Eastern religious thought is characterized by the fact that it combines spirit or spirituality with an energetic view of the body. For example, hatha yoga implies the existence of two opposing energies: “ha” – or the energy of the sun, and “tha” – or the energy of the moon. The goal of hatha yoga is to achieve a balance between these two forces. According to Esudian and Haih, the authors of the book Yoga and Health, our body is riddled with positive and negative energy flows, and when these flows are completely balanced, we enjoy perfect health. It is easy to understand why primitive peoples consider the Sun and the Moon to be energy bodies: both of them directly affect the Earth and life on it. According to the Chinese idea, health depends on a balance of opposing energies, yin and yang, representing the energies of Earth and Heaven. In Chinese acupuncture practice, the channels through which these energies move are distinguished. By pricking with needles or pressing fingers on acupuncture points, you can control the flow of energy in the body in order to cure diseases and promote Health.
Another way that the Chinese use to mobilize body energy and maintain health is through a program of special exercises known as tai chi. Taiji movements are usually done slowly and rhythmically, using minimal force. According to Herman Kantz, “the blow is made on relaxation,” which “helps the flow of internal energy, called in Chinese” chi “and in Japanese” ki. “The reservoir of this energy is believed to be in the lower abdomen.”
Western Thought explains energy in mechanistic terms as something measurable. But, since no available tools could measure these energies, the Western mind, striving for accuracy, denies their existence. However, living organisms respond to certain aspects of the body’s energy in a way that machines cannot. For example, the excitement that a loving person feels when he meets his beloved is an energy phenomenon that no device has yet measured. The vitality radiated by lovers is the next example of an energy phenomenon that no instrument has registered either. Despite the fact that Kirlian photography showed the existence of an aura or energy radiation surrounding the body, no one has yet been able to explain this phenomenon in quantitative categories. Even before as the thought of the East began to penetrate into Western culture, which took place quite recently, some scholars disputed the point of view that the body was only a complex biomechanical machine, revived by some obscure spirit and ennobled metaphysical soul. In the last century, the French writer and philosopher Henry Bergson postulated the existence of a force or vital energy, the so-called elan vital, which enlivens the body. The adherents of vitalism, as this trend was called, could not accept the idea that the functioning of a living organism can be fully explained in chemical or physical categories. However, with the development of scientific research techniques and methods that made it possible to clarify the biochemical basis of bodily processes, they began to look at vitalism as something that could not be scientifically researched,
Modern medicine also holds this view. When I started to study medicine at the age of 36, I thought a lot about what feelings can have for health, and how we can explain such phenomena as love, courage, pride, and beauty. The knowledge that I received at the medical academy was very valuable, but not one of the following concepts was even mentioned there. Not even such important emotions as fear, anger and sadness were considered, since it was believed that these were psychological phenomena, not physiological ones. Pain was studied only on the basis of neurological and biochemical points of view, but no one at all dealt with a sense of pleasure, despite the fact that it represents such a powerful force in our lives.
The most serious white spot in medical education at that time was (remains to a lesser extent now) human sexuality. Every doctor knows that this function is extremely important for life and health. And as far as the exhaustive approach to the reproductive function has been approached, so sexuality has been deprived of attention because it does not apply to any one organ, but is associated with feelings that cover the whole body. Thanks to the study of this particular function, Wilhelm Reich realized what the role of energy in the process of life consists of.
Modern medical sciences are primarily concerned with the functions of organs. Doctors have to specialize in the treatment of certain systems, such as breathing, blood supply or digestion. The science of the whole person is unknown to Western medicine. You might think that this is the field of psychiatry or psychology, however, these disciplines have limited themselves to the study of thought processes and their effect on the body.
The point of view that thought processes belong to one area, the so-called psychology, and physical processes to another, the so-called organ medicine, is not consistent with the model of the fundamental integrity of the human person. This view is the result of the separation of the spirit from the body and its restriction to the sphere of consciousness. This gap crippled psychiatry and depleted medicine. The only way to deal with this violation of the integrity of a person is to return the psyche to the human body. Here was its original place. The unity of body and spirit is expressed in the Greek root psychein, which means breathing. A holistic view of the human body would lead to the recognition that the body is imbued with a spirit that animates the psyche and controls its work.
Since this definition of the psyche comes from vitalism, science cannot accept it. Thus, it was supplanted into the kingdom of metaphysics. However, it was precisely with the help of psychology in the form of psychoanalysis that the path to understanding the spirit as an energy phenomenon was discovered. This road led psychologists to the territory of sexuality, which was ignored by traditional medicine. Freud faced the problem of sexuality, trying to understand hysterical symptoms, psychosomatic illnesses that neither medicine nor psychology could explain until Freud published his classical doctrine. He showed that hysteria is the result of the transfer to the physical plane of a mental conflict related to sexuality and arising from an early traumatic sexual experience. However, no Freud, no other psychoanalysts were able to explain how this transference occurs. As a result, psychosomatic medicine suffered from the gap between the psyche and somatics and could not unite them. Wilhelm Reich was able to make this association using the concept of energy. He realized that conflict arises simultaneously on two levels: mental and somatic. He approached the psyche and somatics as two aspects, mental and physical, of one indivisible process. The reverse and obverse of the coin can be a suitable metaphor, because, whatever we do with the coin, this applies to both sides of it. In the same way, consciousness and body constitute two different functions that mutually influence each other. Reich formulated his concept as the principle of psychosomatic unity and opposition. Commonness exists at the deep energy level of the body, while at the level of observed phenomena, the opposite exists. These seemingly complex relationships can be clearly represented by illustrating the model of these relationships (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1. Reich considers the psyche and body as one on a deep level, but opposite on a superficial level.
The question arises regarding the nature of this energy process, as well as the energy involved in it. Reich presented this process as a pulsation, as arousal and relaxation, which can be felt in the form of energy flows in the body. The idea of energy acting in the body (specifically in its sexual function) belongs to Freud. He discovered that other physical ailments, such as neurasthenia, hypochondria, or anxiety, are associated with impaired sexual function. Since sexual intercourse is accompanied by emotional discharge, Freud believed that this discharge has an energetic character, and postulated that sexual attraction arises from the accumulation of sexual energy, which he called libido. At first, Freud believed that libido is physical energy, but not being able to prove its existence, defined it later as the psychic energy of sexual desire. By doing this, he widened the gap between consciousness and body.
Unlike Freud, Jung regarded libido as energy, which includes all the functions and movements of the body. However, he did not call her physical strength. As a result, spirit, psyche and libido remained physical concepts, and spirituality – the concept of consciousness.
Reich returned to the initial Freudian concept of libido as physical energy and conducted some experiments to determine whether it can be measured. He discovered that the electric charge on the surface of the erogenous zone (chest, lips and palms) increased when this zone was irritated. A painful effect on this zone lowered the charge. In addition, Reich showed that with pleasant stimulation, blood flow increased in the excitation zone, while painful stimulation corresponded to a slight decrease in blood flow.
These experiments allowed Reich to resolve the conflict between the vitalists and the mechanists. In dead matter there is no correlation between pleasant stimulation, swelling and an increase in electric potential. However, he emphasized that “living matter functions based on the same laws of physics as non-living matter.” It’s just that these laws act differently, since a living body is a special energy system.
But later, Reich came to the conclusion that a special type of energy is involved in the process of life. He called it “orgone” and claimed that it was the proto-energy of the universe. During the period of cooperation with Reich, I also believed in the existence of this energy. I believe that there are arguments proving that the energy of the life process is an energy different from electromagnetism. We can agree that energy is needed to nourish life. To avoid controversy that may arise when using the term orgon or another similar name, speaking about the energy of life, I use the term bioenergy. Since my form of psychotherapy is based on the concept of the energy processes of the body, I call it bioenergy analysis.
To make it easier for readers to understand further considerations, I will now begin the digression, explaining what bioenergy analysis is all about. A person in bioenergy analysis is regarded as a pyramidal structure. At the top is the head, where the consciousness and the ego are. At the base, at the deepest level of the body, are energy processes that make a person act. These processes are manifested in movements that cause emotions, and are completed by thoughts. The relationship between these processes is presented in Fig. 2.
Fig. 2. The hierarchy of personality.
The dashed line between different levels of personality indicates the interdependence of these layers. In bioenergy analysis, in order to understand a person, each level is studied. Due to their exceptional significance, the focus is on the energy processes underlying the pyramid. The object of close attention is the energy potential of a given person and the way he is used.
We know that energy is produced in the body as a result of biochemical reactions. Despite all its complexity, the chemistry of metabolism is similar to the process where fuel becomes energy, according to the general formula: P (fuel or food) + O2 = E (energy)
A distinctive feature of living organisms from inanimate nature is the fact that in organisms this process occurs inside the membrane, due to which the energy produced is not lost in the environment, but is used by the body to perform its vital functions. One of the main functions is to obtain from the environment the necessary elements for energy production. The membrane must be permeable to food and oxygen, as well as to remove decay products. In the case of more complex organisms than bacteria or simple unicellular organisms, this process is combined with an active search for necessary products. Therefore, the movements of the body cannot be random. They must be controlled by some form of environmental sensitivity. As one of the leading researchers in the functioning of protoplasm noted, ” protoplasm may not have a reason, but what it does is reasonable. “Isn’t it reasonable behavior to be open to food, love and pleasant contact, and to retreat before danger or pain? This process is not mechanical, as each organism constantly studies its surroundings This approach and retreat is part of the pulsating activity, inside the body it includes the heartbeat, breathing, intestinal motility, etc. All this is the result of the state of excitement in every cell and in every organ of the body. life as a state of controlled internal excitation, in which energy is produced, driving internal processes that support vital functions, as well as external actions to maintain or increase the excitation of the body. we have a huge potential for sensitivity to motivating factors, it decreases with our age. I think that this loss of sensitivity can be explained by the fact that with age the body becomes more structured and rigid. Finally, the time comes when an elderly person is so rooted in his stereotyped skills that he is practically unable to move spontaneously. I don’t remember ever seeing an old man jumping for joy like children do. Infants have the most lively and spiritualized bodies, because they are more than anyone else sensitive to the environment and other people. At the same time, older people are inspired in a more conscious way, because for the most part they understand how much they are connected with the outside world.
The process of building communication with the outside world is an energy process. To imagine how this happens between two people, imagine two tuning forks tuned to the same frequency. When they are nearby, then hitting one of them causes a vibration of the second. In a similar way, the connection between two deeply in love people can be explained. The image of two hearts beating as one can be more than a simple metaphor. As we have shown, our hearts and bodies are pulsating systems that emit waves that can act on other hearts and bodies. Quite often, mothers have the ability to feel what their children are experiencing, which depends on this type of connection between them. Feelings of unity with the Universe can be achieved by losing or overcoming your ego. The ego is the boundary that creates individual consciousness. Inside this boundary is a self-sustaining energy system, the main feature of which is the state of excitation. In figures 3a-c, the organism is represented as a circle around the pulsating root of energy. Without the existence of a border, consciousness and ego could not exist.
Fig. 3a represents the normal energetic interaction of an organism with its surroundings when it experiences pleasure or pain. The ego acts as a mediator in this interaction in the interests of self-preservation (when the body experiences painful irritation) or self-realization (when the body receives pleasant stimulation).
Fig. 3b shows how the waves of excitement pass from the root to the world in the case of a weakening ego. In this case, consciousness is no longer individual. The result of such an experience that can be experienced in deep meditation is a state of peace and quiet. In fig. 3c, the internal excitement becomes so strong that the waves that it emits — like during an orgasm or other joyful excitement — overwhelm the ego, radiating beyond its boundaries. In this case, a person experiences a sense of unity with the cosmos, but this is not a sense of peace, but ecstasy.
Fig. 3. Energy processes in the body.
- Normal response to pleasure and pain.
B. The energy process resulting from the weakening of the ego.
B. Energy processes in a state of increased excitement.
We now turn to the practical aspects of these discussions on the topic of energy. One of the most common health problems in our culture is depression. It is difficult to determine the frequency with which it occurs, since we do not have objective criteria by which we recognize depression, with the exception of its most obvious forms. A person in a state of clinical depression can lie motionless in bed or sit in a chair, not showing the slightest desire to take some kind of active role in life. In many cases, a concomitant symptom is a feeling of despair. In others, depression may combine with anxiety or may alternate with periods of increased activity. When mood swings dominate, we say that the condition is manic-depressive. In cases of this type, it is obvious
While a case of acute depression is easy to recognize, erased cases are often not recognized at all. A person can complain of fatigue and attribute to it a decrease in his activity – this is one of the features of such depression. But if after a long rest you still feel tired, then depression will be the correct diagnosis. When a patient comes into contact with himself during therapy, one can often hear such remarks: “Now I understand that I had a state of depression for most of my life. How did it happen that I did not notice it?” The answer is simple: we tried to be busy. Most of my patients acknowledge that their activity is a defense against depression; when they begin to feel tired, they begin a new business. Interestingly, such activities can contribute to the physical and mental awakening of this person,
The specific trauma that predisposes a person to depression is the loss of love. An infant who is deprived of close contact with the mother or with the person who replaced his mother may become depressed and die. Regardless of age, we all need a connection with someone who loves us in order to maintain the sensitivity of our bodies to awakening. Elderly people who have lost a beloved companion often lose their desire to live. Most adults can reach out to many people to make contact, while children and older people are limited in their ability to create bonds of love. Nevertheless, a feeling of such unity is absolutely necessary for their health.
Even before birth, the child is closely associated with his mother. In the bosom, this connection is the most intimate and the closest possible. When the baby is born, it tries to re-feel the warmth of this contact near the chest or in the arms of the mother. Such contacts for babies are very important. They stimulate his body, stimulate his functions, respiration and digestion. Pleasant physical intimacy gives positive effects all my life, renewing the enthusiasm and vitality of a person.
Losing a loved one often causes heart pain or chest spasm. Everyone, except the very young, can go through this experience and unblock the spasm within themselves, mourning for this loss. Crying relieves tension and restores the body to a free state. When the pulsation of the heart becomes strong again, the waves of excitement reach the surface of the body and penetrate further. By exciting other bodies, these waves create energy bonds between them.
Unfortunately, small children who have lost love cannot come to their senses until a new connection is created. The release of tension and relaxation, which brings crying, is necessary for a small child to maintain the strength of the pulsation in his body. It often happens that the loss of love is not caused by the death or loss of the mother, but only by the inability for the child to satisfy the basic desire for love. The mother herself could be an offended child who suffered because of the loss of love of her own mother. A healthy and energetic father may be able to respond to the needs of the child, but he is not able to completely replace the mother, even if he can muffle the pain of a broken heart. In most cases, heartache due to the loss of mother’s love does not disappear in a person in an adult state, manifesting itself in the form of chronic chest pain and making breathing difficult.
Such a person will not be able to raise his energy level simply by increasing the amount of food and oxygen. If the body does not need additional energy, then excess nutrition is deposited in the form of fat, and excess oxygen leads to a state of hyperventilation. The body must have a balance between the use of energy and its accumulation. The balance between energy storage and release is controlled by demand. An increase in the basic level of energy in a person can be achieved only through the revitalization of the body through the expression of feelings. Lack of vital energy is always the result of restraint of feelings. One of the amazing consequences of low energy levels is an increase in activity, which in turn has a source of trying to find love. Most children who have experienced a loss of love believe that this loss was due to the fact that they could not deserve this love. Most mothers reinforce this feeling of guilt in the child, scolding them for demanding too much, too energetic, obstinate. The child will soon realize that if he wants to get at least a little love, he must adapt to the requirements of his mother. This prejudice that love must be earned, usually persists until adulthood, when it is often manifested by a desire for achievement, for success. This behavior is typical of people with a tendency to “type A” behavior, which is characterized by an exaggerated desire to confirm their value along with suppression of anger, which manifests itself in frequent irritation. “Type A” behavior is the main factor leading a person to depression and heart disease. This kind of behavior is also responsible for the chronic fatigue of people in our culture. Unfortunately, most people do not know how to reduce the pace of their lives so much that they feel tired, under the pressure of life, of the belief in the need to live on as they did before, because this is a matter of survival. The feeling of tiredness makes them anxious that they will not be able to continue the struggle. Most people cannot say to themselves, “I can’t.” When they were children, they were taught that saying “I can’t” is tantamount to admitting defeat, and this is an argument that they are not worthy of love. how they lived before, because it is a matter of survival. The feeling of tiredness makes them anxious that they will not be able to continue the struggle. Most people cannot say to themselves, “I can’t.” When they were children, they were taught that saying “I can’t” is tantamount to admitting defeat, and this is an argument that they are not worthy of love. how they lived before, because it is a matter of survival. The feeling of tiredness makes them anxious that they will not be able to continue the struggle. Most people cannot say to themselves, “I can’t.” When they were children, they were taught that saying “I can’t” is tantamount to admitting defeat, and this is an argument that they are not worthy of love.
There is a physical reason due to which activity increases with decreasing energy levels. It is impossible to relax if the energy level is too low, since it is energy that is needed to relieve muscle tension. This fact, although not very well known, can be easily illustrated and explained.
When muscles tighten, they do work that uses energy. Being in a state of tension, they can no longer do any work. In order for the muscles to relax and be able to do the work, it is necessary that the muscle cells produce the necessary energy for this. This in turn requires an influx of oxygen and removal of lactic acid. (A relaxed muscle is energetically charged and stretched, while a contracted muscle, after using its energy in the process, is compressed.)
Consider a stretched muscle as a stretched spring. She is now full of energy. When a muscle contracts to do some work, it becomes shorter and harder. As you use it, the spring loses energy. The muscle is regenerated and relaxes, increasing its energy potential, which is similar to stretching the spring so that it can perform further work.
When a person is overworked and his energy level is low, he can easily fall into a state of contraction, just as a person suffering from manic psychosis, in which hyperactivity and hyperactivity precede a state of depression. A classic example of this condition is a restless and agitated child who, despite being tired, cannot calm down and fall asleep. Parents, after all, can yell at him or punish him to calm him down. The child reacts with an explosion of crying, parents hug him and hug him. He is falling asleep. Crying makes the child breathe deeper, which gives him the energy needed to relax.
A person with a high level of energy rarely falls into a state of high excitement, since his body, thanks to relaxed muscles, can maintain a high level of tension. As a result of his movement, he is free, spontaneous and full of grace. Like a car with a high-power engine that easily climbs a mountain, people with a lot of energy move through life with minimal effort. And only in a crisis situation they can note certain efforts, but even then they have enough energy to create the impression that they do everything with ease.
It is possible that no other part of the body shows the expressive vitality of the body like the eyes. They are considered a mirror of the soul. But it is also a mirror of the body. They show the state of the internal energy of the human body. When this internal energy is hot, its bright flame glistens in the eyes. For example, the eyes of a person in love shine, reflecting a state of energy uplift. The eyes also show feelings. They sparkle when a person is cheerful, shine when a person is happy, and lose their luster when he is tired.
The condition and appearance of the skin is another way to assess the state of vital energy. People with a high level of energy, regardless of skin color, usually have a skin with a pink tint, as it is well saturated with blood. This is possible when an excitation wave from the depths of the body reaches the surface of the body, giving the skin a strong charge of energy. A gray, whitish, yellowish or bronze hue indicates that the skin is not adequately provided with energy, and the flow of blood to it has decreased. Dry, hard or cold skin indicates that there are problems both at the level of blood supply and at the energy level. Skin condition indicates a person’s emotional state. For example, in a state of fear, blood flows from the surface, leaving the skin pale, cold and even sticky. Goosebumps also indicate fear. It appears, arises as a result of that the elastic fibers of the skin shrink and the hair follicles rise. The body is shaped by what it felt on its own experience. Reacting to sensory touch, the body relaxes under the influence of pleasant excitement. The body of a child who does not have close contact with the mother tenses up and becomes cold. Its sensitivity decreases, and internal ripple decreases. In a healthy person, this pulsation is strong and lasting, which allows a person to contact the world. Such open to the world, loving people – a rarity in our culture. The following set of questions will help you evaluate your energy status. the body relaxes under the influence of pleasant excitement. The body of a child who does not have close contact with the mother tenses up and becomes cold. Its sensitivity decreases, and internal ripple decreases. In a healthy person, this pulsation is strong and lasting, which allows a person to contact the world. Such open to the world, loving people – a rarity in our culture. The following set of questions will help you evaluate your energy status. the body relaxes under the influence of pleasant excitement. The body of a child who does not have close contact with the mother tenses up and becomes cold. Its sensitivity decreases, and internal ripple decreases. In a healthy person, this pulsation is strong and lasting, which allows a person to contact the world. Such open to the world, loving people – a rarity in our culture. The following set of questions will help you evaluate your energy status.
Energy auto-diagnosis
Low energy
- Do you feel tired?
2. Is it difficult for you to get up in the morning? Do you feel tired?
3. Do you feel driven, tired, depressed?
4. Are you constantly on the move?
5. Is it difficult for you to relax, to sit quietly?
6. Do you move freely or are your movements sharp and hasty?
7. Is it difficult for you to fall asleep?
8. Do you sometimes feel dejected?
If you answered most of the questions positively, you have a low energy level.
High energy level
- Do you sleep well and do you wake up rested?
2. Are your eyes clear and brilliant?
3. Do you find pleasure in fulfilling your normal duties?
4. Are you optimistic about the next day?
5. Do you like the state of calm?
6. Are you moving gracefully?
If you answered most of the questions positively, you have a high level of energy.
Body structural dynamics
The human body is balanced energetically and structurally. It is also biochemically balanced due to its ability to homeostasis. From the energy point of view, the energy balance in the body is supported by two opposing forces, one of which, acting from above, pulls the body up, and the other, acting from below, pulls the body down. We use a tree as a metaphor. Its branches grow up towards the Sun, while the roots are launched into the Earth. In traditional Chinese thought, these two forces, called yin and yang, represent the energies of the Earth and the Sun, respectively. The roots of a plant absorb yin energy from the Earth, and the leaves absorb yang energy from the Sun. In Taoist thought, yin and yang are in harmony with each other. But life is not static, it is in a state of constant change, thanks to the interaction of these two forces, which, as it seems, constantly pull the rope. Harmony is the middle point in the movement of the pendulum, which exists only at the moment when the movement changes direction.
Life developed on the surface of the Earth where its energy reacted and connected with the energy of the sun. For the emergence of life, such a unity of opposites is the basis of sexual reproduction. Among the Chinese, these opposites are sexually oriented: yin becomes the feminine element, and yang masculine. To understand these interactions between opposing energy forces, we need the concept of superposition or superposition introduced by Wilhelm Reich, which means two energy waves circling around the center in a creative act. This process is shown in Figure 4.
Fig. 4. The Reichian concept of superposition.
During evolution, the energy level of some organisms increased dramatically, as a result of which in all animals the charge at opposite poles of the body became strong enough to create two centers. The upper center became the brain, the lower – the genital and reproductive organs. The heart became the central source of activity, and the blood pumped by him in both directions connects the opposite poles to the center. In the case of a tree, the connection of the poles is achieved by moving the juices up and down. The movement of fluids is associated with the corresponding movements of energy and depends on it, it creates excitation that spreads throughout the body. In the human body, these waves of excitement become the force that holds him upright. In general, these waves act more strongly during the day than during nightly rest periods.
The basic rule of bioenergy is that energy storage cannot exceed its consumption. Despite the fact that you can eat more than is required for the production of energy at this time, this surplus will be deposited in the form of fat, ready to be converted into energy when such a need arises. Thus, when a person is in a hopeless situation, for example during a famine, he can give more energy than he is able to receive. However, energy reserves are reduced to such an extent that death may result. The balance of the body can be upset at some point, for example, holding your breath, but it must resume after a while in order for life to continue. The balance of opposing forces is manifested in the pulsation that underlies life. Ripple which is characterized by the process of expansion and contraction, is observed in respiration, peristalsis, palpitations and other body functions. This is the basis of life of all living organisms, despite their size. In humans, pulsation is observed not only in the whole body, but also in every cell, tissue or organ.
This model also applies to behavior. Outward movement and inward movement are a form of ripple. Outward movement leads to contact with the outside world, while inward movement leads a person to contact with himself. This pulsation is affected by the circadian rhythm. We are more open to the outside world during the day and turn inward at night, during sleep. None of these conditions is the best and both are essential for health. Permanent stay in any of them is pathological, since life is made up of pulsation, from the ability to contact with the outside world or to leave it and to turn inward depending on the situation.
Figure 5a presents a diagram of the basic pulsation of expansion and contraction in a unicellular organism. In order to transfer these rules to the human body, imagine a person standing with outstretched arms on legs wide apart. Figure 5b shows the similarity of the body to a six-pointed star, where its head, arms, legs and genitals represent its six rays. Two concentric circles can be superimposed on these figures, of which one is in contact with all external rays, and the second with all internal points. Each of the six outer rays represents the most important points of contact with the world. The outer circle can be likened to the surface of the body, while the inner circle can be considered as the root from which the impulses emanate. In the human body, every strong impulse charges equally all six external points, and each inner constriction takes the same amount of energy from all six points. In open and energetic people, these points are charged to a greater extent than in closed and depressed people.
Fig. 5. The processes of expansion and contraction occurring in the body.
- Basic pulsation in a unicellular organism.
B. Basic pulsation in the human body.
As shown in Figure 6, there is a direct link between the energetic charge of the eyes and feet, as they are located on opposite ends of the body. This relationship is most easily understood in the categories of longitudinal pulsation in the body and the flow of excitation up and down. The structure of the bodies of all higher organisms repeats the structure of the worm, the tube inside the tube, and consists of segments or metamers. The outer tube is composed of the respiratory and digestive systems. The inner tube functions as a system of skeletal muscles, amenable to volitional control. The worm moves when an excitation wave travels through its body, causing expansion and contraction of subsequent segments. The internal nutrition of the body of the worm through the tube flows according to the same sample. A similar principle is present in the human body, with the only difference that the structure of his body is more complex and differentiated. In the process of evolution, different segments joined together to create three main segments: head, chest and pelvis, and two smaller segments: neck and waist. The merger allowed these segments to create highly specialized structures that are less observed in lower vertebrates, and more so in mammals. The main segmental structure is manifested in the spine, but even here some segments, namely, the sacral vertebrae, merged, form the sacrum. which are less observed in lower vertebrates, and to a greater extent in mammals. The main segmental structure is manifested in the spine, but even here some segments, namely, the sacral vertebrae, merged, form the sacrum. which are less observed in lower vertebrates, and to a greater extent in mammals. The main segmental structure is manifested in the spine, but even here some segments, namely, the sacral vertebrae, merged, form the sacrum.
Fig. 6. The course of excitation along the body.
The main segments are guarded by the sensitive organs enclosed in them. The chest, the central segment of the body, hides two important organs under the ribs: the heart and lungs. The head encloses the brain, which under the cover of the skull controls the whole body. At the other end of the body is the pelvis, a bone structure that protects the genital and excretory organs. Neck and waist are the main transitions from one center to another. Through them pass the nerves, blood vessels, respiratory and digestive tracts. And now we are investigating some problems that may arise as a result of a violation of structural dynamics.
When a segment connecting two energy centers is elongated, it separates from each other two large structures that it connects, which indicates the degree of separation. So, an elongated neck holds the head high above the body. A person with such a neck will probably feel arrogant in relation to his animal nature. He may seem sophisticated, but all he can do is develop his feelings in such a way that they conform to the cultural standards accepted in society. People with a shorter neck and a denser body structure will probably be closer to their animal nature, they are better identified with the physical strength of their body. Of course, genetic factors have a particularly significant effect on body structure. However, the influence of the environment also plays a role in the development and creation of the body shape.
A few years ago I worked with a young man who was very tall, thin, had an impressionable face and beautiful curly hair. I could easily imagine him as a golden-haired cherub. His mother raised him with the belief that he would be ahead of all other boys. She believed that he was a gift of heaven for her, and saw divine features in him. The result of such education was his estrangement from the earth so that he “lost grounding.” Despite the fact that his legs looked strong, he had little sensation in them. He was also not connected with reality, since he considered himself an outstanding personality. Although he had some abilities, he failed to prove himself as an artist. He also had difficulties in contacts with women, because in each of them he saw the shadow of his mother.
The question arises. What caused the lengthening of the body of this young man? After all, his father had normal growth. I admit that its development can be understood in the categories of longitudinal pulsations of the body. In a long, thin body, an excitation wave moves up, which reduces its intensity. This upward movement can have several meanings: the desire for tenderness and support, since the child who wants to receive it seeks to move away from his animal nature, as well as the desire to rise above others. Grounding exercises changed the direction of the flow of energy, bringing more energy to the legs and feet, which helped this young man overcome his inner barriers. Therapy did not make him a centimeter lower, however, it led to the fact that he felt more confident and safer. By learning to breathe deeper, he increased his energy level, which increased the pulsation in his body. The consequence of this was that he felt more solid and strong.
If a long and thin body reflects a weakening of energy pulsation, then a short and thick body reflects an increase in this pulsation, since shortening a wave increases its power. People with this structure have significant physical strength. They tend to rush forward without looking at others. Men with such a structure often resemble bulls in their appearance and behavior. Nikita Khrushchev had just such a body structure, combined with aggressiveness. However, a body structure of this type may be accompanied by a passive defense position, as was the case with Arnold, a man of forty-five years old who came to me for advice about anxiety.
Despite the fact that Arnold never intensively went in for sports, he looked like a weightlifter with huge buttock muscles. Talking to him, I quickly found that the problem of his anxiety has its source in relations with his mother. Arnold was an only child. His mother was an aggressive woman whose main interest in life was a son. It is not surprising that he characterized her as a person interfering, zealous, seeking to control him. When he was a child, his strongest desire was to run away from her. Father, unfortunately, was not able to help him free himself from her. When Arnold turned to me, he was still trying to break out of her arms. He was freed from her on an emotional level only at the moment of her death, when he was about 50 years old. Until this time, he managed to get married for the first time,
When Arnold described his mother to me during our meetings, I imagined her as a tank, and of him as a small tin box for tablets. The oval box does not allow itself to be bent, but although it can successfully resist the tank, it cannot destroy it, as well as run away from it. Arnold, apparently, could not escape from his mother, despite the fact that he managed to confront her. The therapeutic problem was how to remake this small, tin box in a war machine, which could be done by mobilizing restrained anger. This should have been done gradually. Arnold was afraid of his anger because it was murderous anger. His concern stemmed from the conflict between the desire to act under the influence of anger and the fear of such actions. He felt that if his anger exploded, he could destroy both himself and others. He was forced to protect himself from this by applying a defense equally powerful as a force to be resisted. When Arnold understood the dynamics of his body structure and his problems, it was possible to release his suppressed anger by recommending that he strike at the trestle bed. Due to the fact that it was grounded, the patient did not get out of control and did not cause any damage. Gradually, his body relaxed and, surprisingly, his height increased.
Describing in this way Arnold and his mother, I draw attention to the main aspect of their personalities, which is reflected in the structural dynamics of their bodies. The correlation between the human body and psyche is absolute as a result of their functional identity. However, the body is not just an instrument of the mind, where the mind becomes a separate force acting on it, but because the spirit is present in living tissue. At the time of death, the spirit dies away, and the body turns into pure matter. Spirit is like a flame that turns matter into energy. Fire itself is not a substance or energy, but a consequence of the process of change. When this process runs out, the flame dies away and matter turns into dead ashes.
Structural dynamics allows us to understand the phenomenon of splitting, a serious violation in the body that can appear in correlation with significant personality disorders. That people can suffer from splitting is not a new idea. Some personalities have been described as containing several small personalities. According to this thesis, these splits should exist in the body to the same extent as they manifest themselves in the person. Such dissociation is possible, since the human body is divided into three main departments: head, chest and pelvis. Splitting occurs when the feeling of unity between them is broken. There are many people in whom the head has no connection with the heart, but the heart with the genitals. In all these cases, tension can be found in the muscles of the neck and waist, restricting the course of excitation between the main parts of the body. Of course, in the literal sense, these segments remain anatomically connected. From the brain, which regulates and coordinates the vital functions of all segments, nerves are sent without obstacles from one segment to another. The same applies to blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to each cell of the body, and take away metabolic products. This integration of the body is reflected in the integration of the individual at the subconscious level. However, on the surface, where consciousness reigns, integration is broken as a result of obstacles to the waves of excitation that flow along the surface. Depending on the intensity of these disorders, a breakdown of three different types of behavior may occur, in which each is associated with one of the main segments. This illustrates the following case. A few years ago, a 50-year-old man called Roger turned to me for advice. Roger complained that he felt depressed as he was losing control of his life. He realized that he drinks too much, feels bad and neglects his body. Little remained until his wife left him. He considered some of his problems the result of his frequent business trips, during which he went to bars or discos, met women there, and then spent the night with them. Roger had no difficulty finding a woman, since he was a handsome man and a man of success. However, his relationship with his wife was getting worse, he suspected that she had revealed his secrets, as their sex life had ceased. Roger said his wife was a decent woman, but she stopped attracting him. He did not want, however,
I noticed that Roger has a quick logical mind, which, no doubt, explained his success. However, when he spoke, his voice was almost senseless, and his eyes were cold and dark. He seemed to be completely in control, but this was contrary to his behavior. I realized that Roger will be able to maintain control, as long as the head remains the basis of his actions. During the first months of therapy, Roger showed very little emotion when talking about his past or present life. However, there was something attractive about him. At times he looked at me and smiled. At that time, his eyes were sparkling, and for a moment he looked like an innocent child. When this light faded, Roger’s eyes became dark again. At times, they shone again when he talked about his feelings for his mother and other women and looked as if he was overwhelmed by a strange excitement.
To help Roger, I had to first understand what kind of person is in front of me, but it was not so simple. In the afternoon he was a cold, logical engineer and a great businessman. At night he turned into a satire. In rare moments, he became an innocent child with sparkling eyes. This part of his personality was responsible for the inventiveness that he showed at work, and for the beauty that made women like him. As soon as I understood this triple division of his personality, I was able to understand that the basis of this section is his body, which was also divided into three parts, namely: on the head, thoracic region and pelvis. Strong tension in the neck, and especially at the base of the skull, isolated his head from the rest of the body. A similar tension in the waist and around the pelvis separated the genitals from the heart and from the head.
The cold, professional side of Roger’s personality relied mainly on his head in his activities. In this role, his eyes had absolutely no expression. Suddenly, Roger’s passionate side acted on the basis of his genitals. In this role, Roger was lit by a godless flame. It is difficult to expect someone to remain cold and logical when he is seized with a fever of sexual arousal, but usually a person does not lose his mind even in situations such as that of Roger. The loss of the ego and the suppression of one’s “I” is manifested at best only during the peak of orgasm. In such cases, the return of one’s “I” is manifested as self-realization. Otherwise, the surrender of one’s “I” sex without love is self-destructive. I was sure that Roger was capable of love, and this belief gave us the opportunity to jointly solve his problems. But when we started the therapy, he was not able to associate either his thinking or sexual desire with love. Due to the split personality, he could not combine these various functions.
A person’s life experience forms the structure of his body, which in turn forms his personality. That is how his past still lives in his present. In order for a person to be free from the limitations of the past, he must be aware of the experiences that these restrictions brought him. This is the goal of analysis, as it provides us with a framework within which a structural change can occur. The restructuring of the structure requires direct work with the body in order to reduce muscle tension. Analysis and restructuring of the body must move simultaneously. I usually start with the patient’s story, which is always incomplete at first. During therapy, as suppressed memories appear in the mind, the patient’s image becomes more expressive.
Roger was an only child. He described his mother as a pretty woman, proud of her appearance and social position. She loved to receive guests and go to receptions. His father was a businessman who worked hard and often returned late from the office. Parents rarely cursed, however, Roger felt that their life was miserable. He felt his close connection with his mother, but knew that her interest in him was unstable. When her father was not at home, she wanted her son to keep her company, complaining at times about her father’s inattention to her needs. But when there was some kind of reception, she ignored him. Roger had some pleasant memories of playing ball with his father and fishing trips together. Although it rarely happened that his father beat or scolded him, Roger knew that he was prone to anger.
So far, in these stories, we find some information that could help us figure out the origin of such serious violations in Roger’s personality. However, we have subtle clues about Roger’s real relationship with his mother. When a woman does not find satisfaction in marriage, she will probably turn to her son in search of close contact, which failed with her husband. Roger was an attorney for her in many matters. However, as soon as the opportunity turned up to pay someone a visit or meet with another man, she turned away from him. She showed a similar attitude to him every evening, when she closed the doors to the bedroom, which she shared with his father. When I drew Roger’s attention to this fact, he realized that he always felt betrayed. I was obliged to examine in detail this part of Roger’s life story, since it was clear to me that Roger treats women the same way that his mother used to treat him. He was handsome, but lived a superficial life, and was not able to completely surrender to any woman. He behaved sexually seductive with them, just as his mother behaved towards him. At the heart of this behavior was hidden anger, which was a transfer of anger from the past, the one that he felt for his mother. It was this anger that caused Roger the separation of heart feelings from sexual feelings. This separation was reflected in the insufficient contact of his chest with the pelvis. At the heart of this behavior was hidden anger, which was a transfer of anger from the past, the one that he felt for his mother. It was this anger that aroused in Roger the separation of heart feelings from sexual feelings. This separation was reflected in the insufficient contact of his chest with the pelvis. At the heart of this behavior was hidden anger, which was a transfer of anger from the past, the one that he felt for his mother. It was this anger that caused Roger the separation of heart feelings from sexual feelings. This separation was reflected in the insufficient contact of his chest with the pelvis.
Unfortunately, Roger also had to separate from his sense of love for his father. As a child, he ended up in the Oedipus triangle. Having become a favorite of his mother, he was doomed to jealousy and hostility of his father, who was a man stronger than him. Roger said during the consultation that in childhood he did not realize that he was afraid of his father. However, over time it became clear that he suppressed this fear in himself, just as he suppressed his anger directed against his mother for her seduction. This fear surfaced later. He realized that his source of greater professional success than his father was that he wanted to outdo him. But he achieved these successes only by strengthening control of his need for love and understanding. This kind of success turned out to be an achievement that does not matter, which emasculated his life. He sought refuge in alcohol and his sexuality in order to break out of control of his head. This made possible the emergence of certain feelings in his body.
Caught in a strong Oedipus conflict in childhood, Roger acquired splitting. However, a certain integration remained in him, which led him to therapy and the search for his real “I”. It sometimes manifested itself in the clear, innocent eyes of the child hiding in it. When I saw this look, I saw that as an infant and young child, Roger was an object of love for both parents. Tortured by the adult passions of the Oedipus conflict, he crushed this child, closing it in his heart. Roger sought to open his heart, but he could only do this in those rare moments when he had the hope that someone would understand his loss and fear. It was the fear of surrender to feelings – anger, sadness, love – that manifested itself in the splitting of his bodily integration. Therapy of this kind of personality splitting, as was the case with Roger, is not easy. Behavior analysis despite that it is obligatory, is not an effective integrating force, since it involves, among other things, the mind. Roger accepted my interpretations, but this had little effect on his feelings and behavior. Emotions, being a function of the whole body, have an integrating power. But how to set in motion an emotion that is strong enough to cause such consequences? And what kind of emotion should it be? Only two emotions have such power – love and anger. The only person who can evoke these emotions with the tension necessary to integrate the individual is a therapist. I became the father Roger needed, and I was also the father whom he was afraid of and for which he could keep anger proportional to his fear. The projection of feelings suppressed in childhood onto the personality of the therapist is known as transfer, or transference. All psychoanalysts are working on this aspect, however, mainly on an intellectual level. This is absolutely not enough to change the psychological and physical structure of the patient. The transfer must be experienced as strongly and expressively as possible. In the case of Roger, this was not easy, since he had an ambivalent relationship with me. He needed paternal support and love, but at the same time, he treated his father arrogantly. He recognized my authority as a bioenergetic therapist and collaborated in working with the body, breathing, grounding and expression of feelings. However, he always remained under the control of his mind and for this reason was not able to completely surrender to either therapy, or to himself and his passion. to change the psychological and physical structure of the patient. The transfer must be experienced as strongly and expressively as possible. In the case of Roger, this was not easy, since he had an ambivalent relationship with me. He needed paternal support and love, but at the same time, he treated his father arrogantly. He recognized my authority as a bioenergetic therapist and collaborated in working with the body, breathing, grounding and expression of feelings. However, he always remained under the control of his mind and for this reason was not able to completely surrender to either therapy, or to himself and his passion. to change the psychological and physical structure of the patient. The transfer must be experienced as strongly and expressively as possible. In the case of Roger, this was not easy, since he had an ambivalent relationship with me. He needed paternal support and love, but at the same time, he treated his father arrogantly. He recognized my authority as a bioenergetic therapist and collaborated in working with the body, breathing, grounding and expression of feelings. However, he always remained under the control of his mind and for this reason was not able to completely surrender to either therapy, or to himself and his passion. but at the same time he was arrogant towards his father. He recognized my authority as a bioenergetic therapist and collaborated in working with the body, breathing, grounding and expression of feelings. However, he always remained under the control of his mind and for this reason was not able to completely surrender to either therapy, or to himself and his passion. but at the same time he was arrogant towards his father. He recognized my authority as a bioenergetic therapist and collaborated in working with the body, breathing, grounding and expression of feelings. However, he always remained under the control of his mind and for this reason was not able to completely surrender to either therapy, or to himself and his passion.
Roger was also afraid of me, although not in a physical sense, as he was younger and stronger than me. However, he felt and to a certain degree believed that, like his father, I had power over him, stemming from the fact that he needed my help. The need for help made him feel addicted, which, given his oedipal situation in childhood, caused him an unconscious fear of castration. Anger directed against me, on the other hand, increased the risk that I could leave him and interrupt therapy. He also needed my love, because in the past he demanded the love of my father, trying to impress me, working with his body and performing bioenergetic exercises. However, their progress was limited by his ambivalent feelings. On the one hand, the exercises made you feel better, but on the other, he was not able to completely surrender to them, since the need to impress me irritated him. The situation was hopeless and after several years of efforts, it seemed that the therapy was doomed to failure.
At the same time, it is in such a period that therapy has real chances to achieve success. If someone agrees to accept failure, nothing is lost. You can stay true to yourself. At that moment, Roger was able to express all his anger towards me and his father. He did this by striking his couch with his fists and repeating that he was very nervous about my arrogant position. Anger was quickly transferred to his father because he did not stay with him in order to give him support, allowing him to openly and manly resolve conflicts in his relations with his wife. To do this, he used the phrase: “You are not a man!” This meant that his father lacked character. He was also furious with his mother for betraying his love and lack of respect. This anger has been released for some time,
Roger’s therapy continued for several years, but he did not complain that it lasted too long when he felt that it was moving in the right direction. He felt gradual changes for the better in his body as he made better contact with him. The changes in his body were reflected in the corresponding changes in behavior and in relations with other people. He was able to feel a deep love for his wife, and they found mutual pleasure in their renewed sexual union. His sexual behavior has changed radically. At a certain time, when his condition improved, he lost his sexual instinct. This upset him until I explained to him that he had stopped treating sex as a pleasure that he could not resist, and that sex would now be an expression of love for him,
A classic example of a woman with a split personality is Merlin Monroe. Monroe has never been my patient, and I know her only from films and photographs. Her body exhibits disorders similar to those that I found in Roger, namely the insufficiently strong and holistic flow of energy connecting the head with the chest and the chest with the pelvis. In Monroe, each of these areas of the body seemed to move independently of each other, like a doll with a moving head and hips. This insufficient connection between the segments of the body manifested itself in her in the same way as in the secular person in her public behavior. Monroe was a professional actress, child and queen of sex, and each of these subpersonalities functioned in different situations. When she played a role, her behavior was controlled by an intelligent and very competent mind. In her relationship with men, she was a child in need of affection and approval. For the public, she was a secular and unusually sensual woman. Reality contradicted this image. Merlin Monroe was not an integrated person with a strong inner sense of security. As a child, she was traumatized by a lack of love and sexual abuse.
Nothing destroys a child’s personality more than sexual abuse, which can take the form of emotional seduction of a child by a parent to actual incest. In Monroe, such a negative environment caused a strong energy spasm in her body, which split the unity of her personality.
The person is at risk of splitting as a result of the conflict between rational mind and animal nature, between the desire for dominance and the need for submission. This conflict is rooted in human nature. It makes a person susceptible to disease, but on the other hand it is the source of his creativity and the basis of conscious spirituality. The result of this conflict in the life of each individual depends on its severity, as well as on how deeply the splitting occurred.
A significant influence is also exerted by the way in which the society in which the individual lives, copes with his own contradictions between culture and nature. The splitting in society, transferred to family territory, becomes a war between husband and wife, parents and children. In this situation, the child is often divided into two parts. As long as the conflict is not too sharp, and the speakers in it are too strong, the child can maintain a certain integration, making the body rigid. Stiffness usually refers to the neck and waist. In most cases, this deterrence is not so acute as to become a medical problem, although it can cause suffering, which over time will require medical intervention. Decreased flexibility in the neck can lead to arthrosis of the intervertebral joints, causing pain when turning the head. Such tension in the waist affects the condition of the lumbar vertebrae, manifesting itself as lumbosacral pain, irritation of the nerve roots, and also prolapse of the discs. It is important to understand that this stiffness is a defensive reaction. The man says in body language: “No, you will not be able to break me or split me.” Unfortunately, stiffness appears after the child has fully felt breaking and splitting. Rigidity acts like a tire that prevents the degeneration of a small crack in a fracture. as a child already felt the breaking and splitting to the full extent. Rigidity acts like a tire, which prevents the degeneration of a small crack in a fracture. as a child already felt the breaking and splitting to the full extent. Rigidity acts like a tire that prevents the degeneration of a small crack in a fracture.
However, the integration, the integrity that stiffness provides, is based on immobility, and not on the free flow of energy, more on the will than on the feeling. Rigidity is a denial, not a statement. She says: “I will not give in, I will not give in, I will not soften.” Initially directed against demands or threats from society or parents, it, rooted in the structure of the body, becomes resistance against life in general. By limiting the free flow of energy in the body, it violates the vital pulsation and restricts breathing, which reduces the person’s energy level. But since it is a manifestation of “endurance” and “will”, people often consider rigidity more an advantage than a disadvantage. This is especially true when a person is not aware of his rigidity until it causes pain. Since it controls the muscles that can be controlled voluntarily, stiffness is a manifestation of the will. Her statement “I do not want” could also sound: “I want and do”, “I will not give in” could also be well expressed through “I will be the winner and I will win”. Tough people have a strong will, but this is not a sign of health. Will allows a person to achieve, but does not allow to enjoy what has been achieved, since it depends on the ability to surrender. The will itself is not unhealthy or neurotic. In dangerous situations, it can save a life. It acquires a neurotic character if it is rooted in the body structure to such an extent that a person is not able to discard it in order to surrender to his heart or sexual passion. Despite the imaginary integration that stiffness gives, personality suffers from splitting between head and body, thinking and feelings. As a result, we are dealing with a quantitative factor. Every person in our culture to some extent suffers from splitting. When this contradiction is not so deep, it is accompanied by rigidity. Deep cleavage leads to a visible discrepancy between the main segments of the body. To the same extent that a person is split, she loses grace and does not have the spiritual experience of merging with the universe. Just as the will separates the head from the body, it isolates the person from the people around him. On the other hand, this isolation allows individuals to flourish. A person can be someone precisely because he uses his will. The use of will and stubbornness are two different things. Stiffness in a crisis situation is something completely different than staying tough all the time, since it gives a driving force. We believe that it is a very big deal to achieve success, to defeat someone, and we are not aware that in life there is nothing to win but fear of life itself. The more we fear, the more we become tough.
The following exercise is a test for neck and waist stiffness.
Exercise 1
Take the starting position: the feet are parallel, the knees are slightly bent, the pelvis is relaxed and slightly pushed back. Look over your left shoulder, turning your head to the left as much as possible. Hold this position for several respiratory cycles and try to feel tension in the muscles going from the base of the skull to the back. Turn your head to the right, look over your right shoulder, taking several deep breaths. This exercise is performed five to ten times in the morning. It belongs to my personal development program.
To measure the flexibility of your waist, raise your arms with your elbows bent to shoulder height. Now turn the body as far as possible to the left and hold in this position for several breathing cycles. Then turn the body to the right and hold the position for several breathing cycles. Do you feel how tense your back and waist muscles are? Doing this exercise, are you able to inhale the lower abdomen? Do you stand in the required position (feet are parallel, knees are slightly bent, body weight is slightly shifted forward)?
Stiffness can span the entire back, which becomes plank from head to sacrum. I saw a man who suffered from ankylosing spondylitis. His vertebrae became a single column, which is an extreme version of stiffness. This man could not bend and turn his body, and his relations with people were as rigid as his back. I knew that his father achieved success in life and was a very authoritarian person in life who demanded absolute obedience from his son. Outside, the boy obeyed him, but inside he constantly resisted. Unfortunately, he suppressed his sense of resistance to such an extent that it was rooted in the structure of his body. This man could not mourn even the tragedy of his illness, because crying meant for him to give up, soften, and this was impossible for him.
Generally speaking, suppressed anger is accompanied by muscle tension in the upper back. In anger, the wave of excitement moves upward along the back to the teeth (impulse of biting) to the hands (impulse of stress). When the animal is angry, its ridge rises, and the wool stands on end. When a person is angry, his back also rises, he lifts a ridge, which indicates that he is ready to attack. The expression of anger weakens the excitement and allows the ridge to lower again. However, when anger is suppressed, tension is restrained and becomes chronic. Such a situation arises in childhood, when a child is first attacked by his integration, when a parent orders him to do something that he does not want to do. If resistance to this task is accompanied by punishment, the child’s natural reaction will be anger. Unfortunately, his anger can be met with a punishment so severe that he will be forced to suppress the anger. In this case, he will surrender, but only outwardly. Inside, he will remain tough, resisting and restraining himself in expressing anger, but his impulse will remain in his subconscious. Such a person may not feel the anger that he carries within himself, but he will be manifested in the stiffness and tension of the upper back, but he does not notice this, since this happens behind. Even if a person notices an abnormally bent upper part of the spine, he does not know how to interpret this, since this is the competence of the therapist. Such a person may not feel the anger that he carries within himself, but he will be manifested in the stiffness and tension of the upper back, but he does not notice this, since this happens behind. Even if a person notices an abnormally bent upper part of the spine, he does not know how to interpret this, since this is the competence of the therapist. Such a person may not feel the anger that he carries within himself, but he will be manifested in the stiffness and tension of the upper back, but he does not notice this, since this happens behind. Even if a person notices an abnormally bent upper part of the spine, he does not know how to interpret this, since this is the competence of the therapist.
The stiffness of the back will not be reduced until the suppressed anger becomes conscious and reacted. A person may suspect that there is hidden anger in him if uncontrolled explosions of rabies happen to him or when he is haunted by a constant feeling of irritation. Since such reactions are not related to the real cause, they also do not lead to success in the discharge of voltage. Only when the tension comes back to life can a person be able to feel anger and associate it with the trauma that caused it. The main exercise that I use in bioenergy therapy to help patients relieve back tension is to hit the trestle with fists or a tennis racket. No one can hurt themselves while doing this exercise, which is a good way to relieve chronic stress, caused by repressed anger. I use this exercise in my office, and I also advise patients to use it at home. It is recommended that the couch have a rubber mattress that can withstand this attitude. Men usually use fists, and women use tennis racquets to better feel the power of the blows.
Exercise 2
Face the couch. The feet are parallel, the knees are slightly bent to provide good cushioning, as the movement comes from the feet. Raise your fists or racket over your head, bending slightly backward. Do not bend far, as this will interrupt contact with the ground. Instead of leaning on force, extend your arms as far back as possible, keeping them as close to your head as possible. This may seem difficult due to tension in the shoulders, but if you perform this exercise frequently, the tension will be discharged. With hands raised in this position, take a deep breath and hit the trestle bed. Try to start this movement from the feet, so that it is performed gracefully. Since the strike under duress is weaker, do not try to hit the trestle bed with maximum force. Just like archery distance,
Try to keep your breathing deep and free, do not hold it. This exercise can arouse a strong sense of anger in you, but this is not the goal. The blow itself is an expression of anger. This exercise will relieve tension in the back if it is performed correctly and for a long time.
I myself have performed this exercise many times to help myself release the anger that was holding me back. I have long known that my back is rounded and pinched. I once told a massage therapist working on my back the reason for my tension, which I described as pent up anger. At this time, I spontaneously said: “There should no longer be anger.” When I said this, I felt something coming out of my back. I felt freer, as if someone had lifted me. I threw away a little stiffness and control that limited my life.
To drop control, we must allow the head to listen to the body. How difficult it is for most people in our intelligent world! Too many of us live by our heads, instead of listening to the desires of the body.
