Penelope Easten

I initially read zoology at Cambridge University. I took my first lessons in 1983 and qualified in 1989 from the North London Alexander School (Misha Magidov). After training, my use fell apart, as no-one had taught me to work on myself. This took me to Miss Goldie, who stripped away everything I had learnt, and rebuilt it as she saw the technique should be - a scary but highly rewarding process! I worked with her for four years, and that began a thirty-year journey to understand the differences and power of Miss Goldie’s amazing work. It has taken me to many other teachers – including Erika Whittaker, John Hunter, and Jeando Masoero, and to many avenues of exploration and understanding – both scientific and alternative.

From age seventeen, I also battled with another 30-year journey - with chronic fatigue syndrome. This is now sorted, but after it I needed to rebuild tone and strength, and increased calm and resilience, which this work has enabled.

I have been teaching workshops on Miss Goldie’s work since the Oxford Congress in 2004, in UK, Ireland, Germany and America. My book: The Alexander technique. The twelve fundamentals of integrated movement was published by now Singing Dragon (previously Handspring Publishing) in 2021. After 19 years in the West of Ireland I now live and work in Edinburgh, UK. I am passionate to share this work that can bring us such renewed vigour, sense of youthful springiness and calm presence.