{"id":176617,"date":"2026-03-19T07:32:39","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T15:32:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lukeford.net\/blog\/?p=176617"},"modified":"2026-03-19T07:37:38","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T15:37:38","slug":"obituary-for-iconoclastic-alexander-technique-teacher-david-arthur-gorman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lukeford.net\/blog\/?p=176617","title":{"rendered":"Obituary For Iconoclastic Alexander Technique Teacher David Arthur Gorman"},"content":{"rendered":"

Obituary<\/a>:
\nDavid Arthur Gorman was born on February 3, 1950, in Kitchener, Ontario. He was an artist, a scientist, a writer, and above all, a lifelong explorer. He was driven by a profound curiosity about understanding how things work, in the human body and in the mind. That curiosity shaped the course of his life.<\/p>\n

David’s brilliant mind led him to make innovative discoveries about human functioning and how the way we think impacts our being.<\/p>\n

Trained as a teacher of the Alexander Technique, he remained deeply committed to learning, questioning, and refining his understanding throughout his life. He continually re-examined his experience and research, allowing his work to evolve over decades. From this dedication emerged his own approach, which he named LearningMethods.<\/p>\n

For more than forty years, David devoted himself to teaching individuals and groups around the world. He was a path opener, helping others recognize new possibilities within themselves and within their professions. Students of all ages and from many countries found that David’s work transformed their lives.<\/p>\n

A natural leader, David played a central role in founding and shaping professional organizations in the United States and Europe. He trained teachers in the United Kingdom through his Alexander Technique training course and offered workshops internationally in his own approach. His influence continues through the many students and professionals he mentored over the decades.<\/p>\n

In 1980, David also gave the world a beautiful 650-page anatomy book, entirely hand-drawn and handwritten in its first edition. It stands as a testament to both his scientific knowledge and artistic talent. Now in its sixth edition, the book continues to support students and professionals around the world.<\/p>\n

He possessed an extraordinary capacity for work, matched by his deep generosity and empathy. He gave freely of his time and attention to friends, colleagues, and students, always willing to listen, support, and encourage. Countless students describe David as a life changer, a guide whose insight and presence altered the course of their lives in lasting and meaningful ways.<\/p>\n

In his final years, David faced a neurological illness with quiet courage and clarity. Even in his last days, his mind remained steady and perceptive. He understood that his time was limited, accepted it with grace, sharing precious moments with his sons, Walker and Elliot, and with his wife, Eillen. He left this world very peacefully, with his wife and two sons by his side on February 7th, 2026.<\/p>\n

David\u2019s life bridged science and art in a way that felt seamless. The background image above is one of his remarkably lifelike drawings. In the mid-1970s, he spent time dissecting and drawing in the human anatomy lab at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario. In a profound full circle, he chose to donate his body to the same anatomy lab at the University of Guelph, continuing his dedication to learning and teaching even beyond his lifetime.<\/p>\n

Many of his articles are available on the LearningMethods website<\/a>, recently updated by his son Elliot.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As with other high-commitment groups, Alexander Technique teachers are loathe to criticize each other publicly while privately they sanction their peers who leave the reservation. Gorman left the Alexander Technique clique to create his own technique, inspired by F.M. Alexander’s work, that he called Learning Methods<\/a>. I thought it was brilliant. <\/p>\n

DirectionJournal.com<\/a> hosts an excellent interview with David Gorman<\/a>. Robert Rickover recorded this interview<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I spoke to David for almost two hours on Feb. 16, 2012 via Skype.<\/a><\/p>\n