback served as a bridge between his internal experience and external reality, validating his efforts in a way that pure sensation couldn't.

Understanding Individual Learning Pathways

Of course, visualisation isn't the perfect tool for everyone. As Alexander Technique teachers, we understand that students connect with their bodies through different modalities:

Verbal learners may respond best to clear, descriptive language and anatomical explanations

Kinesthetic learners often need hands-on guidance and physical feedback through touch

Visual/imaginative learners thrive with imagery, metaphors, and visualisation exercises

Analytical learners may benefit from understanding the biomechanical principles at work

Visualisation is simply one tool in our teaching toolkit—valuable for some students, less effective for others. The key is remaining flexible and observant, ready to adapt our approach to what resonates with each individual.

Creating Multi-Sensory Learning Experiences

By blending biofeedback with nature-inspired imagery—like Simon's alien friends—we can offer rich, multi-sensory experiences that engage students on multiple levels. This combination:

Engages the imagination to bypass obstacles in conventional sensory pathways

Provides objective validation through measurable physiological responses

Creates playful engagement that reduces performance anxiety and self-consciousness

Builds confidence through concrete evidence of progress

The Art of Exploration Together

Simon's story reminds us that Alexander Technique teaching is fundamentally about exploration—our own as teachers and our students' as learners. We're not applying fixed protocols but rather engaging in a creative process of discovery, finding what works for each unique individual at each moment in their learning journey.

Whether we're working with imagination, biofeedback, hands-on guidance, verbal instruction, or any combination of approaches, our role is to remain curious and responsive. It's about exploring together and discovering what resonates best for each student, meeting them exactly where they are and supporting them in developing their own embodied awareness.

What tools have you found most effective in your teaching practice? How do you adapt your approach to meet individual students' needs? The conversation continues as we all learn from each other's experiences and insights.

This blog relates to an article I published in Directions magazine a few years ago as a case study.