Finding Feeling and Purpose

By Michael Samsel

To live is like to love-- all reason is against it, and all healthy instinct is for it.
Samuel Butler

Everything I did in my life that was worthwhile I caught hell for.

Chief Justice Earl Warren

To care for people is more important than to care for ideas, which can be good
servants but bad masters.
Harry Guntrip - Psychoanalytic Theory, Therapy and the Self

If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.
Abraham Maslow

Action has meaning only in relationship, and without understanding relationship,

action on any level will only breed conflict. The understanding of relationship is
infinitely more important than the search for any plan of action
Krishnamurti

About the Author-- Michael Samsel

I am a 51 year-old therapist living and working in Seattle Washington. I have

undergone three years of bioenergetic training with the Florida Bioenergetics society.
My first exposure to Lowenian and Reichian ideas was in 2002 when I cracked open
Betrayal of the Body randomly. I was not able to read more than a few pages at that
time. However this set in motion a course of study and experience that now defines
my professional life. My hope is to one day gain the grounding to stand on the
shoulders of these two very human giants. Please do not hesitate to email me at
michaelsamselweb@gmail.com, or "leave a reply" on the contact page of my blog

When a thing has been said and well, have no scruple. Take it and copy it.
Anatole France

Love, work and knowledge are the well-springs of our

life. They should also govern it.
Wilhelm Reich

CONTENTS

Introduction

Growth and Therapy

Tradition

In the Reich and Lowen

Principles for Change

Tradition

In the Reich and Lowen

The Concept of Character

Tradition

In the Reich and Lowen

Energy and Movement

Tradition

In the Reich and Lowen

Vegetative Systems
Tradition

In the Reich and Lowen

Goals and Abilities

Tradition

In the Reich and Lowen

Body Based Practices

Tradition

In the Reich and Lowen

Challenges to Change
Tradition

In the Reich and Lowen

Social Controversies
Tradition

In the Reich and Lowen

Humanism
Tradition

In the Reich and Lowen

Sexuality
Tradition

In the Reich and Lowen

Introduction
Finding Feeling and Purpose
Questions of human misery and happiness are dealt with in all types of philosophy,
psychotherapy, and self-improvement movements, often with brilliance and some
accuracy, but rarely with any real change or benefit. Wilhelm Reich and Alexander
Lowen broke the change barrier by addressing something obvious that had been
overlooked: the visible unhealthy state of the body in which the person and the
misery lives. At the same time, they kept a focus on lifestyle limitations imposed or
encouraged by the larger society or the family in early life, and then later imposed by
the person onto him- or herself. In sum, the limitations in physical capacities and
lifestyle limitations reinforce each other, and together lead to a life with diminished
total feeling, a strong predominance of bad feelings, diminished energy, and little
enjoyment of relationships.
A student of Reich's, Charles Kelley, described the way back from this diminished
state as 'education in feeling and purpose.' Feeling is the present non-voluntary state
of a person made conscious; purpose is the voluntary and conscious state that is
possible to creatively develop from feeling.
To have purpose means living with true conviction and felt principle. In the absence
of feeling, an attempt at purpose produces only goals that are both lifeless, and
distorted by unconscious unmet needs. Purpose is more than the sum total of
feelings, it is true, but no purpose can be formed that works against feeling.

Intentional alienation from emotion, while it may seem to offer a greater freedom of
action, in the end results in purposelessness and despair.
This website is intended to organize the field of ideas and practices which Reich,
Lowen, and others developed to re-introduce the felt and purposeful body into life,
and if psychotherapy is used, back into psychotherapy. I call this the Reich and
Lowen tradition. It includes both health restoring practices and social critiques.
Every tradition of human growth starts with an innovator but thereafter experiences
an inevitable struggle between dogmatism, dilution, distortion, and preservation.
When anyone other than the originator propagates the ideas, changes come in,
intentionally or otherwise. These can of course be improvements, or useful
adaptations to other contexts. But they can also be changes that defeat growth
because they arise without understanding the entirety or the essence of the original
tradition. Dogmatism assumes most students will not really understand for a long
time, and so tries to preserve the original value by forbidding changes. Dogmatism of
course eventually leads to distortion because circumstances change just enough to
make mechanical application of the original ideas harmful. Popularization on the
other hand, accepts the incompleteness of understanding, but denies any risk of
dilution or distortion. Neither takes pains to preserve the original rationale, which is
necessary for any useful further innovation. Above all, in this site, my aim has been
preservation, first and foremost, of rationales, but also, second, actual useful
techniques and practices. Whatever robust trial and error investigation went on into
finding useful practices during the heyday of the Reich and Lowen tradition, the
results seemed to have been committed rather more to the oral than the written
record, and are now rapidly being forgotten.
Over time it has become clearer to me that, in developing this website, three different
perspectives tend to get mixed. The first is to compare and contrast the Reich and
Lowen tradition with the main psychodynamic or Freudian perspective. This is a
distinction that Reich and Lowen themselves strongly made in their teaching and
writing. The second perspective is to contrast the tradition with humanistic
psychology, which has a strong hand in most therapy and self-help movements
today. Together these first two perspectives lead to many references to
psychotherapy. The third perspective is to compare and contrast the Reich and

Lowen tradition with twenty-first century American trends and beliefs about 'the
good life'. This of course leads to many references about 'mainstream' social norms.
As this is a cumulative work, the three perspectives seem occasionally to get
muddled. However, picking one audience over any other does not seem to do justice
to the tradition, which is neither just a philosophy of life or just a technique of
change, it is both.
The Reich and Lowen tradition of growth is extra-cultural. For instance, it is
certainly not consistent with mainstream cultural values like power and material
success. However, it is not necessarily counter-cultural, as in depending on the
present culture to provide something to rebel against. As Alexander Lowen stated, in
the late sixties and early seventies many were drawn to this tradition because they
mistook it for an anti-authority program. A decade later most were gone. Someone
attempting to increase feeling and purpose according to this tradition is somewhat
like Maslow's self-actualized person-- able to live in the culture without undue
friction, but not looking to the culture for guidance.
As a practicing therapist in the 'teens of the twenty-first century, it has also become
clear to me, that, on top of the restrictions of character, as defined by Reich and
Lowen, there has arisen a powerful phenomenology and physiology of speed and
threat. This is characterized on this site as sympathetic shift and the trauma
response. It constitutes a dysregulation of the vegetative systems that Reich and
Lowen certainly mentioned but which has become so extensive, widespread, and
culturally defended that it must be addressed strongly, almost as a 'pre-therapy,'
otherwise traditional vigorous attempts at dissolving character with hard bodywork
and character analysis may backfire.
The good news is that the solution for sympathetic shift and trauma response is also
in working with the body, perhaps more slowly and less intrusively at first. In fact,
there has been, to be sure, a modest resurgence of attention to the body led by
workers in therapy for trauma, and the excellent work of Peter Levine, Robert Scaer,
and Bessell van der Kolk is certainly compatible with Reich and Lowen. It seems that
trauma workers have discovered that 'bottom up' approaches usually contradict the
helplessness, rage and collapse of the trauma response much better than cognitive
reframes and emotional support because these top-down approaches tend to be

captured thematically by the negativity. But while these trauma approaches may see
the body as the seat of the problem, they do not see it as the seat of the person.
Moreover, 'trauma' is usually seen as random, divorced from social and family
structures. The idea is that if the sufferer can shed the 'one-time,' 'accidental,
trauma response, all will be well. This is made acutely manifest in the American
Psychiatric Association's refusal to include childhood mistreatment in their
definition of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. But the Reich and Lowen tradition has
always taken pains to explain how cultural forces continuously threaten the body
through small and/or relational traumas. To be emotionally healthy in a culture that
is not completely healthy requires an individual to examine the health of popular
values. Wilhelm Reich criticized specific social groups and was ostracized for it.
Alexander Lowen criticized not so much groups, but trends and practices, and he
fared somewhat better, but was still marginalized. Trauma therapists do describe
'early relational trauma' but it is no wonder that generally they dance around the
implications. After all, that is what Freud did!
Further, in the larger body of therapists that incorporate (no pun intended) the
concept of the body in their work there is a considerable proportion that approach
the body as an antenna only (often the term 'somatic' will be employed). Yes the body
can a 'source of information ('wisdom') for the mind, but this is a mind-centric
approach still. The Reich and Lowen tradition stands out by insistence that the body
is the base and fundament of life
There are some concepts in this tradition, like energy and grounding, that draw
skepticism from most of any newly-exposed audience. The tradition may be quickly
dismissed as failing the test of logic and critical thinking. However, logic and critical
thinking are only tools to get from premises to conclusions. The Reich and Lowen
tradition is not about arguing conclusions but broadening experience. New
experiences become new premises which are certainly amenable to logic and critical
thinking. The spread of this tradition is really by attraction, not promotion. Anyone
who see someone with grace, balance, joy, serenity, warmth, purpose, etc, and wants
the same, can experiment with the practices and ideas herein and see for themselves
what they experience. .

This tradition studies 'persons'. A person is not just an chemistry or physics topic to
be studied 'objectively' but also a 'phenomenon' to be studied subjectively. Subjective
knowledge is the only way to understand and experience joy, love, creativity and
connection. This is true today, was true ten centuries ago, and will be true ten
centuries hence. In fact, the subjective point of view is both necessary and superior
for studying persons, and studying the pursuit of feeling and purpose. Most
scientists, when they leave the office, (where they have likely resolutely resisted the
subjective viewpoints of others) and go shopping for groceries, or spend time with
friends and families, or vote in elections, take their own subjective view-point both as
quite adequate, and as quite accurate for important action. This double standard
needs to be confronted!

Real understanding rarely can get ahead of actual practice, but

sometimes it may. And of course superficial understanding often
substitutes for practice. Therefore the following reminder may be in
order from time to time: These ideas can only produce health when they
are implemented through actions. Having accurate directions is not the
same as traveling. First steps are more important than elaborate maps.

I make no claim to being scholarly. Rather, I intend this site be, informative,
interesting, and above all, useful. Statements are intended to be clear, direct, and at
times, provocative. I have resisted, mostly, the temptation to write so carefully that
statements are hard to criticize. This website has a 'systematizing' point of view. This
stems from my own character, and is not meant to be 'best', 'final', or exhaustive,
(that would be madness!) but merely helpful. Also it will be noticed that I have taken
the liberty to create names for many constructs myself if I knew of no existing name
within the tradition. I have tried to avoid jargonish phrases and rather put a specific
meaning on existing English words (which was certainly Alexander Lowen's
practice.)
Criticism and comments are welcomed. What is presented is not intended to be
dogma, but rather an description of different ideas and practices from a unique
tradition of psychotherapy, with an emphasis on how these ideas and practices fit

both into a life outside therapy, and into a larger culture outside therapy and outside
the individual. It is not an attempt of a grand synthesis but rather a common sense
ordering of what otherwise might seem quite uncoordinated. The attempt to capture
profound human experiences with mere ideas is always elusive, but hopefully, it is
not hopelessly elusive.
In writing this site, I have been worried about sounding old-fashioned, as the
writings of Alexander Lowen and Wilhelm Reich may also sound old-fashioned to
twenty-first century ears. I have come to realize that that is because 'modern'
discussions of human functioning have become chemical- and molecule-centric to
the detriment of understanding! A human is not a large collection of molecules but a
functional person. Observing persons and families and societies was just as possible
in previous decades and centuries as today, and so the less atomized terminology of
previous decades is also adequate or perhaps superior for real understanding.
I take responsibility for all statements written here, unless otherwise attributed. I
also take responsibility for all my own ideas that I have knowingly or unknowingly
mixed with the ideas of others. It is not my intention to borrow credibility from
others for my own views, nor to distort or dilute the views of others with my own.
Rather my intention has been to make sense by placing many powerful ideas from
different sources in a common and commonsense context. This may, I admit, obscure
the origin and lineage of many concepts.

Michael Samsel

Growth and Therapy

In the Reich and Lowen Tradition

Some Basic Presumptions

(How the Reich and Lowen Tradition Differs from Other Schools of Change and
Psychotherapy)

Attention to the Pleasure Function More than the Reality Function

Most therapy traditions take it for granted that if a person's circumstances and
thoughts, are "right," a person will experience pleasure automatically. The emphasis
is on repairing the reality function, so that a client may 'bring about" pleasure
successfully. True, in 'neurosis' a great deal of unrealistic behavior or unrealistic
expectation and thinking may be seen and uncovered. However, Reich and Lowen
saw that unrealistic behavior may be absolutely the best attempt to bring pleasure
when the pleasure function has been impaired by early experience. They believed,
that rather than combat endless variations of indirect behavior by interpretation and
analysis, if the facility to experience pleasure, that is the pleasure function, was
restored, reality took care of itself nicely. However, if the capacity for pleasure is not
restored, maladaptive and ultimately unsatisfying behavior returns, even if the
person "knows better." Overwhelmingly, our belief is: "if we make it, we will feel
good," but actually the formula is: "if we feel good, we will make it."

Acceptance of Instinctual and Natural Forces, and Emphasis on Selfregulation

Sigmund Freud famously wrote "Where Id is, Ego shall be." This is really an
expression of the doctrine of original sin in which it is believed that humans are born
bad and have to be 'civilized' or redeemed by outside intervention. To this end
psycho-analysis and most of its descendents have thought of the role of therapy as
one of adjusting the person to his circumstance, which in the modern era, for a
middle class person, means rarely if ever doing what one really wants to do. Most
humanistic therapy is based on the same premise. There is an assumption that while
the client may be unfortunately "oversocialized," it is still necessary to be socialized a
great deal to be good and happy. At most, it is believed, deliberate social behavior is

only to be informed by natural desires leading to an acceptably 'enlightened' form of

self-control.
But there is also often an individual, if widespread, reason for this: the fear of loss of
control. People often feel that the body and natural forces will betray them. Perhaps
this comes from attitudes of parenting--parents who feel they must control the child
at all costs are particularly antagonistic to instinctual and natural behavior because
they know it follows feeling and life and not the dictates of the parent.
In the Reich and Lowen tradition, on the other hand, leaks of instinctive behavior
such as anger or disgust are seen not as symptoms but as signs of life. The work is not
to eliminate the anger, but to possess it honestly so it may be expressed in an
undistorted and contact-full way. Seen this way, a person can never eliminate the
possibility of being surprised by their feelings and desires, but they and others should
not be damaged by them. This is the principle of self-regulation. True, even in the
Reich and Lowen tradition, examples are easily found of excesses undertaken in the
name of liberation, (even from Reich's close entourage), but these are examples of
secondary drives. This self-regulation premise is more than a philosophical idea-without some faith in it, full surrender cannot take place.

Goals are Outside Consciousness

Psychodynamic, humanist, cognitive, gestalt, and Buddhist-inspired approaches
have one thing in common: The overall approach is to widen awareness (increase
consciousness) to include thenceforward all relevant elements of emotional issues so
that life can be lived well on a deliberate basis. The Reich and Lowen tradition on the
other hand seeks to bring vitality and re-regulation to the life via vibration,
breathing, grounding, impulses, emotions, sensation and vegetative states. The goals
are outside consciousness. A healthy person should live a good life naturally without
deliberation, and this is the state that is hopefully being restored. In therapeutic
efforts, it becomes necessary to bring issues into consciousness but this is an artifact
of a corrective process. This one area, the Reich and Lowen tradition shares with the
traditions inspired by Milton Erickson, but without the mysteriousness. And needless
to say, mainstream therapy's goal of 'expanded consciousness' plays very easily into
narcissism.

Emphasis on Correction Rather than Exploration

The Reich and Lowen tradition asserts that some ways of being are healthier than
others, and that work in this tradition means getting oneself and others to these ways
of being. The humanistic tradition (which arose somewhat from a rebellion from the
Freudian tradition of correction) by contrast asserts that no one can say what is good
for another, and a therapist's role is one of companion, not expert. But Reich and
Lowen felt that therapy was often futile just for the reason that a exploratory
approach keeps the client always within the orbit of his or her character.

Even humanists, however, accept 'correction' from general medicine physicians. No

one seriously asserts that biology varies greatly from one person to another. Reich
and Lowen therapy is essentially a biological intervention. That is, if traumatic
experience affects biology negatively and thereby affects experience negatively, then
therapeutic experience (body work and character analysis) affects biology positively
and experience positively.

Emphasis on Re-association:
Whenever we act contrary to our feelings, the ego is dissociating from them, and
from our bodies. This is necessary from time to time in modern life, and the ability to
do this judiciously is a mark of a healthy ego. However, to make a lifestyle or ego
ideal out of this is to produce a more or less permanent state of dissociation. Long
standing dissociation leads to deadness. It also produces an inability to mourn losses.
However, dissociation avoids some pain in the short-run, and can at times permit
enough freedom of action to either permit survival or bring about pleasure
elsewhere, which is healing.

More or less all the traditions of therapy arising from the work of Milton Erickson,
(family therapy, hypnotic therapy, neuro-linguistic programming, other tricky
therapies developed in the 1970's, etc...) are based on dissociation (although hypnotic

trance itself may be re-associating with the body). True, many associations that
develop traumatically in life are limiting and defeating. It makes sense to want to
break bad associations. Dissociation, while it can remove bad feelings, it cannot bring
good feelings

Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on dissociating cognitions (the ego) from

feelings and the body even more. In the cognitive tradition, thoughts are believed to
give rise to feelings just as readily as the other way around. As every therapist and
almost all clients know, however, under stress cognitive distortions tend to re-appear
with a strong compellingness, even when the holder recognizes very well the
illogicality and has memorized the countering thought. How often does someone
report they did something, 'even though they "knew" better'? Cognitive distortions
are the result of a cerebral cortex that is already largely dissociated from the body
and the brainstem, but still facing the 'leak' of powerful feelings. A contracted body
can not understand or possess these strong feelings, and cognition is distorted.
Cognitive strategies work for a time by producing elation or by detachment, but the
modest effect decays over time, and it cannot provide a foundation for serious
growth.

Reich and Lowen sought to have clients associate with their bodies, their sexuality,
and with the basic processes of life. This alone will allow accumulated bad feelings to
be worked through, making room for pleasure. Good feelings bring about balanced
thought much more than the other way around. Arthur Janov's Primal Therapy,
although not consistent with the Reich and Lowen tradition, is also based strongly
around re-association with painful feeling of early origin.

Emphasis on Drive versus Object

In the drive theory, basic human life force or energy is believed to transit from some
type of inside or center out toward the world and other people. When the drives are
working well, a person can succeed in a social, sexual and work sense. Drives move
the person toward objects, which can be people or things. A competing emphasis,

called object relations, is that those objects that happen to be people have a role in
eliciting and shaping drives in other people, and that the availability of good objects
cannot be taken for granted. Object relations emphasizes the appropriateness of the
engaging other to help a person heal. It is posited that the original failure of a 'good
enough other' was the hampering event in emotional development, and that in
psychotherapy with adults, the therapist must be an exquisitely good enough object
to allow the real self of the client to be freed.

The drive of course has always been a very common intuitive idea about human
functioning. Freud formalized it as an organizing idea for his work, but subsequently
mainstream psychoanalysis has de-emphasized it. The Reich and Lowen tradition of
therapy has found the drive theory a useful organizing idea, and has retained it.
Wilhelm Reich and Alexander Lowen believed it was more important for a therapist
to be a coach to get drives going again, than it was for the therapist to be any
particular object except warm, honest, and straight-forward. In their work, almost
the entire emphasis was on 'repair' of the drive of the individual. It was assumed that
when the drive was ready, appropriate others (objects) would appear.

This is a controversy in ideas that is not possible to settle definitely. It seems that
perhaps there has always been a movement between the two poles of drive and
object. Later followers of Freud (except Wilhelm Reich) tended to reject the drive
emphasis in favor object emphasis, and in reaction Alexander Lowen strongly
renewed the drive emphasis, while his later followers in bio-energetics tended back
toward object emphasis. It is useful to note that 'drive' is more of a biological idea,
and that object relations is more of a psychological idea. The Reich and Lowen
tradition is more tied to ideas of biology (as was Freud, especially the early Freud)
than is modern psychoanalysis. Perhaps the following is a useful synthesis: driveoriented work is necessary to 'deconstruct' restraints of character, and at that point
(a very painful point), relational availability and work is helpful for the
'reconstruction.' Another way to state this: object relations tend to revolve within an
orbit prescribed by the basic health of the organism, and working to change object
relations without affecting the basic 'energetic' health of the person is slow or futile.

Once the basic emotional economy is improved, then of course a developmental

process of object relating needs to mature, and perhaps this can be best done in
therapy. These two stages, of course, will be mostly overlapping.

Emphasis More on Unstructuring Than Structuring

The Reich and Lowen tradition emphasizes overcoming restrictions and says very
little about re-structuring. It as if the belief is that since the job of freeing the self
never gets quite finished, most time and effort should be devoted to it. As for
integration of healthy developments, it is believed that the interplay of healthy drives
and reality in one's life will guide development. Still, this has at times been a concern
of onlookers about the Reich and Lowen tradition. Besides the unjustified fear that
antisocial behavior will arise (which is covered under secondary drives) there are two
main fears: 1) an individual is left in a disorganized state without a 'compass' and
remains lost, and 2) without help restructuring, the individual perhaps 'falls back'
into old patterns.

Each person must make a life for her- or himself. this really cannot and should not be
done under the direction of another. Rather the corrective efforts of this tradition are
about regaining the capacity to make a life. This is consistent with the stated aims of
all humanistic and psychodynamic traditions. Perhaps the actual fact is however, that
most other therapy and healing traditions leave room for the temptation of telling
others how to live to creep in. The final products of work in this tradition are physical
and emotion states, not behaviors.

'Cracking' character is a monumental task to do if it ever gets done at all. Lowen

himself described therapy as a long process in which opening was required many
times, but he seems to imply that at a certain threshold, the process becomes selfsustaining. It is true that at times previous 'rules' for living may seem inadequate or
wrong but there is nothing yet to replace them. One is more likely to meet existential
anxiety. Anxiety can be strong once character defenses are loosened, but anxiety can
be made manageable if there is trust and support.

Emphasis on Developing Good Feelings More than Removing Bad

Feelings
Reassurance, empathy, sympathy, cognitive reframing, insight, and comforting are
all ways of removing bad feelings. They are necessary to some extent in any healing
process. Most mainstream therapy concentrates on these methods. But in the
absence of good feelings, removing bad feelings leads to little or no feeling which is
the malaise of our time. Numbing is part of the original problem not part of the
solution. Mainstream therapy has a very difficult time with depression, which is a
state of deep suffering and anxiety arising from a lack of feeling. The Reich and
Lowen tradition concentrates on developing good feelings, the reliable and sufficient
appearance of which both automatically makes bad feelings manageable and treats
despair. An implication of this is that anxiety is seen not as a random aberration to
be squelched, but a sign of life to be developed into pleasure.

Emphasis on Robust Emotional Interaction

Many traditions (psychoanalytic, cognitive, humanist) strive to ultimately provide
peace of mind and security through frictionless deportment in one's relationships.
The idea is the client can 'withstand' rougher patches in relationships by drawing on
inner resources and 'weathering the storm'. The Reich and Lowen tradition though,
sees conflict as a building block of life, not a misstep. Good feelings and security are
to be had by fighting in a constructive and self-defining way. It is demonstrated and
made explicit to clients that there is nothing wrong with taking a position in a
conflict as long as it is pursued non-destructively. As an off-shoot of that, the
tradition does not hesitate to point out specific types of interactions that are
diminishing. That is, emotional trauma doesn't come out of no where but is
generated by some styles of life and prevented (and healed) by other styles of living.
Transactional Analysis and Gestalt are in agreement with this point (and also
definitely out of fashion at the moment!)

Emphasis on Loving versus Being Lovable:

This is partly related to the emphasis on drive described above. People are rightly
concerned with the problem of love. Though it is not easy to define love, one thing
seems clear: 'solving' the problem of love is a matter of being loving, not of being
lovable.

It must quickly be made clear, that by "loving" is not meant compulsive self-sacrifice,
unnatural patience, submission, blind loyalty, etc These will-based, self-negating
practices are really attempts at being lovable. They are based on the feeling of
scarcity. They derive from an early experience of rejection. If a child feels that they
are even potentially a burden to the parent, the natural act of receiving love and
feeling it back is interrupted. In it's place arises the need to draw the love of the
parent and others by being lovable. The child grows to try to conform to an image.
The image is often one provided by the parent but it may be the opposite.

A great deal of achievement in our culture is spurred by the hope to be lovable.

Satisfaction is erroneously believed to be the product of achievement, and when
achievement does not provide satisfaction, more achievement is sought after. The 'rat
race' is the race to be lovable. The hope to become lovable leads to endless types of
indirect behavior. Most of the unsatisfying drama in life arises from indirect
behavior.

Loving by contrast is a felt thing. It has a biological aspect--people often remark how
someone in love looks more alive. Love naturally grows between people who share
pleasure together, if the capacity for loving has not been squashed. A person with
loving capacity may genuinely love a stranger because of that stranger's humanity.
Love cannot be forced by ethical precept, however. It arises involuntarily and
effortlessly, if the openness is there.

By contrast, most casual, humanistic psychotherapy is oriented toward three

processes 1) re-assuring the client that he or she already is lovable, or 2) coaching
some type of behavior that will bring a positive response from others, or 3) helping
the client attain his or her life goals. Any of these processes keeps the emphasis on
achieving an image, and does not develop feeling or purpose. Therapy and lifestyle
practices in the Reich and Lowen tradition are directed at restoring and increasing
the capacity for love and the capacity for pleasure (the two of which are closely
related).

Emphasis on Social Results and the Body as a Guide

Modern people are led to believe that they are their ideas and ideals, and that the
body is an unfortunately necessary conveyance, the condition of which is a random
event unrelated to a person's "true self" . The Reich and Lowen tradition stresses, by
contrast, that not only does the body reflect the self, it is a large part of the self.

Also many believe (conscious) intentions and ideas are more important than results
in the world and in relationships. This is true of the general culture but also the
general therapist culture. However, intentions and ideas miss character, miss the
unconscious,and miss the 'shadow'. Results, on the other hand, over time include the
effects of those parts of a person of which he or she is otherwise unaware. That is not
to say that results are always just or fair, often they are not. However, results, and the
state of the body, are not an aberration. The Reich and Lowen tradition, in general,
strongly affirms folk wisdom, which is a great disappointment to many who feel too
sophisticated for that.

Also this guiding reference to matters outside therapy is a strong protection from
abuse. There have been in the history of therapy cultish pockets, where embracing a
particular ideology or performing a certain way in a therapy session was seen as a
criterion of health. However in the tradition of Alexander Lowen, interpretations and
explanations should be mappable onto and testable in a person's everyday life. That

is, there is an insistence that one does not to take the therapist's word for it, but
rather tries it out for oneself.

Focus on the Character Rather than the Symptom or Concern

At the time of seeking change, a person will conceive of some parts of his or her life
as a problem, and other parts, even if not presently satisfying, as a success. Both
categories contain aspects of character. Most people want to leave alone what seems
to be an asset and build on it. What presents as an unwanted symptom may also be
seen as a sign of life breaking through a character defense.

Alexander Lowen came to believe that resistance to change ultimately resided not
just in the body and not just in the psyche but actually in character itself, intangible
as it may be. That is, body work alone, or psychological work alone, or even perhaps
both done in parallel, could not really unseat the limiting effects of character. Rather
overall global character attitudes had to be confronted. This is called character focus.
Lowen, like Reich before him, believed that only by showing the client how his or her
resistance fit a constellation of character, could the nucleus of resistance be
overcome. An implication of this is that egalitarian and exploratory approaches to
therapy and change, even one's including bodywork, if they fail to 'characterize' the
problem, tended to only produce modest change in quality of life.

If new 'issues' are taken up as they arise, issues may seem to multiply with no real
sense of direction. Dissatisfaction seems to be able to jump from manifestation to
manifestation.

There is also a benefit to character focus in the larger context of change. Most goaldirected, self-initiated programs of change ('self-help') have some benefit, but the
benefit is limited again by the filter of character. It really can require another person
at times, not necessarily a therapist and not necessarily 'character-saavy', but honest,
to point out 'blind spots'. A focus on character may call into question an entire

lifestyle. It seems, that intangible as it is, character is the ultimate repository of

resistance to happiness. Bodywork alone will stall without attention to character, and
supportive conversational therapy with neither attention to character nor bodywork
will generally really stall.

Emphasis on Good Feeling and Emotional Health Rather than Meaning.

The Reich and Lowen tradition is interested in restoring the capacity for feeling and
purpose, not the content of feeling and purpose. The good life perhaps includes more
than good feeling, like meaning, spirituality, etc. However, these are best built on top
of health and good feeling. Trying to construct meaning, prematurely, out of despair
and pleasurelessness, is like a weak consolation prize when one believes betterment
is not possible. While past history is worked through, this is done in the service of
harmonizing the sense of self with accumulated feelings, not in order to 'solve' a
narrative

Our theories, as well as those of Freud, Reich and Lowen, can function as a
narcissistic defense against the feelings of shame, humiliation and impotence. To
have our theories challenged or to have them fall on deaf ears may be to open up
the wounds from which these theories sprang.
Robert Hilton
Psychotherapy: an unidentified technique, applied to unspecified circumstances,
with unpredictable outcomes requiring rigorous training.
Anonymous

Functionalism

Functionalism (or functional thinking) is a concept developed by Wilhelm

Reich. It is not a belief, but a philosophy of understanding. Functionalism is
best explained first by describing what it is not. Two dominant modes of
understanding today are mechanistic thinking (employed during work hours by
science and most academic disciplines) and mystical thinking (common in 'selfimprovement' or 'growth' circles).

Domains of Effect
The goal of understanding for humans is to know how things come about--the force
behind effects. Effects can conceptualized as being brought about in three
domains: natural, supernatural, and man-made. The naturalincludes all effects
brought about by chemical, physical, and biological laws. The supernatural is a
concept that natural laws can be suspended only occasionally for the will or desire of
sentient entities to be effected by unknown means. The meaning of supernatural
derives from its contrast from the natural.
Man-made is the domain in which humans use some natural laws to interrupt other
natural laws to bring about the effects they prefer. This the realm of technology.
Because of their seeming opposition to natural laws, some man-made effects weaken
belief in the ultimate determination by the natural, and this can boost mysticism as
described below. The supernatural and the man-made share the core element of
being will-driven
Because biological effects are sometimes affected by interaction between organisms,
or the vitality of an organism, they may be expressed in a way which does not seem
consistent and so are dismissed as adventitious. When these natural effects are
spoken about by discerning individuals, less sensitive individuals may take it as talk
about the supernatural. The Reich and Lowen tradition has nothing to say
about the supernatural; it is all about the natural

The sections below are based on the work of Reich, Lowen, and Charles Kelley*
*Mysticism and Mechanism, 1970, http://www.kelley-radix.org/downloads/mysticism_and_mechanism.pdf

Mechanistic Thinking
Mechanistic thinking (or mechanization) is the belief that life is only one
long string of causes and effects based on physical and chemical laws,
and that the purpose of human life is to become the 'prime mover' or
'ultimate cause' of results by managing causes to one's will. A goal is to
optimize existence through the man-made. There is a premise that physical laws
operate everywhere and always, and there are no additional natural laws that apply
to living organisms (there are no unique biological laws)
Problems in the world , including the problem of suffering, are approached
mechanically. That is, a single 'real' cause is looked for, and combated directly
according to the laws of physics and chemistry. Physics and chemistry are
mechanical sciences, that is they seek to explain everything building up from the
supposition of cause and effect. Biology is different because it must explain
the phenomenon of life 'downwards' toward simpler processes.
Investigations are undertaken only to uncover a static truth or reality which is
believed to have always been there. This static truth is believed to settle all questions
once and for all. At bottom, a state of permanence is sought. All change is considered
either a perturbation, or a correction, never a legitimate process of its own.
Mechanistic thinking always has a problem with the concept of energy, because
energy is only known by change.
The unit of interest is the effect, which is seen as the final 'result' of a chain of
causation. In human affairs, only the intended effect is of interest (although
it is understood that mere intention is not effective.) The process itself, and
adventitious results are disregarded or denied. Importantly, the observer is believed
to be uninvolved and to have no effect.
Related to this, all interest is in 'why' and not in 'how,' so for instance,
competition develops to explain the 'real' cause of schizophrenia, but there is no

interest in understanding how that person is functioning. There is a dominant

premise that any given effect has one and only one true cause, and 'subtle' influences,
because they do not 'explain' anything completely (do not 'force' any single result),
are dismissed as irrelevant. This dismissiveness is reinforced because a armored and
deadened body is 'numb' to many subtle sensations and effects.
Mechanistic thinking leads to determinism, but strangely, the mechanistic thinker
will always believe he or she has free will unlike everyone else! This paradox pervades
the pronouncement of most scientists about human functioning. Mechanism does
not deny consciousness but disputes its role in what happens. Inanimate
phenomenon is well characterized but the events surrounding living things
constantly require the excuse of aberrancy
There is in fact a belief that humans can choose not to be affected by other living
organisms, and in fact this is believed to be an optimal way of being. We have
developed a culture of mechanical explanations that include many minute details but
little understanding of the overall context of life. Mechanization is the inevitable
result of a deadened body, but the deadening of a partly alive body can be completed
under its auspices. From the mechanical point of view, the body is either a tool or a
burden of the mind, but never the seat of the person or the self.
Mechanistic thinking perhaps arises because: 1) We live in a culture and time in
which man uses immense amounts of fossil fuels to do what the ego imagines.
Adapting to the natural order and understanding mutual influence is considered,
weak unnecessary, or even mystical (as described below). 2) Some of us struggle for
material security in a competitive society, and so the role of planning and will in the
good life seems paramount. 3) Many of us are not properly introduced as children to
the wonders of life, so figuring out how to achieve a good life becomes an analytic
procedure, which however close it comes to key concepts, can never really capture
the experience.
The temptation to describe events in society solely in terms of cause and effect is
understandable, because after all, conscious human will is part of the mix, and very
salient in consciousness. However, the mechanical view tends to explain even events
inside a person (phenomenology) entirely by cause and effect, as though the

conscious will of a human had designed it! Yet we know that a consciously
designed being is a robot! Other traits include:

Believes it is matter over mind

Overcomplicates

Scientific bias

Fears subjective reality, the spontaneous, the unpredictable. Retreats outward

to the purely physical

Fears life

Model of reality and man a machine (no need for mind (but brain is okay))

A slight distinction needs to be made between the mechanistic thinking Reich was
writing about which was based on Marxism, and modern day mechanism which has
replaced the body with the brain. This modern 'neuroscientific' materialism opposes
the instinctual actualities of humans, that is, it tries to make the body below the neck
unnecessary. This may seem to have elements of mysticism, and in fact it can attract
mystically minded followers in the therapeutic community, but it is just an even
more impoverished form of mechanistic thinking.

Mysticism
As a general world view, mysticism is the tendency to consider effects as
arising primarily out of intentions, one's own intentions, or the intentions of
others. Even moreso than mechanization, mysticism is a deification of human will,
and a denial of the general 'fitness' of natural forces. Unlike mechanization, which is
an over-involvement with cause and effect, mysticism is a loosening of cause and
effect. Mysticism does not get rid of cause and effect but rather just the reliance of
cause and effect on uniform natural laws. Physical laws are believed to operate most
places and most of the time, but are sometimes suspended, or tailored to individual
situations if the 'need' is compelling enough. Effects can come before causes, time is
no more sacrosanct than any other physical law. Mysticism allows for 'teleological'

thinking, in which the effect is deemed so 'fit' or appropriate that it is, in fact, its own
cause.
As in mechanistic thinking, the unit of interest is the 'result', only in mysticism
adventitious events are often retroactively endowed with a prior cause. Processes get
little real attention because it is not felt that results have to be limited by or loyal to
discernable processes. Investigations are hampered by the inability to form any
principles. Opposite to mechanistic thinking, the observer is everything. From his or
her point of view derives the direction of events.
This is the realm of ghosts and spirits, but also of Jungian ideas of synchronicity and
collective unconscious.
Mysticism does therefore seem to make room for inter-relationship but not in any
consistent way because, again, the wishes of one entity or another predominates.
Mysticism can be a lazy way of thinking, because there is no need to achieve any
consensus with others and no 'reality check' at all. Moreover, many in our culture
(especially 'alternative health') mix mystical and mechanical thinking. That is, they
claim understanding from mystical sources but choose to implement the knowledge
in a routinized or mechanical way.
The following are ideas about how mysticism comes about: 1) Some have had
privilege in their upbringing, and so wish and result seem directly related, or 2) Some
were misled frequently about other people's true role in matters (ie what parents
were actually doing), so that 'how things come about' is never straight-forward but of
course not random either. 3) Alienation from the body make physical sensations
unrecognizable as the self, and mechanical explanations being inadequate, extranatural explanations are created. This point was emphasized by Wilhelm Reich in the
third part of Character Analysis. Other traits:

Believes it mind over matter (this is also the psychopathic position, via
different dynamics)

Oversimplifies

Religious bias

Fears subjective reality, the existing, the factual, retreats inward to fantasy

Fears death

Model of reality and man a ghost (no need for physical body)

Functional Thinking
The functional point of view, by contrast with mechanical or mystical
thinking, accepts the role of natural forces in human life, and
understands that human choices interact with these natural forces but
do not escape them. Nor is there any tragedy in not escaping them. Functional
thinking seeks to understand human functioning and culture within a larger context
of life. Folk wisdom, often conveyed in stories or jests, is a declining example of
functional understanding. Folk wisdom is often dismissed as too simple. This is
perhaps because the mechanical explanations we have become used to puts up a
smoke screen of detail.
In functionalism the unit of interest is the process. Results are generally viewed as
just 'snapshots' of ongoing processes. In human affairs processes and adventitious
events are termed 'life' and not disregarded. Investigations are not meant to find a
final truth for all people and all time, but a present truth. Things are described not so
much in terms of what they are, but in terms of what they do. The observer is
understood to have some impact but not to determine what happens entirely.
A key understanding of functional thinking is that two apparently opposite
phenomena often arise from the same stem. Famously this describes body and mind
phenomena as being parallel and from the same origin. More pragmatically it
explains splits in personality and polarization in relationships.
Functionalism can also accept randomness, which both mechanization and
mysticism have a hard time accepting. Randomness is not meaninglessness but just
the incomplete correlation between events in the world and human will. Below are
some aspects of functional thinking:

Life includes some essential element that is not explained by conventional

physics or chemistry. This used to be studied by biology, but biology has
reverted to bio-chemistry and bio-physics.

Mind and body are the same, and neither can dominate and run the other.
(Why humans cannot seem to bridge the separation of mind experiencing and
body experiencing has not been worked out, however.)

Life includes movement, and the energy that is necessary for that movement

Focuses on what almost always actually happens, not what is desired or

approved

Living organisms affect each other simultaneously. Joint experience is

possible which cannot be predicted by describing the sum of inputs of the
individuals involved (for example, love.)

All life tends naturally toward harmony. (This can imply some challenge to the
dominance of entropy.)

Wilhelm Reich (1897-1957)

To give a quick biographical sketch of Wilhelm Reich is

daunting, because his life is so complicated and unique, that it
is not possible to summarize it briefly without seeming to miss
the whole point.
One thing seems indisputable: Reich thought like no one else.
However unique his ideas, they make amazing sense of
everyday human dilemmas. Many have pointed out that Reich's ideas have strongly
influenced the dominant culture (and many subcultures) without being attributed to
Reich. What has been attributed to Reich is often taken out of context and distorted.
It is interesting that Alexander Lowen took a publisher's advance to write a
biography of Reich, and despite his proven ability to write with nuance about
sensitive subjects, he was unable to write it.
It is far better for a reader truly interested to go ahead and read his biographies, one
by Myron Sharaf, and one by Ilse Ollendorf, his second legal and third emotional
wife. It seems that while both Sharaf and Ollendorf are attempting to be completely
open and truthful, they both seem to be not describing the entirety of their
experience with Reich. More than Sharaf, Ollendorf describes a personal and
unglamorous side of Reich that is absent from his own autobiographical materials.
What about the role of Reich's work on present day efforts to lessen suffering, such as
this website? Reich spent much of his career trying to prove in a laboratory sense
what he understood intuitively in a clinical psychotherapy sense. Clues are that his
laboratory work was not as convincing (for whatever reason) as his clinical work,
which has clouded the handling of his ideas unnecessarily. Reich tended to open new
ideas brilliantly, but perhaps had less patience for systematically analyzing all the
aspects, at least in print. This lends an 'unfinished' quality to his legacy. He also had
a tendency to devote a large portion of his writing to a polemical rebuttal of his
critics, which is confusing to a reader who hasn't yet had a chance to nail down the
original idea.

From Reich's own autobiographical materials, one point does seem to suggest itself.
Reich's first, main and guiding interest was always sexuality. He did not 'start' with
psychoanalysis, his own studies were well underway at that time. Rather he
sojourned for a while with the psychoanalysts because they were the only ones
talking seriously about sex at that time.

Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of
authority.
Thomas H. Huxley

There is no greater importance in all the world like knowing you are right and that
the wave of the world is wrong, yet the wave crashes upon you.
Norman Mailer

You cannot make a man by standing a sheep on its hind legs. But by standing a
flock of sheep in that position you can make a crowd of men.
Max Beerbohm

Alexander Lowen (1910-2008)

This website was originally conceived as a resource for anyone

interested in the ideas and practices of Alexander Lowen. It
then became clear that it would be misleading to leave
out Wilhelm Reich. Lowen received many of his basic
concepts from Reich, but he added grounding, both as a
concept within the theory, and as an actual grounding of the
tradition in common sense. Lowen seemed to always have
been guided by the practical usefulness of these ideas and exercises.
Alexander Lowen's life spanned from the end of the Victorian era into the 21st
century. His life and career spanned several wars, the depression, the coming and
going of the 'sexual revolution', the ascendancy of greed from the 80's on, and the
ascendancy of technology from the 90's on. Like Reich, he addressed not only the
effects of the family and individual situation on development, but also the effects of
social forces.
Unlike Reich, however, he did not come to the conclusion that the first order of
business was to change society. He came rather to the conclusion (the same as
Abraham Maslow) that the task of a healthy individual was to live within a society
without necessarily being formed by the values of that society. The basic elements of
human happiness have not changed for millennia, but the way in which a person
obtains those elements are affected by the culture in which he lives.
Lowen also was a much more systematic thinker and writer than Reich, and so his
work has a feel of completeness or sufficiency about it. It also functions more easily
as source book for actual men or women seeking practical steps in changing a life.
Though Lowen doubtless responded to criticisms by refining and sharpening his
theory, in his writing he avoids distracting polemical digressions and stays on the
topic in a positive way.
Lowen first started working in therapy about 1942. He attended medical school from
1946-1951. As mentioned above, he developed his ideas and practices from Reichian
roots, adding a great deal of common sense, everyday observation, and trial and error

with expressive techniques. In the late 1960's his worked ballooned in popularity, but
the popularity receded in the early 1980s as the culture turned away from freedom
back toward money, fame, and power and control. One of the many things that stand
out in his biography is how little the popularity of a notion alone swayed him.

It's one thing to understand the heart, and another to commit to its rhythms
Paul Dennison
Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.
Arthur Conan Doyle

Pilates and Other Traditions

There are numerous other bodywork traditions, besides the Reich and Lowen one,
that are also intended to increase feeling and purpose. All these traditions are like the
Zen metaphor of fingers pointing (to the moon). That is, despite some differences,
they all aim at the same way of being. Because actually getting to the moon is
not easy, there is always a temptation to accumulate more fingers
instead. What is beneficial, however, usually, is just to actually, patiently, honestly,
without forcing things, and without prematurely convincing others, follow one
tradition without mistaking the finger for the moon.
Many traditions come to mind that are doubtless pointing to the same arrival as
Reich and Lowen: Qi Gong, Feldenkreis, Alexander method, yoga, Rolfing, Tai Chi,
Trager, Hellerwork, dance therapy, chiropractic, cranio-sacral work, osteopathy, etc
Reich and Lowen bodywork has this unique aspect: personal emotional expression is
considered necessary and central. For instance crying is considered bodywork, the
deeper the better! This is unique as far as I know. (In conversational psychotherapy,
crying is somehow expected but not encouraged, and immediate re-assurance is
almost always given to stop it short.)
There is one tradition of which I am aware that is particularly consistent with the
Reich and Lowen tradition-- Pilates. All bodywork traditions can be roughly divided
into two types: corrective and exploratory. The Reich and Lowen tradition is clearly
corrective, that is, the therapist is supposed to know of a form or way of being that if
not perfect, is very good, and good for everybody. The therapist is trying to get clients
to eventually approximate that form (but not by imitating it). There is room for
individuality, but the basic premise of the therapy is to achieve a satisfying
commonality first, then let 'true' individuality be built on top. This is a fundamental
underlying belief of the Reich and Lowen tradition, and also a fundamental
underlying belief of Pilates.
Nobody explains the need, the role, and the ultimate effect of bodywork better than
Lowen. However, both Reich and Lowen provide a limited amount of physical

practices. These physical practices are varied and it is an oversimplification but

perhaps useful to think of them meant to 'crack' or 'blow the top' off of armoring.
Pilates was aware of the emotional implications of body misalignment and rigidity,
but he did not think of himself as working with psychological forces, but rather as
working with a functional body that has gone 'off track'. From this point of view, the
concepts of disassembly and re-assembly seem fitting. Moreover, it is an active
therapy, in which the client must participate willingly. Also Pilates, which is
presently niched with physical fitness, has had no trouble staying with touch and
physical focus. It is neither afraid of it, nor has to fear condemnation for it.
Psychotherapy, even based on Reich and Lowen, has had a hard time staying with
physical work. This is probably based on the body alienation of most therapists, but
is also reinforced by the present regulatory climate.

Yoga and Chi Gung (Qigong)

Nobody who does Lowenian bodywork will miss the similarity with yoga (yogasana)
and Chi Gung, both in the form and the paradigm of 'moving energy" These asian
traditions are clearly systems of re-balancing and re-harmonizing body and mind.
They work. Done in large groups, the format is much more affordable. Two practical
differences seem to become evident among participants in the United States.
First, yoga and Chi Gung, in the teaching traditions, seem to assume only a modest
alienation from the body. Our truly unfit, depersonalized Western bodies are
addressed at too high a level, and it is almost impossible to do the movements as
intended. Just repetition does not help. Instead, an almost aerobic struggle ensues,
which is a good workout, but the intended experience can be elusive. Yogasana seems
a method of neuro-muscular 'reset' more than a complete re-wiring. Neuro-muscular
redevelopment requires a very remedial approach, at least with adults.
Second, yoga and Chi Gung deal with restoring basic health and developing
spirituality simultaneously. This can tempt many people to try to leap-frog from say
depression to enlightenment, skipping basic emotional repair. This is especially true
when the participant is dabbling and has no teacher.

Yogasanas are final positions. The emphasis can be on arrival not the journey. This
contrasts with Pilates, which prescribes movements not positions (except for some
'starting positions which are not extreme). While both Pilates and Yogasana seem to
aim for the same bodily state, this training difference is very important, especially for
over-achieving Western egos. Endgaining and injury possibly is a greater
possibility with yoga.

Nobody can prove what I am about to say, but I think it is so: every energy in
which we live is a nourishment to us. It is something that is literally contributing
food to the individual. If you are living in a field of light, your eyes probably are
good, as you deprive yourself of light consistently, the eyes starve and eventually
you can't see. If you are living within a field of sound, the same is true of your ears.
Now it would be absolutely ridiculous if we lived in a field of gravity and it had no
effect on us, yet down through the ages, this has been our assumption, that it didn't
make any difference. This assumption is still held among a lot of people. They think
it doesn't make any difference how you carry yourself, because you are a spirit, an
immortal an superior something, which is in charge of the situation. Well, a spirit is
in charge of the situation, but not in the way many think. The spirit is in charge to
tell the individual that he can so organize his body that he is now in line with a
supporting force
Ida Rolf

Principles for Change

In the Reich and Lowen Tradition

Basic Values and Principles

The Reich and Lowen tradition makes very different assumptions than the present
mainstream culture about what underlies a life worth living. It is implied in this
tradition, as with many others, that what a person needs to do is get back on track
with human development. However, what is different is the conception of what
components of a human life are true and solid. These we might call principles of the
tradition. Understanding the principles does not bring about any change, but growth
as it does occur may be much better understood and consolidated by these principles.

Functional Models: Drives, Layers, Segments, and Character

Armor

There are several fundamental models in the Reich and Lowen tradition that meld
biology with emotion and interpersonal functioning. These are neither mechanical
and conclusionless like many bio-chemical models popular in science, nor are they
based on magical thinking and wish fulfillment like some mystical healing models
made available to the hopeful. Rather they are functional models. That is, they
do not see human life as determined solely by biology, but they do not see human life
as something that can 'rise above' natural forces merely by wish or sentiment.

Drive versus Object

The drive theory was an organizing idea started by Freud, although mainstream
psychoanalysis has de-emphasized it.
The Reich and Lowen tradition of therapy has found the drive theory a useful
organizing idea, and has retained it. Basic human life force or energy is believed to
transit from some type of inside or center out toward the world and other people.
When the drives are working well, a person can succeed in a social, sexual and work
sense. Drives move the person toward objects, which can be people or things. A
competing emphasis, called object relations, is that those objects that happen to be
people have a role in eliciting and shaping drives in other people, and that the
availability of good objects cannot be taken for granted. Object relations emphasizes
the appropriateness of the engaging other to help a person heal. It is posited that the
original failure of a 'good enough other' was the hampering event in emotional
development, and that in psychotherapy with adults, the therapist must be an
exquisitely good enough object to allow the real self of the client to be freed.

Wilhelm Reich and Alexander Lowen believed it was more important for a therapist
to be a coach to get drives going again, than it was for the therapist to be any
particular object except warm, honest, and straight-forward. In their work, almost

the entire emphasis was on 'repair' of the drive of the individual. It was assumed that
when the drive was ready, appropriate others would appear.

This is a controversy in ideas that is not possible to settle. It is useful to note that
'drive' is more of a biological idea, and that object relations is more of a psychological
idea. The Reich and Lowen tradition is more tied to ideas of biology (as was Freud)
than is modern psychoanalysis. Perhaps the following is a useful synthesis: driveoriented work is necessary to 'deconstruct' restraints of character, and at that point
(a very painful point), relational availability and work is helpful for the
'reconstruction.'

The Organizing Idea of Layers

The layer model goes along with the drive theory. In the three layer model, a core
of pure wholesome life force is posited, corresponding to the viscera. This is
surrounded by a muscular second layer. Under less than good emotional
development, the muscular layer develops armor and pure impulses are distorted
into secondary drives. The third or surface layer contains intellect and ego.
Sometimes four layers are described, the additional layer being an affective layer
between the core and muscular layer.

While the surface layer is where pleasure and contact takes place, ironically to
develop feeling and purpose, it is necessary to work with deeper layers. Pleasure
succeeds when impulses from the core come to fruition at the surface.

Many of us think of our deeper part being our private thoughts and fantasies.
However, these are part of mind and belong to the surface layer. The core is
neglected almost universally in our culture. There is sometimes a ideology against
superficiality (really cosmetic efforts) toward 'higher' things, but generally this leads
to intellectualization of life

The layer model may at first be taken as more conceptual and not too biological,
however, it has been compared to the three types of embryonic tissue: endoderm
(viscera) mesoderm (muscle, bone, connective tissue) and ectoderm (skin, brain, and
nerves)

*Here Sheldon's three character types are relevant: endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph. They
are named for the layer in which the 'self' of these types reside. Though less detailed, Sheldon's
typology is basically consistent with Lowen's idea of character. Usually, when Sheldon is mentioned in
science classes, the psychological correlates of the body types are left out or greatly abbreviated--the
cultural mind body split at work.

Segments
Most medical thinking about human functioning is based on will. To that end, the
brain, the voluntary motor system, and especially the nerves carrying the
impulse from the brain to the motor system is seen as paramount. The
distribution of these nerves does not follow segments from top to bottom neatly.

However, certain 'neurotic' behavior, such as conversion reactions like 'glove'

paraesthesias, do follow segments. For this reason mainstream medicine has
dismissed this as faking, either conscious or unconscious. However, the vegetative
systems, especially the autonomic control of circulation, does follow segments
because the blood circulation is more uniformly segmental.
That is how the neck can said to have an 'energy block' when in fact there are many
nerves and blood vessels that provide for and transit through the neck. The
segmental model is so important not because it is a precise map of where to do
bodywork (although Reich partly thought so) but rather it is a way to think of human
functioning and the limits on that functioning not in terms of will but rather in terms
of vegetative functioning. This is the same pattern as for 'hysterical' paralysis or

'hysterical' numbness that is well documented in the psychiatric literature completely

independent of Reich.

'Character' Armor
Although the term armor is meant to refer to a demonstrable situation in the body, it
is slightly more abstract than layers or segments. Armor is a metaphor referring to
the muscular spasms, decreased motility, postural misalignments, and character
attitudes which an individual develops that act as a defense against the breakthrough
of unwanted or intolerable feelings, sensations, emotions, or experience. Muscular
armor functions, mostly, as a defense against anxiety, anger, fear, and sexual
excitation. Interpersonally, this armor leads to emotional rigidity, poor contact with
others, and a feeling of deadness. Unlike layers and segments, which are in
between parts of the body, armor is in between the person and certain
experiences. The forces producing armor can be described as three types:

Premature Containment.
Very small children naturally act upon strong feeling without thinking. Civilization
of any type is not possible on that basis. Adults are expected to incorporate thought
and belief into final action. For that to happen, feelings need some temporary
containment. Alexander Lowen referred to this capacity as self-posession. Selfpossession allows feelings to inform and motivate cohesive, humane, creative action
in the world. However, self-posession is not neurologically possible for a
child under six, and only gradually becomes available after
that. Caretakers eager to give children a head-start to success often push children to
'control themselves' so they may 'learn' and behave in a way that pleases others. In
this situation however, the containment can only be produced with massive muscle
tension and breath holding. An example is premature toilet training before the
sphincter is myelinated. It must happen with massive tightening of the gluteal and
hip muscles. This tension will usually become life-long and certainly
undermine the very security that precociousness is supposed to provide!

Traditional cultures make no demands on children under six, but rather control the
environment so that the child can come to no harm and do no real harm. Our
culture's emphasis on attainment first has made it a temptation and eventually a
social norm to hurry children. The ego of the parent may want the child to be special.
Because children develop cognitively rapidly at certain points, a small precociousness
from being pushed can seem like giftedness when compared to others the exact same
age. But as children reach maturity the difference flattens, while the opportunity
for self-knowledge has been lost, and an insecurity has been instilled.

Horror.
Some experiences simply cannot be emotionally processed because they are so
contrary to the conditions of nurturing. A small child witnessing parents fighting
may be in this situation. Addiction, abuse, violence, manipulation, are all common in
families with young children. Abuse of the child by someone who should be taking
care of the child is the height of horror. Even an angry look from a parent is horrific
to a small child that depends on the parent. A child's body will feel something is very
wrong, but the adults will indicate that they accept the situation so the child is torn
and must leave his or her body behind by muscle tension, shallow breathing,
diminishment of the senses, and dissociation.

Environmental Negation.
The environment here is almost always human caretakers. The aliveness of a child is
not accepted because it reminds the caretaker of his or her own deadness. The child
learns that certain types of movement or expression brings on the wrath of others.
The child learns to avoid some behaviors at all costs. Innocence may be negated with
abuse. The adults may act like the child is in competition, and the child senses he
cannot 'survive' the competition and so must find a way to not compete.

There are two ways to think of armoring phenomenon, as arrested neuromuscular

development with some compensatory distortions, or as a imposed change on an

already developed function. The former is probably true of 'early' character aspects,
especially before age two, and the latter is probably true of armoring that happens at
age four and five. That is why bodywork for 'early' problems may best be
methodical and developmental, while bodywork for later problems may
best be explosive and 'releasing'. It is probably fair to say that both Reich and
Lowen emphasized releasing type bodywork.

Limitations based on developmental arrest are unconscious of course--the individual

has no way of knowing what they are missing. Limitations based on imposed changes
(holding) becomes unconscious. With armor in place, the conscious control no longer
has to actively defend against certain impulses or desires. As tenacious as
psychological defenses tend to be, they can still slip or be overwhelmed at times, but
armor tends to be 'always on.' When armor is fully in play, it it said that a person is
exhibiting a 'character defense' and anxiety is fairly low. When armor has been
weakened, either through therapy or chance experience, a person is said to be in an
'anxiety defense' An anxiety defense generally will seem more irrational than an
armored character defense but within this model may also be thought of as more
healthy because problems are closer to awareness even if distorted. It is important to
understand that bodywork can precipitate much anxiety, and this is not necessarily a
step back.
The word armor of course has a connotation of something that resists penetration.
Wilhelm Reich developed the concept because he felt that some psychoanalytic
patients were unaffected by in-session interpretations and out-of-session events that
'should' have affected them strongly. It was as if things 'bounced off' them. The name
armor implies that the phenomenon comes into existence to fulfill this purpose. That
is a teleological explanation, which for biological phenomena, may be misleading. If
the purpose is no longer relevant, then the phenomenon should disappear right? This
is in fact how many therapist approach the problem--trying to convince the client to
'just drop' the defense, it is no longer needed. That is not how biology works. A more
physiologically sound model is allostasis below.

The Amoeba
The amoeba is a one-celled animal, that is, a protozoa. Under a microscope, it can be
seen that an amoeba naturally reaches out into its environment. If poked however,
the amoeba contracts. What is interesting is that having contracted from the first
poke, the amoeba will contract more readily and longer to a second noxious stimulus.
The comparison to humans (metazoa) that have been hurt almost makes itself. What
is clear with the amoeba, is that this is not a cognitive problem, the amoeba has no
brain "to erroneously overgeneralize," or otherwise form a cognitive distortion.
Contraction is a biological reaction, not a mental mistake.

Supporting the Life Process

One approach to treating suffering is to try to block the mechanism of pain or of the
symptom. Mainstream medicine for the most part uses either surgery to remove or
block a process, or medication to block a process. Blocking or removing can be life
saving on occasion, but because it is crude relative to the complexity of human
functioning, in the long-run it leads to greater dysregulation. Over time, more and
more treatment is added to combat the increasing dysregulation. Lesser-skilled
psychotherapy often follows similar lines, using reassurance to block anxiety, or
friendliness to block loneliness. Interpersonal dysregulation may increase.

The Reich and Lowen tradition posits that most suffering (and the psychology that
explains it) is a phenomenon of "frozen and terrorized protoplasm*". Reich and
Lowen therapy seeks to enliven the person. Work is not necessarily
targeted at specific problems in a cause and effect way.

This may seem out of place in our goal-directed society. Often clients may ask, how a
action like the expression of anger toward a very powerful person will help their
'symptom', and often the answer is that it supports the living process. The belief is,
that once a good level of vibrancy is reached, most symptoms either will have
disappeared, become manageable, or become unimportant. Work in the Reich and
Lowen tradition is not so much an attempted cure of specific suffering as it is an
initiation into a new way of life.

*This phrase is adapted from Robert Hilton. I do not know if Reich or Lowen ever said it quite this way

One Health for All vs Unique Individual Paths

Claiming to increase vitality suggests the concept of 'health.' Without actually
defining health here (the 'Goals'section attempts to do that), it is possible to state
that in the Reich and Lowen tradition, there is clearly the premise that 'health' is 1)

pleasureable, 2) recognizable in all healthy people by common features, 3) is

responsible for attractiveness, and 4) a common similar goal for all clients. A
therapist or participant then, can have in mind a general healthy state independent
of any individual.

The implication of this is that therapy in this tradition is 'corrective'

more than exploratory. Unlike the humanistic tradition in psychology, the
premise is that exploring meaning without confronting character leads to little
change. This is very controversial. It opens the door to a therapist suggesting to a
client participant that he or she is wrong or unaware about something. This has to be
handled in a non-dominating, non-dogmatic way that admits fallibility.

Results vs Intentions

First a few definitions:

Intentions the ego's understanding of what it is trying to do in life or a

particular situation.

Results the effects overall of one's action on other people and in the world.

Principles a mixture of ideas, memory, and experience that guides action

Outcome a very specific result that arises from the mixture of one's actions
with the many independent variables operating in the world. A particular
outcome may not reflect results generally.

Many people in our culture believe that the key to 'being good' and having a 'good
life' is to have the right intentions and the right ideas. This is not cause for criticism if
results in relationships and in the world are generally in line with intentions or ideas.
However, in life, and in therapy, it is common to meet people who are able to
complain (accurately) of poor results in relationships despite the best intentions and
abundant well-meant ideas.. However, there is a tendency to attribute this to either
the ideas needing only a bit of a tweak, or to having uncommonly bad luck in never
having found others who respond "as they should" to the intentions.

What is important, is that intentions and conscious ideas leave out many aspects
of character, such as the unconscious, 'the shadow' (disowned traits), and very often,
the body. Results, on the other hand, over time include the effects, on others, of those
parts of a person of which he or she is otherwise unaware. That is not to say that
results are always just or fair, often they are not. However, results, and
the state of the body, are also not an aberration. Overall, results 'say'
something.

The Defense of Splitting

The psychological defense of splitting consists of seeing ourselves or others as all
good or all bad. All people employ this defense sometimes, to decrease
anxiety. At it's strongest, splitting leads to the firm denial of actual behavior of
ourselves or others that does not fit into the picture of all good or all bad. This
distortion of reality testing can be impressive and demonstrates splitting at its most
visible.

However, most people keep reality testing intact but still employ splitting
by attributing intentions to the actions of ourselves or others. In general,
others are seen as entirely good-intentioned or entirely badly-intentioned. Any action
or result that is not in line with this image is negated in importance by describing the
result as contrary to intention. People that are deemed (split) bad are avoided or
confronted indignantly in a way that stops communication. People that are deemed
(split) good are not confronted.

But intentions are never clear cut, and rarely 'pure', and often not really knowable.
Speculating upon or judging the intentions of others can be a mental device to make
splitting seem rational. The defense of splitting decreases anxiety, but it
decreases contact as well. What paying attention to results does is to bring people
and things into real relationship.

The Role of Principles

There is the possibility of being too outcome oriented. This arises when
anxiety makes it seem that a particular result must happen, even if other people, or
chance, have a role. Attention to results is not the same as a willingness to pursue
results at all costs and by all means. For an adult, pursuing something usually means
following principles that have been developed from experience--that is from feeling
and past results. Principles are meant to be firm but not rigid. Unlike 'rules',
principles are applied with some feeling for the situation. Principled behavior

provides a feeling of integrity and consistency even when the outcome in a particular
situation is not typical. Principles however must conform to overall results or they
lose their reality. Chasing a particular outcome results in unprincipled behavior. So
result primacy does not mean obtaining a particular outcome at any cost.

Some work in the helping professions does a disservice by re-assuring clients that: 1)
they have indeed been injured by being among others more receptive to results than
intentions, and that 2) the helping professional will respond to the client's intentions,
not the client's whole actuality. The second is in fact an impossibility--the helping
professional will respond to the client's whole, whether he or she is aware of it or not.
The belief that any relationship can be a cocoon--totally protected and different from
the ways of the world-- is an illusion. When self-concepts develop contrary to results,
it results in illusion. Illusions buffer suffering somewhat, but they also prolong and
mystify the suffering.

The Reich and Lowen tradition encourages squarely facing repetitive results. Only
this can dispel illusions and expose unconscious and armored attitudes. Of course, all
good psychotherapy traditions do this. But Reich and Lowen, by bringing the body
into therapy, gave results a concrete and felt anchor. The state of the body tells a
story in which intention has had only a minor role.

The Ego, the Body, and the Self

The term ego is used in many ways in psychology. In the work of Wilhelm Reich
and Alexander Lowen the ego is used roughly to designate
the mind and will together. Another way to say it is that the ego is all the parts of
a person that are not just natural functioning. The body is a term often used to
designate not just the flesh, but all the rest of a person, all that is natural, including a
natural spirituality. The 'self' is personal 'sense' that encompasses both the
ego and the body. This is perhaps a gross simplification but hopefully a useful one.
However, it is the ego that perceives the self, and also perceives for the self through
self-perception.

The ego, the self, and the body must work together for a cohesive sense of self and a
satisfying life. 'Listening' to the body does not weaken the ego, it strengthens it. The
ego may dislike or be unable to stand aspects of the body, which unlike the mind
always tells the truth. When this happens, the ego will weaken or shut off selfperception, or try to change the body in accordance with an image. When the ego
is at odds with the body, the sense of self suffers, and the ego alone has to
stand in as the self in interpersonal affairs. This brings to life a bias
toward image and away from feeling.

The sense of self never disappears in a person but can lose cohesion, or operate only
in the deep background, or both. The ego may become inflated to fill the void, but
insecurity is constant. Many try intellectual development (insight) or dis-embodied
spiritual development to 'fix' the ego, but this only leads to greater confusion. Even
bodywork can be done in an image-driven ego-pleasing way, and thereby fail. The
self has to emerge, it cannot be made.

In the Freudian tradition, a strong distinction is made between the super-ego and the
non-super-ego parts of the ego, and emphasis is focused on righting the conflict

between them. To Alexander Lowen, the ego is considered 'in one piece' as a
construct that is subject to many influences, self-negating and otherwise. Focus is
on whether the ego can be guided by pleasure and a healthy body, in
which case it becomes 'self-cleansing' of negating aspects.

It may seem at times that when the concepts of the Reich and Lowen tradition are
discussed, the ego is 'bad' and the body is 'good'. That of course is not true. It is an
'artifact of trying to bring balance to a 'disembodied', ego-heavy culture. In lessening
the suffering of the present day, often the ego needs some trimming, and the body
needs some freeing, only because in our culture, the ego has overgrown itself and
done damage to the body which, after all, is its foundation.

For many of us, in developing feeling and purpose, limiting aspects of character must
be made ego-dystonic. That is, these limitations must come to be seen by the
individual not as who he or she is, but rather as something he or she does or has
done. For some of us, in developing joy, suffering must become self-dystonic. That is,
suffering must come to be seen by the individual as not who he or she is, or the price
of admission to life, but rather as something that happens. This latter point is
particularly relevant where negating experience has occurred very early in life.
Where character defenses are alloyed with the ego, there is a lack of flexibility. Where
suffering or deprivation is alloyed with the self, there is a pervasive feeling of
defectiveness.

Though it is tempting to align the concepts of ego and conscious together, and align
the concepts of body and unconscious together, it does not quite work that way. The
ego functions unconsciously also-- that is often the most problematic part. The
unconscious as a concept encompasses two very different types of things, one
physiological functioning, and two, emotion, desire, and memory that a person
'cannot recognize at the moment.'

A major understanding of both Wilhelm Reich and Alexander Lowen is that these
two types of unconscious things affect each other immensely. That is why, in their
perspective, conflict is more often framed along the lines of ego versus body than it is
along the Freudian lines of conscious versus unconscious.

Growth versus Change

People coming to therapy are hoping that their experience of life can be different.
They expect the therapist will tell or show them a way to change their life. That is, a
way to exercise their will on their actions or thoughts that will bring different results.
Sometimes this type of change is possible and helpful.

But the will is a limiter. It cannot bring essentially new qualities into a life. Use of the
will upon oneself results in actual muscular contraction and behavioral constriction.
The starting character is reinforced rather than changed. Transformation is a concept
that a change can be brought about by settling on a design for the self and achieving
it by direct action. It is often discontinuous with the life that has gone before. With
an attempt at transformation, one part of the person becomes at war with another
part. For instance the ego-ideal of being skinny becomes at war with the part of the
person that craves comfort or pleasure in food. This produces a yo yo effect, not a
change that is durable and satisfying. Of course body weight can become better
regulated if that is a problem, but by harmonizing through growth and increased
awareness, not will power.

New abilities come about by a process called growth. A goal of bodywork is to remove
restrictions to growth. Growth cannot be forcefully willed or tightly managed.
Growth can be intended and supported. Information is necessary to understand what
supports and what inhibits growth. However too much emphasis on the idea or
information itself leads away from growth because it sets the framework of the will
deciding to 'act' on information, and act on the person. Attempting to deliberately
change oneself is always a limiter. It leads to some skills but an overall decrease of
liveliness.

A better use for the decisional capacity of a person is to surround her- or himself with
the conditions of growth. For most people, growth requires some surrender. Certain

practices that enhance growth such as bodywork can be undertaken but the results
require an openness of expectation. There is an expression that "life [ or some worthy
pursuit] is a marathon, not a sprint". This touches on the idea of allowing some time
for growth ( although the metaphor is weakened by the very punishing, will-based
way people train for marathons these days).

Growth is a search for balance, imbalance a search for growth

Paul Dennison

Being versus Doing

The following is liberally adapted from Fear of Life by Alexander Lowen

All animals except man just exist. Most people are not content just to be, they have to
do something or achieve something. This drive produces much of the material
culture, but it can also be destructive, for instance in producing nuclear weapons.

Using the will against the feelings may be necessary in the face of real danger, in
which case it is healthy. It becomes unhealthy when the maneuver persists apart
from real danger. Many people are always trying to change themselves by using
willpower, but this only serves to deepen the split. The ego works by setting a goal
and controlling the actions to achieve it. If the goal is secondary to the action, the
activity is more being than doing. All productive activities such as a car assembly line
or plowing a field, are aspects of doing. But when pleasure is the dominant
motivation, as in dancing or listening to music, the activity is an aspect of being.

Doing does not involve or lead to feelings. In fact urgent doing usually blocks or
inhibit feelings, and this numbing quite commonly becomes the real motivation
behind much frenetic activity. All movements are dominated by the goal, and feelings
are considered irrelevant. In fact, in the short run, feelings can hamper performance.
For the sake of efficiency, people try to transform themselves into machines until the
goal is achieved. They believe that this will produce the most goods, or the most
merit, and therefore lead to happiness eventually. However, a long period of doing
without any being usually leads to the inability to enjoy the fruits of doing.

However, if we pay at least as much attention to the process as the goal, taking action
becomes creative or self-expressive, and increases the sense of being. In being, what
counts is not what one does, but how one does it. The reverse is true for doing.

Doing something is not letting it be. Doing represents an attempt to change a

situation, which can be constructive when the situation is an external one. However,
when the situation is internal, that is, a state of being, trying to change this state by
doing reduces one's being. To act upon the self, one part of the personality must turn
against another part. The ego or the I turns against the body by using the will against
the feelings of the body. In this way, the being is split, and thereby reduced.

Change produced by the application of force from without is the product of doing and
affects the being adversely. There is a process of change that takes place from within
and requires no conscious effort. It is called growth, and it enhances being. It is not
something one can do, and it is not therefore, a function of the ego but of the body.

Therapeutic change is similar to growth in that it is an inner process that cannot be

accomplished by conscious effort. This is not to say that doing plays no role in the
growth process. In acquiring a skill it is necessary to perform certain actions
consciously, so that learning can occur, but the learning itself takes place on an
unconscious, or body level.

Being is equated with feeling. One cannot make or produce a feeling anymore than
than one can make being. Genuine feelings arise spontaneously, otherwise one is
pretending. Further, feelings do not produce or accomplish anything. There is
neither goal nor purpose to feelings. We can give reasons for our feelings, but our
feelings do not arise in response to the dictates of reason. they often occur in
opposition to reason. They are spontaneous bodily responses to the world around us,
and there function is to promote the living process.

Doing can be superimposed on being, but it cannot substitute for being. If one is a
person, one can do and produce as a self-expression. The doing doesn't define the
self, but only enhances it. But if one is not a person, the doing will not fill in the lack.
One cannot become a person by doing.

I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to
enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.
E.B. White

Life happens in the balance point between making it happen and taking it as it
comes.
Paul Dennison

There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired
F. Scott Fitzgerald

Pleasure Primacy

In the Reich and Lowen tradition, it is considered more relevant to restore

the pleasure principle to good working order than the reality principle Most
therapies assume that the pleasure principle is in good working order and they
assume that the reality principle is broken in some way leading to suffering.
Certainly, with neurosis, ample unrealistic behavior is seen.

Reich and Lowen insisted, however, that such behavior results from a faulty pleasure
function, and that without repair of this, self-defeating and other types of distorted
behavior will nonetheless remain compelling. Cognitive and rational approaches will
only train the client to try to hide his or her inclination for such behavior.

Feelings versus Cognitions

Often in our culture, when a decision is hard to make, we tend to seek even more
factual information. We seek to make the 'right' decision by determining in advance
the results. People believe that they should come to 'want to do' what is 'best to do.'

However, satisfying decisions are only makeable on the basis of feelings. Said
another way, the heart should lead and the brain should follow a half-step behind,
working out the details. Just as in infants, in adults, the reality function (based in the
brain and cognitions) should serve (and serve well) the pleasure function (based in
the heart, gut, and pelvis.)

The phrase 'feeling primacy' describes the concept that even realistic cognitions
should serve the direction set by feelings. The phrase 'somatic primacy' describes the
concept that cognitions tend to be distorted or unrealistic if body processes or
feelings are ignored or overruled.

The Present, Real, and Somatic Basis of Emotional Suffering

Most emotional distress has a present real and somatic basis, that is, it is
not just a mental 'mistake'. For instance, a very shy person may withdraw from
close contact with other adults. Knowing that a history of very early rejection is
likely, it is tempting to conclude that the adult behavior comes from a 'mistaken, and
oddly preserved overgeneralization that others will harm. This can lead to an
enthusiastic attempt to get rapidly closer to the shy person, in an attempt to provide
an experience of non-harm.

However, if instead, it is understood, that even unsatisfying behavior has a logical

and actual present basis in the body, a different conceptualization is possible. In
the above example, if the periphery is very diffuse or thin, as in the Creator character,
than closeness is a real intrusion. For the time being, other people do cause
hurt, somatically and actually. Given this understanding, bodywork that
strengthens the periphery and increases the capacity to hold emotion and energy is
indicated. Trying to establish closeness first might be intellectually accepted by the
client, but energetically, it just strengthens the defense (interior withdrawal)

Similar examples can be described for all character structures. If a friend, family
member, or therapist merely redoubles conversational efforts to convince the client
that he or she can have type of relationship or experience they have been unable to
form, if only they would choose it, they are frustrating the person who almost surely
has been trying self-help of that sort already.

Even though the present basis of suffering tends to have roots in childhood
experience, even an accurate explanation of those roots does not remove the present
basis. Such an explanation may, however, provide a useful organizing idea for work
on removing the present basis however.

Everyday observation shows that when a situation changes, even a long-standing

situation, beliefs can change rapidly. Only in psychology is it considered the norm for
false beliefs to persist groundlessly. As a general rule, when persistent behavior is
treated like 'it makes sense', change is experienced as a much more manageable and
less mysterious process.

Body Primacy

Emotions arise first in the body and are perceived by the mind. The mind's
role is to 'make sense' of emotion and determine a path of conduct that is both
realistic and honors the feeling. True, good thoughts and good feelings usually occur
together, as do bad thoughts and bad feelings. What is cause and what is effect is not
easy to determine. This has lead some to declare that thoughts and feeling influence
each other equally. The thinly veiled implication of this is, since thoughts are subject
to ego control, is that a well-regulated person will use thoughts to bring inconvenient
feelings 'into line.'

However, many decades of practical efforts attempting to change feelings

by changing thoughts with cognitive therapy has shown only a very brief
effectiveness which is more akin a dissociation from bad feelings than a
change in feeling. Also, an attempt to change feelings by
changing thoughts about feelings with psychodynamic therapy has shown longer
lasting but still rather meager results. However, Wilhelm Reichdemonstrated that by
changing body feeling directly, psychological outlook changed concurrently, even
without much analysis.

Cognitive distortions can be challenged logically and seemingly effectively, but in the
absence of a change in body feeling, they re-emerge persistently with an 'irrational'
compellingness. Lowen attributed some of the effectiveness of early psychoanalysis
to the shocking nature of Freudian ideas. Shock works completely apart from logic
because it is a strong activation of the autonomic nervous system.

The phrase 'body primacy' describes the concept that cognitions tend to be distorted
or unrealistic if body processes or feelings are ignored or overruled. The phrase
'feeling primacy' describes the concept that even realistic cognitions should serve the
direction set by feelings. That is, body primacy asserts that the body will have its say
eventually, and feeling primacy asserts that there is a fitness to this.

Body Values versus Ego Values

Humans have two parts to their nature--they are conscious actors and they are
unconscious responders. Another way to say this is that humans are voluntary actors
and also involuntary responders. A philosophical view that emphasizes only the

involuntary is 'determinism'. An opposite view is 'free will' which dismisses the

involuntary.

What the psychodynamic point of view established by Freud asserted, was that if the
involuntary and voluntary are not in harmony, a distorted involuntary ruled
the person, with ill effect. The basic approach of Freud was to increase the voluntary
and make the involuntary negligible. (As in his dictum " Where the Id was, the Ego
shall be.") Modern cognitive therapy has the same agenda. True, cognitive therapy
does not use the concept of the id or the unconscious, but it has an analogous role of
the 'bad' involuntary in the concepts 'behavioral dysregulation', 'cognitive
distortions', and 'irrational thought'.

The Reich and Lowen tradition, on the other hand seeks, to harmonize the voluntary
with the involuntary. Since the involuntary can be seen most clearly in the body, and
the voluntary is seen most clearly in the ego, this can be restated that the tradition
seeks to harmonize the body and the go. Because in our time, the role of the ego in
one's life has grown enormously, work in the Reich and Lowen tradition emphasizes
the life of the body strongly. This is not in the cause of bringing about an instinctual
anarchy as some fear, but rather in the cause of bringing about balance and harmony.

However, as the body and ego are very split in our culture, so are our values. Ego
values are those motives that bring about action in the world, or self-definition. Body
values are those motives which bring about self-posession and satisfaction. In
general, the ego wants to 'get somewhere' or 'do something', while the
body wants to be somewhere or feel something. Of course it is very possible
to think in terms of 'person' or personal values that combine the propensities of ego
and body--this is a creative response to life..

Below in tabular form is some ideas about the possible opposition of

complementariness of body and ego values. In looking it over, I perceive an overall
bias on my part toward 'body values': some of the values listed in that column might
in fact result only when body and ego are working together well. It is clear though,
that our present culture focuses on 'feeding' the ego values, and to achieve balance,
an individual usually needs to concentrate on feeding the body. Sincere work in the
Reich and Lowen tradition will often nudge one toward body values.

Ego Values

Body Values

Thinking

Feeling

Individuality

Community

Culture

Nature

Adult

Child

Superiority

Excellence

Immortality

Fullness of Life

Achievement

Pleasure

Power

Cooperation

Performance

Spontaneity

Production

Creation

Efficiency

Effortlessness

Security

Comfort

Doing

Being

Novelty

Familiarity

Formation

Nurture

Accumulation

Enough

Purity

Cleanliness

Specialness

Belonging

Tool

Object

Child Primacy

Most discussions of a society's responsibility to its children are premised on

the Doctrine of Original Sin. Although original sin is a formal doctrine of some
religions it is also a unconscious belief of traumatized (most) adults. It is the idea
that children are born 'bad' or at least with a strong trajectory toward the bad, and
that strong intervention must be initiated to 'break' the nature of the child and instill
'civilization from the outside.

The opposing belief is that children are born good and with a strong trajectory
toward the good. Children only need to be supported and gently guided. This is the
premise of the Reich and Lowen tradition and fortunately, many parents. One
implication of this, is that society should look to the natural strivings of
children to set social priorities.

Breast Feeding: Another implication of child-primacy is a priority on breastfeeding. Children clearly prefer breast to bottle if the mother is comfortable. The
breast is a source of pleasure, grounding, and security to the infant and toddler.
Children should be allowed to wean themselves, and when so allowed will almost
always nurse to three to five years old, at least at night.

The benefits of breast-feeding have been partly recognized by mainstream culture,

but mostly in a chemical way. That is the ingredients of breast milk are admitted to
be superior, but women are encouraged to go to work and pump their breasts. The
baby suckling the breast is almost surely the most valuable aspect for mother and
child but it is not recognized. Also breast milk 'banks' are a barely tolerable idea in
our culture, but employing a wet-nurse, even for those who could easily afford it, is a
taboo idea. On a recent trip to Sierra Leone, Salma Hayek nursed a sick infant from
her breast. I believe this was not just a very admirable impulse but a natural and
healthy one. One imagines that only the immunity of great celebrity or wealth
allowed her to do that in public without repercussion.

Expressive Shift and Discovery

There are three modes of action: reaction, performance, and expression. Reaction
includes muscular reflexes, certain instinctual reactions and defensive behaviors.
Those reactions that are not purely physiological tend to be future oriented, that is
they address fears or fantasies of what will happen. Although reactions and reactivity
might make a compelling discussion, for purposes of this topic suffice it say that in
interpersonal behavior, the less mere reaction the better.

Performance is seeking to imitate an idea or mental picture of what

should happen. Our complex culture rewards performance and so from a young
age, most of us are coached and encouraged to perform. It becomes the dominant
mode of doing. Performance puts all the emphasis on the state of having done
something, not the actual doing of it (endgaining). Performance implies seeking
approval from others. Performance ignores present feeling and uses the body as a
tool.

Expression is acting or moving from the perception of what is happening

now, inside oneself, and in the immediate environment. Expression is
spontaneous and unique, although, humans having much in common, expression
tends to be similar in similar situations. Unlike reaction, expression tends to the
present moment.

When bodywork is done intentionally, the goal is increasing the capacity for
expression. However, the drive to perform is very strong and almost unavoidable at
first. The result is concentrating on the shell of a movement and missing the 'guts'.
Many strains of body work, such as the Alexander Technique, are deliberately vague
in what is wanted in order to avoid this rush to perform. Somewhat differently,
the Pilates Method gives a 'shell' but constantly de-emphasizes or restrains
completion, and instead emphasizes 'guts' or form. This mysterious target is just an
inevitable part of regaining feeling and purpose.

A Buddhist saying captures an element of expressive shift: "Find where you are
and work from there. Do not try to work from where you want to be."

A related experience is discovery. In bodywork, it is a given that participants are

becoming aware of feelings, capacities, and sensations previously unknown. For
people coming back to their bodies, discovery is a two part process: the discovery
itself and (re)learning the process of discovery. Discovery is necessary to change old
patterns.

The expressive shift is increasing the capacity, inclination, and tendency for
expression. Of course there is a paradox here. In a 'corrective' tradition, change is
desired, not expression within the same old limits. However, it is very difficult to
perform a movement in a new way as an adult. This is because the already
strongest muscle and already strongest nerve will 'hijack' the movement
again and again. Imbalance seems to perpetuate imbalance. This is true of
expression alone and performance alone. For neuro-muscular change both
expression and training must interact. That is, a participant can neither be told
exactly what to do, nor left to just "do his or her thing." This reality explains the
ambiguity or seeming vagueness of most skilled bodywork traditions. It can be
frustrating for the participant, but it is necessary.

There are two avenues of progress, and both are necessary. One is skilled help from
someone that can 'block' old patterns and coach and insist on new patterns. This of
course will involve some performance. Generally large classes in gyms cannot really
provide this, because even if the instructor is capable, he or she simply cannot
supervise any one person enough to stop the enactment of old patterns. By the way,
no amount of theoretical knowledge will change the body. Aha! experiences can
provide spurts of insight, but not spurts of real change. Insight can have role in
change, probably as a consolidator of change, or leading one to engage in some
growth stimulating undertaking. Trying to perform an insight is always
hollow.

The second avenue is growth. As nervous systems change and alignment improves
and certain things are attempted, new capacities arise and new actions and
movements are spontaneously expressed. This requires patience because growth is
slower than the speed of thought or the decision of will. That is, it is necessary to be
patient and not to try to force things by trying too hard. Almost surely, at some
point it will seem that almost nothing is happening. That is because
almost nothing is happening. But almost nothing and actually nothing are
completely different! Very small but actual change is cumulative. In fact real change
is usually noticed by other people rather than the participant, because growth is so
very gradual. If one perceives change is happening rapidly, that is probably an
illusion.

Mastery is a hybrid between expression and performance. If there is

difficulty mastering something, it is often a limitation in basic neuro-muscular
development, which of course is improvable with the right body work, or it is
incapacity for expression.

Most physical fitness training these days is based on practices useful for the already
athletically adept or graceful, and therefore 'starts too high' and does not remediate
basic neuromuscular patterns. The usual result is great effort at the beginning, with
some change but quick plateauing. There is no real pleasure, but most people quit
not because of that but because of discouragement.

The Games People Play

In relationships, reaction and performance combine to create 'games' or futile
patterns of relating. Whenever a person acts not out his or her own feeling and belief
but entirely in anticipation of the reactions of the other (perhaps even several 'moves
ahead') he or she is playing a game. This can be mostly unconscious, but the lack of
self-focus is so conspicuous that it should be discernable with some introspection. Of
course all good people consider how the other person "will take it," but that should be
a secondary process not the main one, as in a game.

Receptive Shift

A key polarity in human functioning is between instrumental mode (acting upon),

and receptive mode (being acted upon.) There is an overlap but not an identity
between this polarity and the polarities of being and doing, masculine and feminine,
and sympathetic and parasympathetic. Below is a table summarizing differences in
the two modes.
Adapted liberally from Deikman, The Observing Self

Instrumental Mode

Receptive Mode

To act on the environment

To receive the environment

Understanding in terms of objects and

manipulation of objects

Understanding in terms of processes and

participation in them

Mobility

Motility

Focal attention

Diffuse attention

Sharp perceptual and cognitive boundaries

Blurred boundaries

Interest in forms more than sensory

Sensory more than an interest in forms

Linear casualty

Simultaneity

Logical thought

Intuition

Language

Music, art, poetry

Left hemisphere dominates

Right hemisphere dominates

EEG: increased beta waves, decreased alpha and

theta waves

EEG: decreased beta waves, increased alpha and

theta waves

Past/Future

Now

Sympathetic nervous system

Parasympathetic nervous system

Survival and accomplishment both dictate the instrumental mode, at least part of the
time. However, pleasure and contact require the receptive mode. Our culture more
and more repudiates the receptive mode. Instead the attitude toward nourishment
and renewal is to take and take--which of course is the the instrumental mode. Power
and control require a constant dedication to the instrumental mode. Continuous
existence in the instrumental mode may allow accumulation of material
goods and power, but because of the lack of receiving anything into the
body, literal energetic and emotional starvation results.

The instrumental mode at its extreme leads to objectification. To simplify, this is

when everything the ego perceives is known by its function for that ego. This extends
even to the body in which the ego resides. Most people today have a double obstacle
to receptivity, character armor and a cultural bias toward power and control.
Passivity is not receptivity. Receptivity is an active process. 'Withstanding' or
'enduring' something is an instrumental act not a receptive one. Clearly today a
strong receptive shift is needed by most people in our culture to achieve well-being.
Vacations used to have this purpose

Objectlessness
Because receptivity does not require objectification of the world, objectlessness is the
extreme end of the receptive pole. It is the opposite of objectification. It is perhaps
what Krishnamurti means by 'choiceless awareness.' At this point a quantitative
change may also become a qualitative one. The phrase 'one with the world' is often
employed. Alexander Lowen called this joy. Subjectively the experience is
blissful. There is a certain defenselessness inherent in objectlessness, so it
should not be undertaken in a predatory environment.

Enlightenment, Liberation, Nirvana

There is a universally reported feeling of sufficiency that goes a long with
objectlessness. Some traditions describe this as supra-natural and qualitatively
different than mere health. The Reich and Lowen tradition does not speak to actual
enlightenment or anything other than the natural. With attaining mind so strong in
our culture, there is always the worry that enlightenment can be treated as an object
and pursued as an illusion of superiority, or an illusion of over-coming the body.
Also, enlightenment as an aspiration may serve as a rationalization to side-step adult
responsibility--normal daily concerns might be considered petty.

Meditation

A goal and benefit of meditation is a strong receptive shift that can balance the
enormous instrumental bias of our culture. Meditation is a strong measure, that
changes brain waves patterns as well as autonomic balance. It has the potential to
produce strong objectlessness. As suggested above, experience has shown many
instances where communities that emphasize meditation have turned abusive. Also,
suppressed feeling and anxiety can be released precipitously before the development
of bodily self-possession. (The yoga tradition developed yogasana and pranayama to
prepare the body for meditation.) Meditation is not the only practice to provide a
receptive shift but it is the most direct. Because the lack of inherent safeguards in the
practice, a safe 'container' for the practitioner is usually indicated. Traditionally this
container has been a wise knowledgeable teacher. However in this arena, as
mentioned above, commitment to a teacher or a teacher's organization has on
occasion led to exploitation. Yet solo practice may not be without some danger. The
practice of meditation in our modern society seems to call for care and prudence

Perceptual Ceiling

First, this is the inability to perceive chronic holding and misalignment in one's own
body. Perception requires movement, and so holding and decreased motility tends to
fall out of consciousness. Second, it is the tendency for the senses not to directly
perceive in others, what one cannot perceive in oneself.

For instance, if ones back is holding a lot of tension chronically, it will be hard to
notice the tension that others are carrying. Likewise, if one is not vibrating much,
there is an inability to perceive the vibration of others. If one's own voice is
monotone, it will be hard to perceive subtle inflections in someone else's voice.

The combination of decreased body awareness and perceptual ceiling can make
bodywork a bit of an act of faith in the beginning. It can be difficult to
understand what is being asked, and also doubts can arise about whether
anything is actually happening, or whether goals of bodywork are real.

This contrasts to complex volitional behaviors, which are discernable in others even
to those of us who do not act that way. For instance, a shy person sees outgoing
behaviors in others and does not doubt they occur. It is much more graspable to try
to imitate such behaviors. This falls short in the end because the behavior is not
natural.

Discharge versus Release

In the Reich and Lowen tradition, the basic guiding format for a 'session'
is charge then discharge. This is simply a straightforward way to re-establish
the pleasure cycle. Charging can only be commensurate to discharge. While it is
possible in some ways to be stuck in the 'charged' position, in general difficulty
discharging results in an undercharged condition. Charging is generally upward in
the body or in the upper body. Discharge is downward through the body, or in the
lower body. As suggested above, discharge is usually more blocked than charging.

Screaming, hitting, biting, reaching are all actually charging activities, as is

hyperventilation. Kicking, crying, belly laughing, and grounding measures are
discharging activities

Because of Lowen's emphasis on expression and undoing emotional suppression,

another element got added in the tradition that is confusing, and that is release.
Unlike discharge, which is a biological and energetic concept, release is an emotional
or psychological concept. It is possible to experience an emotional release
without an energetic discharge, they are not the same. If properly
understood in emotional terms, a release can lessen blocks to discharge and can
harmonize the body. A clear example is a couple having an honest fight, and then
having passionate 'make-up' sex. The fight is the release that 'clears' the situation but
the sex is the discharge that resolves the tension between them.

A release that does not lead to a discharge, however, is just a catharsis. A hazard of
emphasizing expressive work too early is setting a pattern of brief charging followed
by emotional release which only provides a brief mental comforting without change
in the body. This type of release work may be an advance where feeling and energy
has been quite low, but it can become a 'racket.' that actually side-steps deeper
feeling. While many people start Reich and Lowen work with both inadequate release
and inadequate discharge, the benefit of release only (which is available also through
conversational traditions) is limited.

Both release and discharge involve emotion since emotion is both a biological and
psychological phenomenon. Durable healing can rarely happen on a psychological
level only, and so discharge is needed for emotional healing, If grounding and neuromuscular development is properly attended to (in therapy or in one's own selfdesigned program,) discharge becomes possible and usually spontaneous. Discharge

is very hard to force through willed action, rather it is a matter of choosing to develop
the conditions of discharge, including a loose flexible body, visceral awareness, a
ventral shift, and sound opportunities for pleasure in one's life.

Re-Regulation

Restoring the capacity for feeling and purpose in the stressed twenty-first century
requires re-regulation of dysregulated vegetative systems. Re-regulation is a different
undertaking than other types of changes. Alexander Lowen consistently wrote about
the increasing barrier modern social conditions posed to living with
pleasure and feeling. My own opinion is now in the second decade of the 21st
century, re-regulation and decreasing baseline arousal almost always has to be
undertaken as a pre-requisite to the more classic Reich and Lowen 'release work.'

First, growth and development of arrested functioning cannot restart under

stress. Stressed systems do not develop, either in strength or
discrimination. Under stress, behavioral repertoire my increase, but that is
defensive and not really growth, except maybe growth in defensive tendencies.
Nietzsche may have said what doesn't kill a person makes them stronger, but he was
only thinking of survival, a fundamentally defensive stance. No pleasure arises from
defensive tendencies. However, our mainstream culture mistakes this behavioral
complexity (in academia, business, social relations), as human development, missing
its defensive nature, and not seeing the cost in biological and emotional terms.
Behavioral therapy, while body-based in part, often misses this distinction, and
cognitive therapy (especially along the lines of Albert Ellis) absolutely misses it.. It is
possible to increase determination and tolerance for 'withstanding' a situation
without increasing real satisfaction. Unless there is a strong independent reason for
persisting in the behavior (like earning a living) the change will not be sustained.

Adaptive Band: Trauma therapists have long-recognized that healing arises in the
middle range of arousal--that too little arousal is avoidance and too much arousal is
re-traumatizing. Judith Bluestone working with the autistic spectrum recognized the
same thing and coined the term 'gentle enhancement' This concept that there is
a middle band of adaptation is applicable to all human growth work. The threshold
is reached much more quickly than most of us realize. Even the 'classic' application of
Reich and Lowen therapy in the 60s and 70s, with its emphasis on 'breakthroughs,
may have erred in the direction of strong stimulus that produces an adaptation that
is subtly defensive and consists of 'performing' openness. Staying with the work
steadily may be more efficacious than 'hitting it hard'

Allostasis: The human body has a thermostat-like function to maintain internal

conditions at an optimal level for functioning. This is usually referred to
as homeostasis. With external challenges (stress) the set-points are often shifted in

what is meant to be a temporary compromise. If stress is prolonged however, these

shifts become fixed and this is known as allostasis, which is not wholesome
adaptation but a semi-emergency action. The most common of these shifts
are sympathetic shift, dorsal shift, and high arousal. Allostasis leads to
physical burnout and emotional depletion.

The conditions of industrialization largely obliterated the boundaries of growth and

respected only the boundaries of survival. Present social norms actually expect all
people to function under a level of stress that make real growth difficult. The
dominant cultures of the last few centuries have had a distaste for indigenous, folk,
or sub-cultures that did not prioritize production, but these cultures largely were
seeking to remain humane.

Re-regulation often requires slowing down and simplifying life, not for its own sake
but to regain contact with the body and the self, and to conserve energy for growth.
In re-regulation, gentle and subtotal effects are not only allowable, they are
preferable. Our culture and our healthcare system certainly is uncomfortable with
'mere' enhancement, and with skill based interventions. Far too much we look
for a 'fix' that obliterates symptoms quickly. But 'fixes' are necessarily
dysregulating. 'Holistic' is an under-defined term, but I suggest a treatment is holistic
when moves the organism toward re-regulation.

Capture: For remediation of a dysregulated vegetative system many things have to

happen at once. Only addressing one element of a dysregulated system may in fact
increase the dysregulation, and this is the hole that allopathy often finds itself in
increasingly with this era's epidemic of auto-immune and inflammatory diseases.
Trying things sequentially and discarding them quickly seems scientific but it is
faulty from a holistic point of view. In practice, several approaches may have to be
slowly added and continued together for anything to start to improve. For
instance, nutrition, psychological work, neuro-muscular retraining, increasing
vitality, increasing expression, touch, and sensory work may all have to be
undertaken simultaneously. Only with capturing the many manifestations of
imbalance at the same time can balance be slowly regained.

This requires some faith in folk wisdom (and the wisdom of mothering, and the
wisdom of the body) because the extremely reductionistic process that currently
dominates science will be confused by the concurrent and uncontrolled nature of
this. However all life, and certainly all life worth living is an uncontrolled and
concurrent undertaking. It is important to start approaches one at a time, with the

most promising or 'lowest hanging fruit.' As a practice seems to have some benefit,
others are added. It is important not to dabble but rather to have some fidelity
because every beneficial approach is in its partial way meant to be a complete capture
of the homeostatic issue it addresses and picking and choosing very casually may
negate the possible benefit.

Saturation and Unpacking

In emotional healing, a somewhat discouraging thing often occurs. When the

outermost layers of limitation are dealt with, more 'stuff' comes up. One begins to
worry about, or suffer from, what one never worried about before. This is
called unpacking. Like a densely packed closet, there is unprocessed hurt that one
has not really forgotten, but which has been dulled. So even with real change,
subjectively suffering remains high for a time. It may even temporarily increase
somewhat, from a numbed out purgatory to a true maximum. Also areas of life
previously thought okay will be de-stabilized, and quite a bit of interpersonal friction
will be revealed. As an individual becomes less shut down, the expectations and
hopes from others may renew.

This is saturation. At a point (perhaps an early point) suffering reached a maximum,

and though hurts were accumulating they could not be appreciated. Unpacking is not
an endless process but it can be a long one. The criteria for whether one is on
the right path is not necessarily whether one is feeling better (though
that will eventually happen) but whether things are feeling more real.

The Concept of Character

In the Reich and Lowen Tradition

The Concept of Character in the Reich and Lowen Tradition

Therapists working in the Freudian tradition in the twenties described two trends.
One, psycho-analysis did not seem to be working as well as it should, given the
demonstrated validity of many of its elements. Second, certain patterns of presenting
problems seemed to go together with certain patterns of resisting interpretations,
spurring the development of the concept of character. The question also arose, did
the first trend have something to do with the second?
Wilhelm Reich also noticed that the patterns of character extended to physical
appearance and posture. At a standstill in some cases, Reich resorted to having
clients move seemingly-fixed areas like the jaw, to loosen things up. Often a flow of
feeling and memories arose and progress started again. Reich came to believe that
the question of character was central to psychotherapy. The physical manifestations
he called armor. While Reich emphasized character, he neither created nor
emphasized a thorough typology of character. Reich believed it was important to
'corner' the armor in a client, segment by segment.
Alexander Lowen however, made the concept of character more conspicuous in the
thinking about change. Whereas Reich thought of character more as 'thematic' of
early injury, Lowen thought of it more as a consistent, predictable set of alternative
developmental pathways instigated by negative or inadequate environmental
responses at critical junctures in early life. From extensive natural and clinical
observation, he did create a 'tight' typology of character that included physical,
psychological, familial and social aspects. It is that system that underlies how
character is thought of in this tradition. Lowen defined character this way
... character structure is not a conglomeration of injuries and defenses which can be
analyzed one by one, nor is it a series of scattered muscular tensions-a tense neck, a
rigid jaw, contracted shoulders, etc.-- which block the flow of excitation and feeling
in the body. True, each tense muscle or muscle group is the result of traumatic
experiences which block the expression of feeling. But the character structure is an
organized system of defenses aimed to promote the survival and security of the
individual. And these defenses are integrated and coordinated to promote the
maximum security which the individual feels necessary and yet provide an
opportunity for the individual to try to find some fulfillment in life. It was not built
in a day but over a period of years--six to be exact--during which the child strove to
find some positive meaning in its life. It is a walled city or a fortress depending on
the degree of fear.' It cannot be analyzed away, nor can it be demolished by force. It
is part of the individual's nature, second nature to be exact, and therefore beyond
the will of the individual to change.*
This defensive character is, perhaps, a way to provide a consistency of
experience that provides a stop-gap consistency in the sense of self. As a

stronger sense of self develops, a broader range of experience can be allowed.

However, in natural development, it is the broader experiences that precede and
develop the sense of self. Hence arises the tough, but not insurmountable, 'bootstrapping' problem of 'character-analytic' work in therapy and in lifestyle. For an
adult, character works like a filter that screens out just those experiences that might
broaden interpersonal awareness. Character becomes self-perpetuating and selfreinforcing.
Character is what seems to give life meaning and create an identity. A person tends
not to see it as a handicap but rather an asset. In many ways, separating one's sense
of self from a formed character seems like death. Character then, in this tradition,
refers not only to a set of blocks and limitations, but also, and this is its dynamic
quality, to an adaptive self that seeks love through conforming to an image of
lovability and acceptability. The person does not usually realize they are conforming,
rather he or she believes they are pursuing goodness. Character, however, differs
from a 'false self.' A false self is a compensatory mental product that often is meant to
refute the physical and biographical reality of the person. The prevalence of false
selves is one reason that self-diagnosis of character often fails. It is the actual body,
not the conscious aspirations that defines character.
Lowen defined five characters: Schizoid, Oral, Psychopathic, Masochist, and
Rigid. He stated that this was not a classification of people but rather
defensive positions. In his writings, Lowen 'defined' how characters are defined.
His system works as a 'forced choice' --everyone one sees walking on the street for
instance, can placed in one of the five characters. I have followed the forced-choice'
tradition, but added one non-Lowenian characters (the Swollen Character of
Stanley Keleman), because it seems useful. For a time, I had taken into the list the
Symbiotic Character of Stephen M. Johnson. However, I have removed it as a distinct
character and added Johnson's construct in the form of 'borderline narcissist' to
the discussion of narcissism as a condition also in this section.
Lowen named the characters from psychoanalytic roots. The resulting names,
unfortunately, seem pejorative, and, unless the derivation is understood quite well,
confusing. And since bioenergetic therapy usually includes some part of an
educational approach, the names are downright embarrassing to use with clients.
Ronald Robbins came up with much needed alternative names that are evocative and
address strengths as well as limitations. Robbins renamed Lowen's basic five
character types; I have attempted (or rather I am attempting) to rename Keleman's
character. The names 'stack up' this way: Creator (Schizoid), Communicator
(Oral), Includer (Swollen), Inspirer (Psychopathic), Consolidator (Masochist),
and Achiever (Rigid). In the Achiever or Rigid character, genitality is established
and gender differences are strong, based on gender identification. This caused Lowen
to define four subtypes that are essentially four separate characters: Phallic Male,
Passive-Feminine Male, Hysterical Woman, and Masculine-Aggressive Woman. One
could therefore speak in terms of the 'rigid group' of characters. The 'phallic male'

and 'masculine aggressive women' can be renamed the Male Achiever and
the female achiever, but the passive-feminine male and hysterical character
have no easy name substitute that has come to mind. Also, it has been a question in
this tradition where to map the 'old-fashioned compulsive' character onto the
Lowenian typology. Lowen felt this presentation was very rare in the latter half of the
twentieth century, but that the compulsive character could best be understood as
an Achiever.
Characters are believed to arise from deviations from optimal child emotional
development at different times starting from pregnancy until five years of age. Some
characters are 'earlier' and some 'later'. Therefore Lowen's typology can be said to
constitute a 'horizontal model.' Stephen Johnson believed it was useful, especially in
psychotherapy, to map character not only according to the Lowenian horizontal
model of character type, but also according to a simultaneous 'vertical model' of ego
strength, which could be super-imposed on the horizontal model. The horizontal
model, as will be explained later, is not really a continuum, but rather a depiction of
five (or seven) final developmental pathways. However, the horizontal model does
imply a quantitative gradient of 'selfness.'
Within the horizontal model are two 'lines' indicating qualitative changes. The first is
between the schizoid or creator character and the rest. This is sometimes referred to
as the 'schizoid condition' which differs from the 'neurotic condition' of the other
characters. The second 'line' is between the earliest four (or six) characters and
the Achiever or rigid, which is actually a group of characters, differentiating along
sexual and gender lines, all of whom who share the features of 1) lesser only meshlike armor, 2) energy flow from head to genitals and back, and 3) good reality testing.
This group is increasingly a rarity in clinical samples, and, Lowen thought,
increasingly a rarity in society.
A small controversy on the horizontal model is where to place the psychopathic
or inspirer character: before or after the masochistic or consolidator character.
Placing the inspirer after the consolidator has much bioenergetic basis-the inspirer, like the achiever, can displace energy outward well and can contact
others on an energetic basis even if distorted. The overall disruptive and erratic social
performance of the inspirer character is, on the other hand, cited as evidence of less
mature development. This sounds more like a moral argument, however, and
Lowen's horizontal model is a model of energetic, not moral development. The
originating childhood injuries postulated for the inspirer character are usually
placed at 18 months, before the origin of the masochistic or consolidator character,
however the origin of the inspirer seems the least understood, and it is possible that
in speculating, many may be working backwards from where they believe
the inspirer belongs on the horizontal model.
Gender affects the expression of character greatly. The chromosomal and hormonal
effects are very strong. Generally females are more empathetic and men more
instrumentally oriented or systematizing. This dimensional difference is

present in all characters, causing attenuation of some aspects and accentuation of

others, but not really 'breaking' the character. Of course in the rigid group, the effects
of gender are strong, but that is based on adult genitality, not just the
empathizing/systematizing difference. Because biological gender is not
environmentally-mediated, its effects on character are noted in the Reich and Lowen
traditional only for purposes of recognition, not for purposes of change.
Character description is approached three main ways: 1) How the person looks and
moves-- muscle tensions and restrictions being most definitional, 2) The typical realtime interactions and attitudes with others, say a therapist or a love interest, and 3)
the typical biography that a character lays down on his or her course through life.
In the descriptions of character, body fat percentages and body fat distribution are
relevant but not central. In our day, body fat has become an issue that draws
judgment, but it is partly a red-herring as far as Lowenian character.

Character Focus and Character Analysis

Alexander Lowen came to believe that resistance to change ultimately resided not
just in the body and not just in beliefs, but actually in character itself, intangible as it
may be. That is, body work alone, or psychological work alone, or even perhaps both
done in parallel, could not really unseat the limiting effects of character. Rather
overall global character attitudes had to be confronted. This is called character
focus.
Most therapy has followed Freud's cue in being led by free association. This is true
also for practitioners that eschew or little understand Freud. Free association, of
course, is somewhat of a misnomer in that it leads to material not completely
random. It leads to 'what is really on the mind' of the client, and therefore,
presumably led, eventually, to all that is necessary. However, long experience led to
the conclusion that this was insufficient, especially as clients became more
sophisticated. If resistances are 'analyzed and dissolved as they arise', then it seems
that endless creative new resistances arise. The nucleus of resistance seems to
be able to jump from manifestation to manifestation. This brings to mind
Karen Horney's quip that the patient [client] comes to therapy to "perfect the
neurosis". After enough work with the therapist around resistance, new resistances
may be 'slicker' and even look somewhat like insight.
Lowen, like Wilhelm Reich before him, believed that only by helping the client see
how his or her resistance fit a constellation of character, could the nucleus of
resistance be overcome. An implication of this is that egalitarian and
exploratory approaches to therapy and change, even one's including
bodywork, if they fail to 'characterize' the problem, tended to only
produce modest change in quality of life. From this arises the emphasis on
'tight' definitions of the character such as Lowen's basic five. Looser, 'Mr Potato

Head' approaches in which character is described by an impromptu amalgamation of

traits are prone to self-deception if done by the subject, and projection if done by
another.
To Lowen, character was body and energy. Behavioral traits were seen as
epiphenomena of the body. That is why targeted bodyworkand character analysis
could happen at the same time--to him, character analysis was body analysis, and a
strictly conversational format was rarely necessary.

The Use and Misuse of Character Typologies

It can be stipulated at the outset, and a priori, that there are no 'pure characters'.
This is because character types are ideas or concepts, and people are not ideas.
However, a good question is: "as ideas, how real, and how discrete, can these
character types be considered?"
First, 'character' in the Reich and Lowen tradition, refers not to personality per se,
but rather to the body's mature structure (phenotype) and energy characteristics.
Learned behavior can be thought of as a layer ('social layer') existing on top of
character and shaping the final personality. The effect of character is so strong
however that overwhelmingly, the person rejects whatever learning is characterdystonic, and accepts whatever learning is character-syntonic. That is why, in a
discussion of behavior patterns, character makes an easy stand in for the concept of
personality. It is also why psychotherapy with the learned layer (ideology) usually
has such modest results.
Some very devoted Lowenian therapists state that character was over-emphasized in
past decades. Certainly, using character simply to sort or pigeonhole people, or to
rationalize interpersonal difficulties, is not legitimate. But clearly, an emphasis on
character makes Reich and Lowen therapy a therapy of 'characterlogical
transformation'. Character analysis is a way of 'cornering' resistance once and for all.
But for adults, that transformation will probably never completely overwrite the
'starting character. As the hold of a particular character diminishes, one perhaps
becomes an individual more or less, but never a model.
It is easy for those doing this work personally and professionally for a long time, to
feel like failures if their own 'starting' character is quickly recognizable. But character
is by definition unhidable, so to an experienced and compassionate practitioner,
starting character is always visible. Reich and Lowen therapy is not about achieving
an ideal and concealing final form. It is about acquiring flexibility in feeling and
action.
It is natural to not want to be typecast. Everyone is unique. Lowen stated that there
are many instances of clients being in between or at the "borderline" of
categories. Character analysis is not a function of the purity of character

but of the dominant mode of functioning. However, speaking in terms of

widely mixed--(e.g. 'Heinz 57')-- character seems invalid. To do so requires believing
often, that one can be high energy and low energy, overaggressive and unable to
express aggression. If a balanced character is being thought of, than there is a
character idea for that, the "true genital" character or the rigid character at the
asymptote of armoring. This of course is an idea, not a description of an actual
person that has ever been located.
If the overall picture of character is unclear, it could also be that deliberate
compensatory styles ('scripts') are being lived out. Character is clearer sometimes if
basic functioning is studied rather than stated goals or ideology. That is, what the
person does is sometimes more relevant to understanding character than what the
person says. If a student of character accepts his or her true starting character,
accepting and understanding the characterology is much simpler.
Another question that arises is whether it is necessary to recapitulate all the 'later'
characters in Lowen's horizontal (developmental) model to arrive at satisfying living.
The nice guy in all of us wants to quickly assert the contrary, because it doesn't seem
fair for the 'earlier' characters. Of course, no client needs to actually become later
characters because after all, they do not represent normal development, but rather
defensive positions. However, it is probably dishonest to pretend that some people
do not have 'longer to go' More postponed developmental struggles have to be lived
out. And this 'longer' lines up with how the person's starting character lines up in
Lowen's horizontal model. It is a developmental model.
Overall the concept of character remains controversial, even among
'somatic therapists'. Since 'Lowenian' character is a concept of malfunction, a
focus on character becomes a focus on what not to do, rather than what to do. This
'pathology' focus can itself become limiting. Reich moved away from an emphasis on
character later, it is true, because he got away from treating individuals and treating
adults. He felt prevention during infancy and childhood was the answer. Lowen is
said to have emphasized character less in his later career. From reading his
autobiography, this seems to be because he got away from lifestyle analysis, which
tends to be character specific, and gravitated more toward essential core bodywork,
which tends to include more 'multi-character' or 'pan-character' interventions, such
as grounding or reaching. That is, he got away from 'what not to do' and starting
emphasizing more 'what to do'. Nowhere in his writings does he indicate that he
came to believe characterlogical assessment or characterological change were invalid
concepts.
*Newsletter of The International Institute for Bioenergetic Analysis Volume 18, No 2

Fundamental Trends of Character

Trends are basic ways of getting needs met. Some character structures are named for
their basic trends. The same trend can exist in other characters, in which case it can
be confusing to speak about, because it seems to be mixing characters up. At times, a
trend can be striven toward by effort and decision, perhaps as an effort to deny or
overcome the results of innate character. All energy structures can partially show
these basic trends depending on 1) how well issues were satisfied in development, 2)
family needs as a whole, and 3) social influences. Trends as concepts of their own can
also be used to 'detach' the essence of a character from the energy structure in order
to compare and contrast character goals from functional ideas of health-- for
instance orality can be contrasted to desire for contact, or rigidity contrasted
with aggression. below are four major trends:

Abstraction: This is organizing life around ideas and concepts. The basic
hope is that if life is understood, love and good feelings follow. It is basically,
trying to figure life out. This can lead to intellectualism, but also mysticism. A
partner's upset, for instance, becomes not a felt experience but a problem to
be solved. Solutions are not actions but rather ideas about addressing
problems. Social betterment is sought through understanding. Most benefits
of culture have come through abstraction of course but when an existence is
based on it, love, pleasure, and contact become strangers. Connection is
sought through sharing ideas. Sometimes psychotherapy falls into this trend,
where a client's life becomes a set of 'issues.' Excessive abstraction derives
from a fear of living as a physical individual (existential insecurity)

Orality: This is organizing life around needs. At bottom this is about one's
own need but is usually projected into the needs of others. The basic hope is
that an ideal nourishing and accepting person will answer the call and bring
love and good feeling. A subtrend is austerity in which one tries to reduce
one's needs, which is an attempt to fend off disappointment. The liberal
political point of view stems largely from this focus on needs. Needs exist of
course but so does the opportunity for their reasonable fulfillment as an adult.
Orality is not so much the recognition of needs but rather 1) others are felt to
hold the key to need fulfillment for oneself or needy others, (dependency), 2) a
pervasive climate of unfulfillment (deprivation).

Dominance: This is organizing life around the practice of getting others to

do what one sees fit. The hope is that if one controls the situation, love and
good feelings are secured. Dominance easily lends itself to an interest in
power, but can also lend itself to an interest in seduction. The need to
dominate may extend to other people, but it at least incorporates one person
the significant other. Dominated people need not be treated badly, but their

autonomy is undermined. Dominance used to be the sole providence of

the psychopathic character or Inspirer, but it has become more of a
cultural norm now. The cult of celebrity, glamorized professional sports are
about dominance. The concept "American Exceptionalism" is undisguisedly
about dominance. Business used to be about rigidity (and probably still is in
developing economies) but more and more corporations are geared toward
dominance including 'regulatory capture.'

Rigidity: This is organizing life around accomplishing goals. The hope is

that if one is effective in the world, love and good feeling follow. The 'Horatio
Alger theme of 'rags to riches' is about rigidity. So is the concept of the 'selfmade man'. It is not about the ultimate success but about persistence,
consistency, and 'grit.' The historical concept of the ideal housewife with the
perfect home is about rigidity. A career and one's worth can be the same. The
conservative political point of view stems largely from this focus on concrete
personal accomplishment. Alexander Lowen wrote many times that in
the achiever or rigid character, rigidity is over-determined (by both
energy structure and this trend). With rigidity, others can be misused
somewhat in the drive to the goal but this is not the main purpose of the trend.

Genitality: This is organizing life around satisfaction, loving, and creative

work. Genitality then, becomes the 'holy grail' or mark of healthiness. Reich
spoke of the 'genital character,' but Lowen, perhaps more realistic, dropped it.
As a trend, however, it is a necessary construct as it refers to a type of
functioning that is the goal of the entire tradition.

Character Scripts
A script arises when a person makes a somewhat or totally conscious commitment to
one or more trends. There is an element of 'performing.' This is a later development
than the formation of character, often occurring in a few years before or after
puberty. Unlike character it may have a cognitive component. Sometimes a 'pivotal
event' is cited as being formative. A young person then starts to pursue this as a goal,
even when it does not arise from feeling, and even when they are not very good at it.
Sometimes scripts are a family product. Scripts can be thought of as ideologies that
justify trends. They are a useful idea to describe a type of striving that may actually
not be suited to the underlying character and energy structure. It can contribute to
confusion about character in general and in a specific instance. Scripts contrary to
character do not alter character, though, because they are really mental
ideas, and do not change the underlying body or energy structure.

Redemption Script: If one's family of origin is felt to be unsuccessful, then

life can be dedicated to being successful, not for oneself, but for the family, so

that love can be 'unlocked' This is based on orality as one is organized around
the unfilled need of others for dignity.

Power Script This is becoming a very popular script. At times it is called the
'psychopathic defense' if displayed by people who really do not have that
energy structure. It is an attempt to feel secure by dominating or controlling
people not so much by charisma but by external accomplishments. The power
is projected less in a smooth way, more by persistence and effort and
vigilance. We live in a 'civilized culture' where power is supposed to accrue not
from physical capacity to take it, but from 'correctness.' That is why in the
power script, there is a tendency to criticize, pick fights, argue, and assert
what is correct. Our culture is based on power. Originally it was based on
power over nature, but very quickly it became also based on power over
others. Power is natural to the inspirer and achiever characters. To be seen
as powerful becomes a goal of non-energy projecting characters,
especially communicators. Communicators tend to believe that overcoming resistance is a matter of information and will.
Communicators however, really want others to take care of them, so there
success with the power script is often self-undermined--they really don't want
to displease anybody.

Masochistic Script Characters that lack aggression often develop a

pleasing nice-guy or nice-girl persona. Creator and
communicator characters however do not develop the thick powerful
structure of the consolidator. Rather, for them, the social masochism
develops as adult responsibilities start to arise in early adolescence. Persons
with a masochistic script often enter the the non-authority helping
professions--special education, nursing, ministry, social work, psychology, etc
where they can bear the unsolvable problems of others. Creator characters
are likelier to enter solitary professions, but are very capable of never
complaining.

Narcissism

Narcissism is not associated with any one Lowenian character but rather with a style
of life based on not feeling. Narcissism is not a character (neuro-muscular) defense
but an ego defense. However, it is so deeply structured into most modern people's
functioning, that any character analytic work requires addressing narcissism as a
first layer --that is why Alexander Lowen wrote a book by that name. Narcissism has
a particularly potent interaction with the inspirer character, which is why that
character is sometimes called the 'narcissistic character', but in my opinion there is
not a narcissistic character but rather a narcissistic condition.
Narcissism describes both an individual and a social condition. For an individual, it
means putting the self-image ahead of the self. The term 'image' comes from
imagination. The actual use of imagination supports creativity and growth. In its
psychological sense, however, 'image' refers to a static idea of what is successful or
desirable. An image is not necessarily visual but is any ego-based standard of how
things should be or standard that is believed to be special or lovable.The image will
be be influenced by the underlying energetic character. When one is trying to live up
to an image, imagination is not being used at all. Rather one is trying to conform to
rules or expectations from the outside that have been taken inside. This type of
striving may provide some motivation to achieve, but in the long run it is detrimental
to the person.
At some point, the person has to choose image over his or her self. Since
the self is known by feelings, in the operation of narcissism, feelings which in any
way seem inconsistent with the image, are denied, suppressed, deadened or
compensated. Narcissists are more concerned with how they look than with how they
feel. Narcissism brings people into war with feelings, their own feelings and the
feelings of other people that challenge the denial. And it can happen the other way
round, absence of feeling for any reason will tend toward narcissism. Narcissism
leads to an interest in power and control, over people and situations,
both to avoid unwanted feelings, and to provide motivation in the
absence of strong feelings. Along with this comes seduction and manipulation
which well may be unconscious.
Low feeling is not the same as low affect. Where suppression of feeling is severe,
such as the creator character, affect and expression does tend to be low and flat.
Denial is an ego function in which what one refuses to deal with will be blocked from
consciousness but still present in the body. Denial of feelings in narcissism can allow
for a more lively appearance overall than with suppression or deadening of feelings
but any actions or responses lack feeling. Still there is a background affect and
vitality that can verge on charming. Denial of feeling can be somewhat selective. For
instance in narcissism, feelings of fear or longing are usually strongly denied, while
feelings of triumph are not.

However, in any undertaking, a definite lack of conviction, passion, or true desire is

evident. Principles may be espoused to fit an occasion, and violated casually or
actually reversed shortly thereafter. The image is considered the ultimate
truth. There is a hollowness and superficiality to the feeling. Denial is less
impervious than suppression, there will always be 'sore-spots' which, when touched
on, elicit 'narcissistic rage.' As a result of that, there is usually considerable
behavioral adaptation in the service of bypassing sore-spots and manipulating others
to do the same. Group and family 'norms' often arise to protect narcissists within
them.
In narcissism, recognition is a key problem. Recognition not just in the weak sense of
being able to name something, but recognition in the diplomatic language sense-taking a person to be a fully legitimate, separate, and recognized member of the
community and family. A narcissistic injury is a failure to fully recognize
the 'otherness' and the legitimacy of a child at a critical time in emotional
development. Such injuries initiate what can be a life-long problem with
recognition. It is known that lack of unconditional acceptance is damaging to a
child, but the conditional acceptance (really disapproval) that fills the void at least is
a type of recognition. Conditional recognition is even more damaging. Even
disapproval will be withheld, it is as if the target did not exist. Narcissistic injuries
lead to narcissistic functioning as described below, including in turn, only
recognizing others conditionally upon their providing the desired type of mirroring.
Attention is a related concept but not the same as recognition. Attention may or may
not be craved and may or may not be monopolized, but recognition is always either
craved or rarely, phobically avoided. Conversely, attention gained by 'putting on as
show' will never feel like satisfying recognition. The affected person desires
recognition but also fears it, because the true self believes itself to be in danger if
recognized. Hence the over-involvement in images described in the paragraph above
that goes along with an obsession of the recognition of the image by others.
Evidence inevitably emerges that the person is not this chosen image. This is usually
so anxiety provoking that unconscious or or even conscious efforts are made to
destroy or ignore the evidence. In that way, narcissism brings people into war also
with the facts and with the positions of others. Ironically, the fragility of narcissistic
functioning make for a tendency to constantly experience a secondary-type of
narcissistic injury when the image is invalidated by people or events.
With narcissism, there may be recognition seeking, which in present day culture is
accepted or even considered virtuous, or there may be recognition demanding, which
is somewhat abrasive (for the time being), but the engine driving either is the same.
In past eras, there have been hero stories. In the present era, there are success
stories. A hero embodies an attribute, which is demonstrated by an adventure. The
hero doesn't seek recognition, but rather just to address, with integrity, obstacles that
arise. In a success story, the protagonist wants to excel and get results superior to
others in order to be recognized. There are 'status symbols' and conspicuous

consumption. Success is not succeeding in an achievement only, but being

recognized for it. Most recently success has been streamlined to celebrity. With
celebrity, the achievement is dropped in many cases leaving pure recognition. We no
longer have heroes, we have celebrities, and this is an aspect of social narcissism
which dovetails with personal narcissism.
Although equity with others is always a problem, narcissists do understand an
exchange. They do not understand sharing, however. Sharing is consciously
having the same experience as someone else at the same place and time. It can be a
good or a bad experience, but it requires mutual recognition. Since love is based on
pleasure shared, the capacity to love is devastated. A definite eeriness pervades most
joint occasions because of this inability to share experience
So in briefest terms, narcissism is organizing life around recognition and
power rather than pleasure. There is a tendency to confuse narcissism
with psychopathy. With each, there is a potential for others to be hurt. As
mentioned above, narcissism is an ego defense, while psychopathy is a character
defense. Moreover, The narcissistic position is against feeling (and via that against
reality.) The psychopathic position is against others. The two can co-exist of course
but each can exist by itself in a person.
It should be mentioned that almost all psychotherapists chose that profession
because they are consciously trying to overcome (or subconsciously trying to undo) a
narcissistic injury. Three results of this can be a real slowness in recognizing
narcissism, difficulty confronting it, and a tendency to act narcissistically toward
clients.
As for clients, the more pathological narcissists will rarely undergo therapy, but when
they do they view it merely as an opportunity to pick up a few tricks to control the
responses of others. Where narcissism is milder, the seemingly adaptive stance of
offering oneself up to be tweaked or perfected is still the problem and not the
solution. The task is not to become perfect but to become real, and allow
others to see oneself as such.
Where the developmental conditions of narcissism are present but ego strength and
aggression is less, an incomplete condition, referred to and described by Stephen
Johnson as the symbiotic character, and by Lowen (and many psychoanalytic
writers) as the 'borderline personality' seems to arise. More factors are involved in
the formation of the symbiotic character than just a narcissistic injury and
compensatory striving. However, due to an insufficient felt sense of self the symbiotic
gets a sense of identity only by merging with others. This leads to confusion about
boundaries and confusion about who is responsible for what. There is a danger or
tendency to take on the affects, thoughts and beliefs of others, but this is never a
stable situation. The blurring in the boundaries between self and others tends to lead
to two solutions: 1) externalizing all responsibility onto others. This solution
may have to do with 'less ego strength'. It leads to frequent conflict and perhaps the

label 'lower functioning' symbiotic (or borderline in the public mental health sense).
2) internalizing all responsibility onto the self. This may have to do with
relatively more ego strength. As ego strength varies from situation to situation, the
two solutions may alternate, providing an erratic presentation. While the 'successful'
narcissist shifts the basis of identity from self to image, the symbiotic disavows the
self but seeks others to project and instill images in them. It is common for a
narcissist and and a symbiotic to form an enmeshed relationship--this is the apex
challenge of couples' therapy.
On a cultural level, narcissism is evidenced by a loss of human values. The feeling
based values of dignity, integrity, and self-respect become replaced by
the ego values of power, performing, and productivity. What is valued is not
that which is human but what is superhuman or unusual. Success has become more
important than good-feeling. A human 'given' is the need to feel some potential or
promise in oneself (and this is part of humility). Quite tragically, with narcissism,
the urge is always to be complete or finished. The more severe the narcissism, the
harder it is to answer the question, "What are your hopes and dreams?" Hence there
is always tension with any long term formation process, or any formation process
which entails a great deal of correction from someone else. Compiling knowledge is
usually not much of a problem, but psycho-motor or sensori-motor skills often are.
Real creativity is undermined.
Alexander Lowen made the point that in Victorian times, behavior was strictly
controlled while strong feeling was idealized. This led to hysteria in the Freudian
sense in which feeling forced toward a different outlet than direct action. But in
modern times, Lowen asserted, behavior is much freer but feeling is often removed
from it. This leads to narcissism. In the present day, hysterical disorders are rare, but
narcissistic disorders are commonplace. Perhaps civilization has a hard time
permitting high feeling and free behavior at the same time. This is perhaps
sometimes a draw toward those fundamentalist communities that exist today-behavior is restricted but feeling, including sexual feeling, can be quite high.
From the foregoing we can discuss five patterns of narcissism, which I term narrow
narcissism, 'adhesive' narcissism, broad narcissism, powerlessness, and victim-role.
Narrow (or exhibitionist) narcissism is what, in lay terms, is usually meant by
the term narcissism. Sometimes the phrase 'pathological' narcissism is used. Feeling
is so blocked and ignored that there is a decided lack of empathy. Yet self-interest is
very active leading a tendency to exploit and use others. In this setting, self-images
tend to be grandiose, and due to impairment in reality testing, the person believes
they are the image. Others will be coerced or seduced in various ways to make them
affirm the image. Along with the belief that one is great is the belief that being great
should be easy, so there is an intolerance of learning and struggle.A narrow
narcissist has an internal locus of control but externalizes
responsibility. Stated another way, he or she internalizes credit and externalize
blame. This combination dominates relationships. There will be entitlement, which is

an expectation of favorable treatment that is divorced from what is happening in the

relationship or with the other person. A frequent format for entitlement is the
victim. The narrow narcissist will not style him- or herself a helpless victim, rather he
or she will imply that they are victimized by the incompetence or malfeasance of
others. Real accomplishment is sparse although the illusion of accomplishment is
strong among casual observers. There will be an intolerance for criticism--not just a
dislike or defensiveness about the content of the criticism, which is very common
among all people--but rather the act of criticizing them is seen as an intolerable
offense. Actually, moderately poor reality testing, coupled with robust aggression, in
a complicated culture can be an asset, because narrow narcissists can act contrary to
circumstances, which is inspiring to others and sometimes, the group 'pushes
through' to actual unexpected accomplishment, for which the narcissist takes the
credit. Failures, on the other hand, are shrugged off and the cleanup is left
for others. As mentioned above, the character of the inspirer is closely aligned
(but not identical) with narrow narcissism.
Broad (or closet) narcissism is the disorder of our age. This affects most modern
people and is now not only not outside social norms but is actually encouraged by
social norms. Grandiosity is always detectable if one is not confused by the
low self-esteemIn this setting feeling is limited but not completely blocked. It leads
often to a vague feeling of not being enough. Everything is about performance,
and in fact everything is about the last performance. Except, unlike narrow
narcissism, the person doesn't really believe he or she has yet become the image they
strive for. Also unlike the narrow narcissist, others are not coerced or seduced, rather
the broad narcissist works desperately to achieve the image 'honestly' but of course
this is unrealistic. Some manipulation and considerable pleasing of others will
happen. Life is organized around finding sets of expectations to live up to.
These expectations may be railed against as if they were foisted upon the broad
narcissist--the insight is often missing that these expectations are self imposed. The
broad narcissist is willing to work, which can lead to real accomplishment. Even with
external success, he or she often feels like an imposter. They can name but they
cannot feel the accomplishment. There is usually a conflict around receiving
recognition: recognition is sought out persistently but feels uncomfortable when
received. This obviously complicates relationships and puts others off. Broad
narcissists are very susceptible to suggestions of what they ought to do because they
seek acceptance. Considerable activity and actual good works are spurred by this, but
all to the naught as far as satisfaction goes. Broad narcissists often end up in
relationships with narrow narcissists because the narrow narcissist seems to have
exactly what the closet narcissist wants.
Adhesive Narcissism: This is sustained only with the help of a relationship.
Frequently it exists in a primary or romantic relationship, but it can also exist in a
parent-adult child relationship. Both partners have narcissistic injuries but one has
adapted with a false sense of self (narcissistic) while the other has had trouble
developing much of a solid sense of self (symbiotic condition) In a sense narrow

narcissism is similar in that a 'narcissistic supply' is constantly needed from others,

but in that pattern, the turnover of suppliers is fairly regular and painless to the
narrow narcissist. In adhesive narcissism strong symbiosis ensues and the
'supplying' partner cannot be disposed of without great upheaval. The adhesive
narcissist desires constant mirroring and idealization from the symbiotic partner,
while also projecting human limitations and problems onto him or her. The
symbiotic partner lives within the initiative and agenda of the narcissistic partner.
There is a shared belief that the narcissistic partner has the special ability to bring
both partners to a happy state. There is a strong shared belief that they are working
as a team toward shared life goals, but under the surface is a great deal of sabotage.
The symbiotic partner will start to become obsessed with the narcissist's
imperfections, and obsessed with getting him or her to 'own' them, but will be unable
to take initiative or unilateral action. The narcissist will both deflect criticism and
project problems back onto the symbiotic. These relationships tend to exclude other
people and influences, and more and more time is spent together even though the
time is strife-filled. Often a way is found for the partners to work closely together in a
business as well as live together. The enjoyment is low but the bonding is strong.
Ego-boundaries are blurred. If therapy is sought, there will be an insistence for
couples or family therapy rather than individual work. It is the relationship
makes it possible for a broad narcissist to function as a narrow one.
Powerlessness: This is a 'collapsed' or 'symptomatic' state of narcissism. .A
distinction must be made immediately between helplessness and powerlessness. A
person who is in a dire situation and cannot fix it her- or himself may need the
complete help and good will of others. This is helplessness, but it is not really a
common situation, however, in everyday life. More common is a situation in which
something is wanted from others, but not getting it should be survivable. In a mature
relationship, people influence each other, but the nature of that influence is always
uncertain. In narcissism, the relationship, that is, the tolerance and enjoyment of
uncertainty, is missing. Therefore narcissism leads to wanting to control the
responses of others. The stance of powerlessness comes from having,
simultaneously, enough reality testing to know that others' responses
can't be controlled, but also the compelling belief that one should be able
to control them. Powerlessness is demonstrated in sarcasm of others' responses,
harsh demands, entitlement, feelings of one's self being controlled, and complaints of
powerlessness. The problem is not the absence of this type of power, but the belief
one should have this type of effect. The desire for power stems from the desire never
to be humiliated again. However, like all compensatory mechanisms, the use of
power actually evokes the feeling of humiliation internally, and a vicious circle
ensues. The real antidote to humiliation is dignity not power. With the sense of
powerlessness, opportunities to cooperate, influence situations, or get help are often
ruined by a belligerence and resentment that turns others off. Powerlessness is like a
'decompensated' form of broad narcissism. Instead of being loyal to an image
of success, one is loyal to an image of failure.

Victim-Role Like powerlessness, this is a collapsed or decompensated form of

narcissism. This is a type of functioning in which the narcissist keeps others
involuntarily involved and pinned down by constantly returning the narrative to
injustice and injury. Because all people naturally respond to someone who has been
hurt by setting aside their own interests and point of view, this is a way of forcing
one-sided recognition. While presenting as a victim seems to be the opposite of
grandiose, the grandiosity is evident in the implied entitlement because normal
social friction or reasonable acts of self-interest by third parties will also be
complained about as injuries to the victim-narcissist. The narcissist demands
more than to be heard or acknowledged--they demand mergerwhere the
listener forgoes his or her own self. Occasionally episodic merger may be
appropriate and part of emotional intimacy. However, with the victim-narcissist
there is a demand, usually evident also in the tone of voice, that the listener merge
with his or her point-of-view. If the merger does not happen, the listener is labeled as
another victimizer and the victim-narcissist often breaks out.
To repeat, all narcissism comes from an early lack of recognition (which is
called a narcissistic injury and which is a specific type of rejection-- not all rejection
is a narcissistic injury). The person does not feel adequate in and of himself
or herself, and is always performing and exhibiting in an attempt to be
lovable. Attempting to obtain love of course is quite human. In narcissism, though,
there is an indirectness and often a deception. All indirect ways to get love are
includable in a very broad definition of narcissism.
The Role of the 'Hardbody' in Narcissism
In our time, a hardbody is an aesthetic ideal. In earlier times, a softer body was the
aesthetic ideal. Though this is thought to be a random change, it is not. It is due to
the rise of 'power' as an ideal. To use power successfully, it is often necessary to act
with disregard for feeling.
The connection between the ideal of the hardbody with narcissism is intuitive but it
can also be explained in functional terms. Narcissism, like the use of power, depends
on the suppression of emotion. Real emotion produces an impulse which is
translated to the muscles to prepare for movement. The person may or may not carry
out the movement but the readiness is there, in the supple but ready muscles. To
suppress emotion, the muscles are contracted against the feeling. Eventually this
becomes automatic.
Chronically tight muscles become hard. A person may have a large amount of body
fat but the muscles underneath may still be hard. In narcissism, however, a lean
appearance is usually part of the image because it represents control and self-control.
Muscles can be increased in size but still hard and contracted. The purpose of
exercise changes from feeling good to looking good (The endorphin high
during exercise is misleading in this regard--the belief arises that looking good in a

hardbody sense and feeling good are the same. Endorphins in the brain mask pain in
the body, that is their purpose.).
A lean hardbody is seen as someone that is powerful because they can act towards a
goal without interference from feeling. Women in general, have softer bodies, and in
general, are closer to feelings. However, since hardbodies are now associated with
success, both socially and in career, women understandably have become desirous of
hardbodies. It certainly is possible to be lean and healthy without being 'hard.' Both
yoga and pilates produce supple, ready muscles. This contrasts with aerobics and
weightlifting that produce hard muscles.

Characteristic Attitudes of the Creator (Schizoid)

The Creator is characterized by the dissociation of the ego from feeling and from the
body. Feelings may be expressed according to what one should feel in a given
situation, but there is no real spontaneity. What the person thinks seems to have
little connection to how the person feels or behaves. When feelings are asked about,
cognitions, general philosophical positions, and assessments of future prospects are
usually given as answers. For this reason it is often said of this character that there is
a dissociation between thought and feeling, and that is so. Almost more
importantly, there is a dissociation between perception and feeling. It is the
feeling that makes 'what happens' into an experience. The creator character can
describe what happened but not describe his or her experience. As a result, this
character often feels more like an observer of his or her own life rather than a
participant.
The link between desire and impulse is weak. This leaves the creator both short on
impulses, but also at a loss to understand his or her own desires. The will is used to
motivate action, which gives the behavior an "as if" quality. The will can be strong,
but it is used predominantly to withdraw from external reality and to freeze feelings
internally, so outward, assertive expressions have no energy and are weak and
scattered. Self-expression is mechanical and controlled. Aggression is expressed
through passive withdrawal, though explosions are a rare potential.
For a creator, existence seems tied to being separate or different from others. This
existence always seems tenuous, so involvement with others more than superficially
threatens existence. This can be called 'fear of engulfment.' Engulfment fears can
lead to the development of a 'secret self' which is not to disclosed to others and which
the Creator may consider her or his 'real' self.
Creators know the difference between idea and actuality, but seem to prefer idea to
actuality. Ideas are often not tested or implemented, almost as though ideas "are as
good as" actualities. The fear of engulfment makes actual accomplishment risky for
entanglement, and so accomplishment is often put off for a 'safe' future time that
never arrives. This is not a bluff covering an inability to accomplish so much as an
actual permanent postponement.
The creator is almost always in their mind. Mental faculties are usually highly
developed, frequently with a brilliant but abstract intellect. The mind is valued above
all else, and deduction, reasoning, calculating, and figuring things out logically are
the only modes of operating that are trusted. Gut feelings are usually unavailable and
not trusted when they are. Speech and writing can be very precise, partly because this
character does not trust the intention of others to understand. To this end language
can be highly developed but in the service of conveying ideas--not through the innate
love of words as in the Communicator character.

Creators often prize efficiency, utility, and frugality, which are cognitive or ego
values. Creators usually eschew comfort, taste, beauty which are sensual or body
goals. . Strategies of living oriented toward survival, such as rationing or saving are
particularly prized and provide both a purpose to living (because existence is never
taken for granted) and a mental pleasure. In fact, this style of life may be pursued
when material existence is actually quite secure, through self-deprivation and selfdenial. Often a philosophy develops that attempts to 'normalize' or glorify austerity
and pleasurelessness
Self-interest holds no interest for the creator. Others' pursuit of their selfinterest may be disparaged where it is recognized, but there is often a naivete or
blindspot about the role of self-interest in the actions of others.
Depersonalization is present to some extent. Sometimes the person will fail to
recognize him or herself in photos or mirror, or in the descriptions of others.
Sometimes extreme sports or situations, like un-roped rock climbing, are sought out
to 'force' strong feeling and contact with the body, and also perhaps to act out a
persistent 'hanging on to the edge of a cliff' feeling.
If they have an objective, creators are able to work long stretches without boredom
or without a break. They may actually work to the point of collapse without
recognizing tiredness. Creators work well without supervision, accomplish a lot,
and are often valued employees. They strongly avoid positions supervising others
however. Creators often do well dealing with things, technology, or information.
They may struggle dealing with people and social dilemmas. If involved in a team,
they usually like to have their part defined clearly.
Creator characters are often deemed to be passive. This relates to a need to look to
the outside for initiative in the absence of feeling. Creators are not passive in the
sense of being suggestible or often 'drug along" with a fad. In fact it is a strength of
the creator to see through or past mere enthusiasm. Creators are often the first to
that 'the emperor has no clothes.' However creators can be vulnerable to cults or
cultish undertakings. This is because having a purpose, style of life, structured
relationships, and plentiful tasks conveniently placed into one 'basket' can seem like
a dream come true. Moreover, most cults take a view of existence that is outside
place and time, which is familiar and understandable to most creators.
Creators avoid and control any feelings due to the subconscious presence of deepseated terror and intense rage, which leads to intense subconscious fears
of annihilation if feelings are expressed. This 'life and death' quality may later
become attached to any experiences of perceived rejection or failure. Crippling
anxiety, panic attacks and phobias often arise when feelings threaten to emerge into
consciousness.
Creators usually have a weak sense of self because of a lack of identification with
the body. Creators usually demonstrate hypersensitivity and hyperawareness to

threat or challenge because of weak ego boundaries. This correlates to the lack of
peripheral charge in the body, and is sometimes known as thin skin.
Because creators tend both not to be aware of their discomfort and not to
communicate discomfort straightforwardly, however, they may appear insensitive.
They may pride themselves on "not being easily upset." This hypersensitivity may
only be evident either through frequent withdrawal (ostensibly for logical,
impersonal, and external reasons) or through a pattern of under-achievement and
avoidance of challenges that involve other people.
Creators tend to intellectualize, philosophize, or spiritualize problems. Creators
may become interested in spiritual movements, but likelier the esoteric type and not
the social type. Creators are also spiritual in that they value ideas and intention
highly. However, in contrast to Communicators, they often have at least a strong
curiosity about results. This is the origin of 'creator'--this character often tries to
make a bridge between great ideas and the world. That is, they think about creating
in the world what is interesting or valuable in principle, but may have trouble taking
concrete steps to implement these ideas.
Both as readers and writers, Creators favor science fiction, or horror. Science
fiction is about ideas being purposefully implemented into the world. Horror is about
an omnipresent threat of annihilation that the protagonist senses but the other
characters do not.
Suspiciousness and distrust is usually present, but may be deep, and so it cannot be
felt or expressed, but is lived out over time, or shows up in a strong reluctance to get
involved more than superficially. There may also be projected rage, which is
experienced as living in a dangerous world. At times this may reach the level of
paranoia. Moreover, creators are very sensitive to the hostility in others, and less
sensitive to those things in others, such as good will, that make acting on the hostility
very unlikely. This can increase isolation.
Creators may have trouble both understanding and using social cues, and
recognizing faces, facial expressions, signs of mild distress in others, or non-verbal
subtleties. This arises from the estrangement from the body and from body feeling.
The social awkwardness that results has in recent years been popularly melded into
the increasingly popular construct of Asperger's Syndrome, which merits a
discussion of its own: Page on Asperger's Syndrome
Schizophrenia: It is with the creator or schizoid character that schizophrenia
occurs, however only a very small potion of creator characters develop schizophrenia.
There is clearly a qualitative difference between schizophrenia, and the creator or
schizoid condition, and so it is not adequate or satisfying to think of schizophrenia as
merely an intensification of the schizoid condition. In Character
Analysis, Wilhelm Reich illustrated many of his ideas through the description of
his work with a schizophrenic woman, but he did not describe what made for the
presence of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia emerges mostly at puberty or at

'launching'. It has been suggested strong ego strength prevents the development of
schizophrenia. R.D. Laing, who was sympathetic to Reichian ideas, proposed that
the schizoid condition arises from a basic split between a a minimal public self and a
private (real) self. Schizophrenia occurs, Laing believed when the private self split
again (secondary split) due to starvation of real contact. Just as a person with two
watches never really knows what time it is, a person with two selves never really
knows who or where he or she is, or with whom he or she is. Creators can be subject
to dissociation, depersonalization and fugue states.
Main psychological defenses: denial, projection, introjection, splitting,
disintegration, withdrawal, fragmentation, compartmentalization and
intellectualization.
Predominant negative core beliefs: I should not exist. There is something
essentially wrong with me. I am my mind. I think therefore I am." Life is
threatening to my life. I will survive by deadening myself. I must control my
feelings and others with my mind. If I feel, I will disintegrate. My rage will
annihilate others and me. The world is a dangerous place.
Characteristic Illusion: "I'll survive if I use my understanding to eliminate
needing."
Primary falling fear: falling apart
Primary holding pattern: holding together
Primary longing: for acceptance
Primary Struggle: the right to exist on a material plane
Illusion of Contraction: "My life is my mind, my thought, and my specialness. I
can live through them."
Illusion of Release: "I will be annihilated"
The Creator Character in Relationship
Creators often live alone for long periods. For this reason, others might conclude that
they do not want intimate relationships. However this is rarely true. Creators simply
have little idea how to initiate relationships. Moreover, desire and impulse are split.
Creators usually require the initiative to come from the other person to enter into a
relationship. This limits opportunities, more for males than females. For this reason,
even a poor relationship that does get started somehow is highly valued. Creators are
usually unable to end a relationship without a strong compelling logical external
reason--suffering from the relationship is not enough. Within a primary
relationship, creators create a void into which the partner usually becomes
dominant whether that is the partner's main tendency or not.
However, creators mitigate submissiveness with withdrawal and detachment.

Once in a relationship, creators will try to bond through the exchange of ideas and
'parallel play' (for instance two people reading different books but in the same room).
A deep fear in relationship for creators is being engulfed by the other. In a
sense, creators tend to make others into ideas and relate to these ideas rather than
the people. Overall there is a tendency to substitute non-human objects for human
objects.
Overall, creators tend to relate by 'being of use' to others or to abstract causes. That
is, with diminished impulses, there is a tendency to fulfill the expectations of others,
which become a purpose for living. Even though there may be considerable judgment
and selection about what or whose expectations to fulfill, in the long run, sheer lack
of 'selfishness' can lead to being exploited, even in good organizations and with good
people. This may appear similar to the 'social masochism' of
the consolidator character, but it is not done to gain the love of the other, but to
have a reason to live and function.
Sexuality
Because of deadened feeling in the body, creators may engage in sex to feel alive.
This may lead to promiscuousness or a large volume of sexual activity, and partners
may be chosen mechanically, as in a club, or chosen more on availability than
attraction. Alternately, creators may not have any sexual relationships, because the
impulse (not the same as desire) is weak, or the way of initiating relationships is
mysterious to them. In a monogamous relationship, sex may be frequent, but will
represent a weak release and may seem mechanical.
Physical Characteristics
The head often does not seem at ease with the body, often it is held at an angle. The
face is masklike. Sometimes there is myopia, as with the communicator character,
and the eyes appear pale and weak. Sometimes there is 'vision-sparing', but where
this occurs, the eyes are especially vacant and unalive, and do not make contact. This
'expressionlessness' is exactly that, nothing is coming out of the eyes, though the eyes
are taking in. Commonly also the eyelids are tense and retracted in a permanent look
of horror. The scalp tends to be tight. The skin is pale and there is usually little body
hair.

Usually, the body is narrowed side to side, and contracted. The arms
hang like appendages rather than extensions of the body. The arm movements may
look like a windmill because the scapulae (shoulder blades) stay fixed. The feet are
contracted and cold. The hips are very tight, and as a result, the feet are set wide
apart, 'splayed' into a 'v' stance,. The ankles are very tight and the metatarsal arch is
very weak Often the feet are inverted (collapsed arch) or everted (a compensation for
a collapsed arch.)
The main tension areas are the base of the skull, the shoulder joints, the leg joints,
the pelvic joints, and the diaphragm. The diaphragm tightness can be so severe in
this character that it splits the body in two. It can also result in a depressed sternum.
and flared out lower ribs. The diaphragm is dome shaped with the edges attached to
the lower ribs. Ideally when the diaphragm contracts, the lower ribs expand out but
also stay within their segment. This allows for the center of the diaphragm to pull
itself down and create a vacuum in the chest. If the diaphragm is tight however, the
center will not move, and the edges will instead be pulled up. Eventually these ribs
stay fixed in an up and flared out position and the diaphragm cannot move itself.
Also the flared ribs act like a lever prying the sternum back into a depressed position.
Respiration becomes paradoxical; that is, the abdomen is sucked up on inhalation,
and subsides down on exhalation. This requires most of the breathing to occur high
in the chest, using accessory mechanisms that are inefficient and that leave the
feeling of fear.

Muscular spasticity is mainly in the small muscles that surround the

joints ('intrinsics'), therefore there may be either a hyperflexibility or an inflexibility.
'Tone-deafness' is common with hearing. The voice is usually soft and unenergized,
but on occasion it may be "larger-than-life" and seem almost not to come from within
the person.
The sensory apparatus has an uneasy relationship with the environment. In general
senses are adequate to determine the bare facts of a situation, especially survival
aspects, but fine detail or sensual qualities are not taken in. There may be a
hypersensitivity, especially with touch. Eye contact is difficult, not only with the eyes
of others, but with any intense visual stimulus. Sometimes an intense perceptual
stimulus is sought out to penetrate deadness of feeling, but the stimulus is not
relaxing or pleasureable, and the person seems to 'fling' him- or herself toward
it. Creators may be found living and working in sensory impoverished
environments. Creative projects tend to organized around a ideational theme rather
than the effect the work may have on the senses of others.
The two pictures on the left are of the late chess champion Bobby Fischer. The upper
picture is unusual in that it shows movement, which is perhaps the most
'characteristic' aspect of the creator body. Note the narrow body, the unbending
knee of the right leg, and the windmilling of the arms. In the more characteristic
picture below it, notice the head cocked to the side, and the faraway look in the eyes.
Energy Characteristics
Respiration is markedly decreased. Paradoxical respiration is sometimes seen in
which the diaphragm actually rises during inspiration. Energy is reduced overall and
largely held in the core. Stuart Black, writing in the Core Energetics tradition, states
that with this character energy leaks out of the joints. There is little energy
accumulated at the surface. The person often will not sense their tiredness, and be
able to work "like a machine" right up to a point of collapse. Energy is withdrawn
from points of contact with the world: hands, feet, eyes. There can be a sense of
dense, explosive energy in the core, but it is not available for creative activities. The
apparent energy density comes from compression, overall this is a low-energy
character.

Origins of the Creator Character (Prenatal to Six Months)

Perinatal medical complications, or serious illness in the first year of life may have a
strong contribution to this character. Possibly, there is an early, even
prenatal, unconscious rejection by the mother which the infant experienced as a
threat to his or her existence. This rejection may only be evident to very discerning
observers because on a mechanical level the mothering is adequate. But at times the
rejection is accompanied by covert or even overt hostility. The rejection and hostility
creates a fear that reaching out, demanding, or self-assertion will result in
annihilation. The child will usually develop a habit of withdrawal and learn to avoid
notice. Often an intense fantasy life develops. There usually are not close
relationships with other children. Play is usually solitary and the social aspects of
play may not be understood. The child may develop a precocious interest in and
mastery of adult matters from an informational or factual standpoint. Childhood
history may include: frequent nightmares or sleep disturbances, withdrawn behavior
with occasional outbursts of rage, autism, pervasive fears, preference for fantasy over
reality, psychosomatic illnesses, head-banging or self-mutilation, or school phobia.
Possible Difficulties for the Creator Character
Because of the dissociation between ideas and feeling. the 'talking cure' which
involves affecting a person via the 'verbal intimacy' of personal topics is the least
likely to be effective for this character. More beneficial is a bodywork approach, and
coaching to increase sensory experience.

Partner complains of a lack of emotional investment in the relationship

Lack of advancement in work despite expertise and conscientiousness

Tendency to withdraw, literally or figuratively from conflict, opportunities, or

excitement.

Deep exhaustion

Pleasurelessness, meaninglessness, desperation

The Concept of 'Asperger's Syndrome in the Reich and Lowen

Continuum

The concept of Asperger's Syndrome has recently become very popular, because it
helps organize the experience of many people who are trying to understand a pattern
of interactional difficulty. In a sense, Asperger's Syndrome is a popular attempt at
defining a character. Remember that syndrome, as a medical term, is reserved for
groups of signs, the real relationship to each other is not understood.
In the diagnostic arena of mainstream psychiatry, Asperger's Syndrome has a
difficult time finding a settled place. This is often a problem with the purely
descriptive approach--it often seems that just a part of human functioning is being
labeled, or that several different things are being group together solely according to
their disruptive commonalities. In the psychiatric literature, the construct of
Asperger's does seem to be a mix of some aspects of autism, some aspects of the
schizoid condition, some prodromal signs of schizophrenia, and some aspects of
maleness.
However, in the counseling and layperson arena, a slight loosening of the criteria has
allowed the concept of Asperger's Syndrome to really taken hold, and this should not
be ignored. There is no question that this construct, even as popularly rendered,
represents a very real, fairly discrete syndrome of interpersonal difficulty that is
readily confirmed by everyday observation. Here is a link to a longer article on the
mind-body approach to the concept of Asperger's (pdf).
My opinion is that Asperger's Syndrome has four elements: 1) a subject with
awareness of sensation, feeling and emotion decreased below a threshold that causes
a persistent disruptive breakdown of communication with others that take
perception of sensation, feeling and emotion for granted, 2) a tendency to try to 'fit'
into life by understanding everything as a 'lawful' system. This may be accentuated
by the first element, or by the basic nature of the 'male' mind, 3) a positive feedback
escalation of the conflict (ie hostility, increased avoidance, outbursts.) due to an
inability to repair the rift or recognize it's nature (that is, rules and principles are
searched for where there are none) and, 3) some narrow 'obsessional' behavior that
naturally expands in the environment of low sensation, feeling, and emotion that
may seem bizarre to others that are differently constituted. If the first two elements
are present but mild, the second two elements may not ensue, and this is
called alexithymia.
In the Reich and Lowen tradition, the mechanism (some would say origin) of the
decreased feeling is muscle tension, especially in the smaller muscles around the
joints. That is, the basis is neuromuscular. That also explains the two noninteractional characteristics found in Asperger's Syndrome: clumsiness, and
hypersensitivity to a sensory stimulus. Males have greater muscle mass, and this is

one more possible reason they are more subject to this phenomenon. Also a brain
developing in the presence of testosterone is also likely a factor. It has been said that
Asperger's reflects the extreme male brain (systematizing valued over empathy) but I
think it represents the systemitizing male brain with both low aggression and low
feeling.
I believe there are two main reasons that Asperger's has been accepted by the public
in a way that other formulations of character have not. First, it concentrates
on surface life. Now by that I do not mean it is superficial, but rather it occurs in the
arena of contact between people. In Alexander's Lowen's typology, the emphasis is on
the core or deep phenomena. Second, Asperger's Syndrome as a construct is
organized around the point of view of the non-Asperger's person. In
saying this I in no way imply bias or inaccuracy-- the construct can be a valuable
mirror. Asperger's seems a very much more manageable idea or 'problem'
In sum, Asperger's seems to describe a male creator (or possibly communicator)
character, perhaps with some drivenness, as seen by others. The benefit of a parallel
body of understanding of the creator character is a very enriched and nuanced
second body of observation and systemization that aids recognition. It is simply fact
that once something is named it seems more manageable.
An immediate humanitarian benefit is also that the understanding becomes
widespread that the frequent interpersonal misunderstandings and
frictions are not based on ill will and punishable, but rather are neuromuscular in origin, and therefore not morally culpable.
It will be no surprise to the reader of this website that I believe the solution
is bodywork and character analysis to increase drive and aggression. This of course
is a long and arduous journey with no certainty of result. The mainstream suggestion
is teaching 'social rules' cognitively. This makes great sense for children who suffer
greatly in school and can use any partial help to avoid humiliation. But for an adult
this is essentially useless, because he (or perhaps she) has been trying to formulate
rules his whole life!. The truth is that while social interactions have some
generalities, there are no real rules. Each situation is slightly different, with
small discriminative cues that must be felt. Some people are really good at this, and
others passable, but below a certain level there is unfortunately real trouble. Some of
the biggest faux pas in this Syndrome get committed because some one is applying a
rule. An emphasis on rules just takes one away from nascent feelings, it is
dissociative-- a compensatory maneuver that helps perpetuate the very state it is
meant to address.

Characteristic Attitudes of the Communicator (Oral)

The communicator or oral character is so named because it possesses many traits

typical of the oral period of life, that is infancy, especially the period from 6-18
months. It should stated at the outset, that what psychodynamic psychology calls oral
needs are so critical that all character structures have developed indirect ways of
getting them met (seductions). Trying to satisfy oral needs indirectly does not by
itself define an oral character. It is the energy structure, and the attitudes that protect
the energy structure, that define character for this structure and others.
In 1959 Lowen stated that the communicator or oral character was not the most
common character. However 50 years later in the United States it seems that the oral
structure is the most common, and that the culture is largely 'comunicatorsyntonic.' Possibly this is due to at least two reasons. One, despite some resurgence
of breast feeding initially, the trend is to stop after a few months. While this briefer
window may benefit the baby nutritionally, it is possibly almost as devastating
emotionally to be weaned early. Second, in our complex achievement oriented
culture, there is great interest in children being precocious and 'enriched.' This hurry
may produce an informational sophistication in the children, but it limits emotional
and physical security.
The Communicator operates with a inner feeling of needing to be held, supported,
and taken care of, but these feelings are usually consciously denied and a reaction
formation espousing independence and responsibility is strongly in place. This can
lead to an exaggerated show of independence which does not hold up under stress.
Internally there is a weak sense of independence and a denied tendency to cling to
others. The underlying experience is being on the verge of deprivation and
abandonment, and independence is feared as it will occasion complete
abandonment. Deep crying and reaching out are suppressed, though a lot of
superficial bitter crying and may be manifested. Emotion is usually easily provoked
but cannot be sustained very long.
With the communicator character, the concept of compensated is very
important. This character often lives according to the will, and when the will is
active, the person may seem full of energy (but this is activity not energy) and may
seem well adapted to the demands of work, family and intimacy. This presentation is
called compensated. At other times, when the will is collapsed, the person may show
depression, dependency, and lack of direction. For this reason,
the Communicator character may seem to cover a broad spectrum, however,
essential functioning is the same.
Environments that are unfavorable are not really accepted. The complaints of
the communicator tend to be about the environment (the way the world is). What
is unwanted is deemed wrong, inappropropriate, and illegitimate, or differently (even

without evidence to this effect) it is deemed about to change or improve. As a result,

the communicator does not realistically participate in many arenas of life (ie sex,
business, sports, public safety, higher level public administration.) In the personal
narrative, there is often the theme of an early 'lost paradise' with an unstated goal to
re-attain it.
Communicators are deeply concerned with justice and fairness. He or she deeply
resents the inequity of the social system. Communicatorsoften enter the helping
professions-- teaching, social work, psychology, and nursing. This allows the the
desire for nurture to be acted out and at the same time denied. Anti-establishment
views often stem from subconscious anger directed at parental figures that are
deemed unfair and ungenerous. Large abstract global causes may be championed,
with no real demands on the ego, but smaller specific injustices to specific known
people closer to home may be unopposed because the ego strength is not present for
an actual fight. They often champion the cause of under-dogs and minorities,
idealizing those with little power. This comes from the feeling of having been
deprived and cheated, which is repressed and projected onto others. It is sometimes
said that Communicators dislike the people they know, and like the people they
don't know
Communicators are usually spiritual in the partial sense that intentions, images,
goals and sentiments are considered 'better' than results, physical sensation,
pleasure, and actions. Like Plato, the communicator considers the immaterial
superior to the material. This stems from a lack of feeling for and security in the
body. Art, especially literature or poetry, are often pursued. This can be out of
feeling, but also out of a sense of superiority. Also the arts, being entirely subjective,
avoids comparison with the results of others.
The inclination of the communicator is to find out 'the right thing to do' and do it.
Therefore the communicator is capable of greatly moral or pro-social acts. But
implementing good ideas may be difficult. There is a tendency
for communicators to focus intensely on their intentions and plans, past and
present, and treat results as fairly inconsequential or the responsibility of others.
Ideas are untested in the world, and while that idealism may sometimes bear fruit,
often naive and unrealistic positions remain. The 'way things should be' is much
more important than 'the way things almost always are.' This can lead
the communicator to be at odds with instinctual tendencies in others and society
that prevent 'things from being the way they should be'.
He or she may be deeply hurt if someone insists on talking about what actually
happened or what is actually happening, if it does not fit the communicator's selfimage. It is as though the communicator, having been made prematurely responsible
for results, retains a strain of magical thinking about results. To have intended is
believed to be the same as to have done, or even better. Because of this, there may be
a great difference between how communicators see themselves and how others see
them.

Aggressiveness is low. Fantasies of aggression don't count. Negativity and a critical

attitude don't count. Aggression is movement toward a constructive goal in the face
of some resistance. Mentally, there are strong intuitive and intellectual capacities,
but creative ideas are not charged or put into action. A difficulty reaching, literally
and figuratively, is seen. Since a spiritual attitude and aggression are antithetical to
some extent, the low aggression may provide the opportunity for greater spirituality.
Low aggression also seems related to low satisfaction. There is a reluctance to
accept the necessity of struggle in life, and so present struggles are experienced as
victimization.
Communicators usually eschew physical activity and sports, especially ones that
require explosive or graceful movement. They may take up endurance sports such as
marathoning, triathlons, or bicycling in which the the will drives the body and coordination is not essential. Likewise communicators often try to use will and
intellect to 'overcome the body'. Self-depriving behaviors, like poverty or selfstarvation, may be acted out, in part to punish the body, or prove its unimportance.
Communicators are often intellectuals, and they love words and talking. He or she
generally reads a lot and can state their case well. Words are often loved for
themselves apart from the function of expressing ideas. Talking is the way
communicators try to connect to others, and 'long talks' with others are highly
prized. Communicators often are bad listeners, however, because their 'ear' is tuned
to hear how other people's statements fit into their point of view, or fit into 'the way
things should be'.
Attention seeking behaviors are usually present. Often this is through voluble talking,
, music making, helplessness, clowning or humor. Sometimes the attention seeking is
partly disguised as social activism or helping others. The interest in the cause or task
can be quickly lost if the attention wanes. Communicators do not want to be
forgotten or overlooked.
For this character, getting his or her point of view across can take on survival
significance and also become a substitute for action, perhaps because the
communicator unknowingly expects other people (ie parental figures, more powerful
people, etc) to take the action for them. Communicators often speak in terms of
right and wrong, should's and shouldn't's. Rules are seen as very important. This is
because this character doesn't believe that direct requests or expressing wants on
their own behalf will be effective or well-received.
Work may pose a stressful situation. Communicators are very sensitive to any
unfair treatment, and may feel misused in any authority structure. Also at work the
coping mechanism of complaining may not be available or may lead to further
trouble. The suppressed inner feeling of deprivation engenders an unconscious belief
that the world owes them a living. This doesn't lead to laziness, since this character is
never lazy, but over time it will evince a hard-to-pinpoint air of entitlement that
others may come to resent. Communicators are often happier in non-profits,

government, academia, and education where competition is not a factor, and where
employee rights are well established.
In the communicator, emotional needs are frequently denied mentally but still
strongly felt, creating an inner emotional climate of grief, despair and bitterness,
which colors their interactions. Lowen employed the metaphor of the apple that is
picked too early and cannot ripen. Communicators frequently single out the
frustrating actions of others while overlooking or holding inconsequential the
gratifying actions of the same people.
This character is prone to depression. Lowen considered depression pathognomic for
this character. One explanation (psychodynamic) is that deep rage at unmet needs is
turned against the self. Another explanation (bioenergetic) is that will based,
essentially pleasureless living results in an energetic exhaustion. Alternate periods of
elation are also often seen. During elation, a sense of purpose is provided by a
'salvific' idea or goal. Depression usually follows a period of increased activity and
apparent well-being. Stated differently, illusion leads to an active phase, and the
inevitable disillusionment leads to collapse and depression.
Communicators can be very influenced in a way by the dominant values of their
environment, because they attempt to live from the surface, or learned layer. While
ideas expressed are often idealizing the under-dog, a wide variety of ideologies, even
character-dystonic, may be taken up. This is possible because there can be a
discrepancy between the ideas that are communicated, and how the person actually
carries on. What is most characteristically oral is the energy structure and the
behavior in relationships.
Dependency conflicts may manifest in addictions (in an effort to substitute for
genuine sustenance). Continuous smoking, eating, drinking, talking (often fast), may
be present. The communicator may have trouble biting or swallowing easily,
however. Digestive functions are often affected. There may be a preference for soft or
bland or slightly sweet foods--'comfort foods'. Crohn's disease or irritable bowel
syndrome are not uncommon.
Healing from injuries or illness is usually slow. Often chronic illnesses accumulate.
The sick role may become an acceptable way to act out dependency and hostility, and
the lifestyle may become structured around medical care.
At times it is difficult to distinguish a creator (schizoid) character from
a communicator (oral) character. The two structures often have a tightly
controlled appearance, a strong eye block, paleness, self-depriving habits,
intellectualism, and low aggression. One distinguishing behavioral aspect can be the
manner of complaining. Creators often complain "as if," that is, they can describe
injustices, but there is a detachment. Communicators, on the other hand, are clearly
bitter, even whiny, and seem strongly attached to their complaints. Creators tend to
impersonate a role, and the most compatible role is that of oral

critic. Creators often will spontaneously talk themselves out of complaints and
almost seem relieved if their complaints are challenged. Communicators usually feel
more deeply aggrieved if complaints are challenged without a strong relationship in
place.
Predominant Negative Core Beliefs: I must not need. If I need, I will be
abandoned. I am alone. No one will ever be there for me. If I connect with
another, I will lose myself. If I am independent, I must be alone. I cannot stand
on my own two feet. I must give to others in order to get. The needs of others will
devour or suffocate me. There is not enough. The world is a depriving place.
Characteristic Illusion: "If I give up my independence, I'll survive and be loved."
Primary falling fear: falling behind
Primary holding pattern: holding on
Primary longing: for independence
Primary Struggle: the right to need.
Illusion of Contraction: I am not needy. I am giving and needed
Illusion of Release: I will be abandoned and helpless
The Oral Character in Relationships
Trying to get love and support is the predominant motivation in relationships. The
intense fear of abandonment and loss of love, combined with an equal fear of losing
oneself in love, creates an ambivalent attitude towards surrendering to feelings.
Separation anxiety can be very strong, and communicators can hold on strongly to
unsatisfying situations, albeit with a great deal of complaining.
Often security in a relationship is attempted through insistent care-giving that is
experienced by the recipient as intrusive, controlling and demanding. Frequently,
communicators project their own needs and desires onto the recipient, and overlook
the wishes the recipient is actually expressing. What the communicator believes is
the giving of love is often experienced by others as a demand for love. For instance,
the communicator will promise a lot and believe they are delivering it (intention)
but recipients will experience that the communicator seems, for one plausible reason
or another not to follow through (results ). The communicator goes on to place many
requests which they feel entitled to as reciprocation..
Another way of obtaining support is through a helpless, deprived presentation of the
self. The need for rescue is acted out, if rescue is not directly requested. Since
ineffectiveness is the key to avoiding abandonment, the collapsed communicator is
never able to make it without help. Would be rescuers grow resentful.

Still another way of gaining support is by direct, self-righteous demanding. The

communicator may recite many injustices and demand someone does something
about it. The alienating effects on others of these behaviors will seem to reinforce the
experience of early abandonment, causing the person to give up on relationships at
times.
There is a genuine capacity to express love, but relationships often very romanticized
by the mind to an unattainable height, or easily given up. Relationships will go back
and forth between intense, totally lost-in-love involvement to sudden and absolute
endings as the symbiotic struggle is acted out (wanting to merge with the allpowerful, giving parent versus wanting to separate from her and individuate).
Relationships are frequently sought out with people who are extremely needy (Ill
take care of you as the needy me that Im not.)
Love is related to as both a long-awaited reward and as potentially suffocating or
devouring. Surrendering to the love feelings for another brings up intense fears of
abandonment and falling behind, losing oneself, and being left alone. It is very
difficult to establish a stable relationship, despite conscious efforts to do just that,
because the communicator is either denying needs or presenting needs that are so
great they are unmeetable. In either case, it is not possible to establish easy,
reciprocal, 'good enough' caregiving.
Sexuality
Sexual interactions may be used to avoid abandonment and loneliness and for some
sense of belongingness. Slow tender movements are preferred to more strong
passionate ones. Sexual activities may be used for oral gratification (downward
displacement) Orgasms may be frequent and easy but not particularly charged or
strong in women, and men may not have full erections or they may ejaculate easily
and prematurely without much charge. Being held or cuddled (oral need) is often
more desired than actual sex (genital need). There often is a desire to extend sexual
activities because oral gratification is fulfilled linearly over time, unlike more genital
activities in which a more explosive charge-discharge pattern is relevant.
Structural Characteristics

The body is generally child-like or 'young' in appearance. There may be very little
body hair. Often, linear growth is accentuated, resulting in a long lean body.
Sometimes, however, especially with women, there may be a very small body. A lack
of energy and strength is noticeable throughout the body but especially in the legs.
Posture is often one of tiredness and collapse. The neck is often long and reaching
forward (looking for nourishment and nurture). Overall movement appears
awkward.
Lips are often thin (holding against reaching out), jaw is clenched (against rage) and
there are frequent dental problems or other physical problems around the mouth and
throat. The chin may be pulled in (against swallowing) or jutting out (determined not
to need). Eyes are often myopic and/or have a longing, pleading look. Hair on the
head is usually very fine. There is often little body hair. Women will tend to cut hair
short, especially once in an established relationship. Occasionally it may be grown to
the waist. Men may grow hair long.
The chest is collapsed, the sternum is depressed and the diaphragm is tight, all of
which contributes to shallow breathing. Breasts in women tend to be either very large
(pillowy) or very small (collapsed). The shoulders are rolled forward, with tension
between the shoulder blades. Holding arms out does not happen spontaneously and
when cued, cannot be sustained. The lumbar lordosis is exaggerated and chronic
lower back problems are common
Hands, feet and pelvis (points of contact with the world) are immature-looking,
undercharged and often very small. The bottom of the pelvis is cocked backwards,

which exaggerates the lordosis in the lumbar spine. The arches in feet may be fallen.
The knees usually are locked (hyperextended) predisposing them to injury. The feet
and legs are not experienced as offering good support.
Body overall is often in pain, with frequent injuries or illnesses (lower back, knees,
respiratory) that take a long time to heal

Energy Characteristics
The communicator may appear energetic because he or she is driven by the belief
that they must do something to be acceptable or lovable. This can lead to starting
many things, but it will be difficult to sustain effort, or sustain effort against
resistance. Communicators have many ideas and a lot to communicate verbally,
and this too may give the appearance of energy. However, energy is more a matter of
readiness and ease than of frenetic activity. The communicator's lower energy is
often seen when a substantial physical task is undertaken-- a communicator will
often stop fairly quickly for some ostensible reason, or characterize the task as
unreasonable. It is not that the communicator could not physically complete it, but
rather he or she perceives the task as too much. This contrasts with
the creator character who is also a low energy character, but one in which
sensitivity to the body is so blocked that he or she may persist mechanically a in a
task until exhaustion sets in.
The Origins of the Oral Character
(Developmental Period Three to Eighteen Months )
Development procedes in an infant from the head to the feet. Developing strongly
into the feet requires a feeling of security. The communicator character arises
when the parents are unable to provide the child with that feeling of security. It is
sometimes said that a communicator was not supported enough, but that statement
alone may unfairly color the parenting as neglectful. With this character, it is the case
that the child received some warmth and acceptance. A child that is really unwanted,
either consciously or unconsciously, is likelier to develop as a creator.
Sometimes the parenting of a communicator may be neglectful or inconsistently.
For instance the child may be left alone for long periods, and or cries are not heard or
answered. This could arise from a mother that is battling illness, has an abusive
partner, has many children or responsibilities, is prematurely taken away, needing to
go to work, another pregnancy, depression, illness or death, or mothers own oral
issues, for instance lack of energy, substance abuse, or emotional dependency.
However, sometimes the parenting is very ample in quantity, including a lot of
attention, a lot of toys and lessons and opportunities. Children are more affected by
how parents feel than what parents do. If parents feel insecure, they may try very

hard to provide the things to their children that they did not get. Unfortunately, the
feeling of insecurity seems to get transmitted directly from the parent's vegetative
system to the child's vegetative system.
Also, a very subtle unconscious desire to be done with the burdens of children can
manifest itself in a parents interest in the child's precocity and premature
independence (walking or talking early, or knowing where things are, etc). Ostensibly
this is for the child's benefit, but subconsciously it is due to the parents' resentment
at giving up their own chance at fulfilling oral needs. The parent may also project her
or his oral needs onto the child and give what the parent wants rather than what the
child wants.
Pushing children to be precocious can also come from a parent attempting to fulfill
her or his own narcissistic needs through the child. Precocity almost never leads to
ultimate giftedness, but it is one thing that a parent believes they can do to bring love
and attention to themselves and the child.
Childhood history may include: very early accomplishment of developmental tasks
(walking, talking, toilet training, getting dressed and other self-care tasks, reading,
writing, etc.), disturbances around eating, intense separation anxiety (i.e. - refusal to
go to school, unable to sleep over someone elses house or be with a babysitter),
frequent illnesses or injuries, collecting, clinging and holding onto objects
excessively, thumb-sucking well into later childhood, romanticized relationships with
teachers or others adults, wishing to be adopted by them.
Possible Difficulties for the Communicator Character

Inability to sustain relationships, projects, jobs or interests, often after a brief

period of intense involvement;

Lack of motivation and energy, chronic fatigue

Addictions, eating disorders, chronic money problems (underearning/compulsive spending);

Depression and/or chronic mood swings, manic-depressive disorder;

Inability to let go of relationships, or recover from loss

Intense fears of being alone or abandoned

Difficulty delaying gratification, impatience, chronic irritability

Frequent physical injuries with slow, drawn out recovery periods

Dependency on institutions, parents or others for basic survival needs well

into adulthood

Characteristic Attitudes of the Includer (Swollen Character)

The term swollen, and much of the concept comes from Stanley Keleman. Lowen
does not formally separate a swollen character from other oral characters. Ellsworth
Baker, however, distinguishes an 'oral-unsatisfied' character from an 'oral-repressed'
character. It is possibly useful to think of this as an 'in between character. That is, the
experience is still basically one of deprivation like the communicator, but there is
starting to be an ability to take in and hold. However, this is taking in leads not to
density as in the consolidator, but rather to an less stable inflated condition.
Overall, this character is not as well defined as the others
Psychological Characteristics this structure is a good imitator and identifies
with others easily. The includer can be very creative and giving of himself in a
search for an identity. He or she shows a tendency for expansive or grandiose ideas
or plans and bursts of activity that cannot be sustained. The includer often fails to
complete what they start, usually because they have started several other things in
the mean time. There is also a certain lack of discrimination about what is taken in.

Structural Characteristics Swelling is an attempt to achieve

expansion and influence by pushing a weak and diffuse surface away from the core or
towards others. The body often assumes a pear shape. Skin will still be thin with a
high sensitivity.
Energy Characteristics Basically the same energy structure as the oral character,
with somewhat more warmth. May at times verge on hypomania.
Relationship Characteristics Includers may tend to attempt superiority in
groups or relationships through ideas or goals. However they are never truly
dominant because, at bottom they are pre-occupied with pleasing others and being
what others want. Generally wants to be the center of attention
Possible Difficulties for the Includer Character

Eating disorders, weight fluctuations, tendency to excess.

Taking on too many projects at once, not finishing what is started.

Lack of discrimination about what is taken in. Can value quantity over quality.

Inclination to be the exciting or gratifying object for others ( perhaps this is

why 'Santa Claus' is depicted as this body type) , difficulty forming solid
reciprocal relationships.

The Inspirer (Psychopathic) Character

This is the most controversial character. Both the concept, and the embodiment
attracts strong interest from people with all the other character types. Many students
of character analysis want to claim a pinch of psychopathy, just like a tasty dish
benefits from a pinch of tabasco, but no one wants to be a 'pure psychopath.' In fact,
in the midst of learning character analysis, there can be a tendency to label someone
a psychopath when they oppose us, or do something we don't like, or gain more
influence than us, but this is surely a misuse of the concept.
An additional caveat is pertinent at this point. There is a tiny group of seriously
disturbed individuals that are capable of great harm and cruelty as to to seem
inhuman. This is probably the result of some types of complete disconnection
between pre-frontal cortex, amygdala, and the heart segment. In popular accounts
they are also called psychopathic. This rare disorder is not a template for the
character described her, and may be discontinuous from it completely. Confusion
between the two groups contributes to the controversy in the study of this character.
The psychopathic character is the only concept of character that has had much of a
life outside of Lowenian character analysis. (The DSM-IV has a few categories of
personality disorders that are faintly similar to the Lowen scheme, but they are based
not on any consistent concept of character, but rather on types of problem
transactions with health care providers. None of the DSM categories are can be
profitably mapped onto character analysis. This 'mainstreaming' of the idea of
psychopathic character comes from a compelling desire to understand, the type of
person that leaves such confusion, division, and havoc behind.
The first modern treatment of the psychopathic character was done by Clecky
in Mask of Sanity. Later Robert Hare developed a diagnostic check-list (which is
extremely consistent with Cleckly' description). Clecky organized his ideas around
the idea that the psychopathic character is self-sabotaging, while Hare leaned more
toward the idea of short-sighted. Both men where trying to explain the contradiction
of considerable talent, energy, and focus on the one-hand, and, on the other hand,
near inevitable impulsive actions that throw the fruits away. If in fact they had
examined the body and energy structure, as did Lowen, the contradiction would have
been more explainable.
Back to character analysis, when a psychopathic body structure is read, attention is
always drawn to the upward displacement. But upward displacement is common to
many characters. What really distinguishes the psychopathic character is outward
displacementof strong if ungrounded energy. The inspirer is able to project
power outward. This provides an ability to influence of which many intellectual
(purely upwardly displaced) individuals are envious. The extreme example would be
the magnetic personality.

Lowen also describes "image psychopathy." The body grows to conform to the
idealized image. This is a necessarily unconscious process! Otherwise, it
would conflict with a basic character analysis principle that conscious striving for
greatness is ultimate limiting to the body and unsuccessful. Conscious or semiconscious effort to achieve an image are never salutary to the body or the self, and
are discussed extensively in Lowen's book Narcissism.
There is an overlap between the occurrence of narcissism and psychopathy, but
they are not the same thing. Narcissism is an ego defense and psychopathy is a
character (neuro-muscular) defense. The narcissistic position is against feeling. The
psychopathic position is against others. Psychopathy does depend on lack of
feeling about the effects of actions on others. Any unfeeling state tends
naturally to images of power and grandiosity. This is true also in the schizoid
condition. But the absence of feeling also tends toward deadness. In the psychopath,
feeling is not absent, but denied in a perceptual sense while still available in a
biological sense to drive aggression. Narcissism is a much more broadly distributed
trait, it can 'fit' onto different energy structures although its expression is strongly
colored by the underlying character. It is possible to have some feeling and still be
narcissistic, but the narcissism tends to be more 'collapsed' and 'closeted' the more
that feeling is present. The less the feeling, the more narcissism can 'decloak' and
'flourish.' That is why the psychopathic character structure and narcissism meld
together so well in the 'pathological' or 'malignant' narcissist, who is grandiose,
dominating, and wholly unempathetic.
Characteristic Attitudes of the Inspirer (Psychopath)
In life, the Inspirer seeks power more than pleasure. The will is powerfully exerted
to control others and to control feelings. Feelings are alive in the body, however, but
denied recognition by the mind. Feelings, the body, and external senses are not
trusted, Therefore only whats in ones head, only ones own ideas in the moment, are
treated as valid and real. One story is as good as another, or actually a story that
elicits the desired response from others is superior--its relationship to what actually
happened in the world is secondary at best. This accounts for the often-given
impression that the inspirer believes his or her own lies.
The mind is the servant of the will in this structure, so reasoning can be dramatically
inconsistent, though capable of brilliance. Arguing both sides of a situation or mixing
lies with truth is common if it suits a manipulative purpose to gain power or be
right.
There is also a tendency to poor judgment and an inability to learn from
mistakes. The denial of feeling in this character leads to the denial of
experience. This leads to a denial of past suffering which is an additional obstacle
to change. Denial of experience also leads to an 'immunity' to learning from
experience. This is not a failure of consciousness, because consciously, the
psychopath wants to increase pleasure and decrease pain. Rather it is a failure of

implicit learning, because conditioning that produces implicit knowledge is based on

feelings, especially fear and danger.
In the inspirer pain is numbed, and genuine strong feelings are denied, but dramatic
emotionality and false feelings can be acted out to achieve some purpose, like
intimidation or seduction. Fear of being wrong or of submitting to the will of others
is extreme and is powerfully denied. The fear of being controlled or humiliated
underlies an extreme need to be in control of feelings, in control of others, and in
control of situations. Maintaining control whether it is real or illusory, fends off fears
of losing power, being defeated or helpless, and collapsing into desperate neediness.
There is seemingly no middle ground, either the inspirer is in control or he or she
believes others are in control.
The intuitive capacities of the Inspirer are formidable, with very strong abilities to
read what is going on inside of other people, although the understanding of the
meaning of what is going on is often very distorted. The inspirer is not hampered by
the self-doubt and self-absorption of most other pre-oedipal characters, and
therefore is able to better pay attention to others in real time. The basis of charm is
the ability to make someone feel they are the only one in the world at that moment.
Insincerity is saying something because the other person wants to hear it. The
insincerity of the inspirer increases the charm because they listen very intently (for
clues of what the other person wants to hear) rather than think distractedly about
what they want to say. This all contributes to the 'magnetic personality' that is often
noted.
Inspirers are very adept at the workings of power. They are often openly admired
for this, and bestowed a certain credibility and even immunity for it. That is, in parts
of society in which power is admired (entertainment, politics, corporate business,
academia, etc), they can disturb many things, but are often not held to the same
account as someone else might be, because they are seen as special, or as above
routine consequences.
Aggression is used as a defense against surrender to feelings, which are equated
with weakness, or to the will of others. Because aggression is readily
available, inspirers may easily lead or dominate groups. Inspirers are frequently
leading corporations, large religious congregations, non-profit organizations, and
political entities. Aggression tends toward competitiveness in any person. In
the Inspirer, the addition of denial of feeling can increase the tendency to violate
the rights of others.
This character is named for his or her ability to inspire groups, either as leader, or
simply as inspirational speaker. This arises mainly from the manner and energy of
delivery, rather than any intrinsic message. Inspirers tend not to have any
durable, coherent body of belief, but rather use an accumulation of
truisms and good, but unrelated insights to impress and lead
others. Clarifying or challenging questions about this inspirational content tend to

be answered with more interesting anecdotes or insights, not with actual

examination of the material questioned. This is why it is not possible for others to
master these 'systems', they are being made up 'on the go.' In this way, inspirers are
always needed and always special. Organizations led therefore, can drift toward
cultishness easily. The effect on others of bringing a feeling of readiness to act is
undeniable, however.
Their is a powerful investment in and identification with idealized and powerful
images and self-images. There is a need to be special, as with most pre-oedipal
characters, but in this case, the inspirer lives out the need by actually believing and
convincing others this has already occurred instead of being just on the verge.
Commonly noted with the inspirer over time is a lack of empathy or compassion and
a lack of conscious feelings of remorse or guilt. Others that are hurt are seen to be
'casualties of war' that is in the wrong place at the right time. Also commonly noted is
a craving for intensity and excessive stimulation to counteract numbness. Often there
is poor impulse control and an intolerance of boundaries and structure. One
mnemonic to remember the most disruptive traits of this character is the Five I's:
irritable, indifferent, insincere, impulsive, and irresponsible. The five i's of
course refer to traits that produce conflict with others, and ignore the inspirational
and path-finding abilities of this character.
It would not be legitimate to discuss the inspirer character in this context without
discussing some personal traits of Wilhelm Reich. Reich did not describe a
'psychopathic' character in his writings. However, a review of his biographies, letters,
and journals, suggests that Reich's character is best described as an Inspirer. Many
write unhesitatingly about his magnetic personality, strength to push forward and
ability to inspire. His ex-wife also writes, hesitatingly, about a 'shadow' side of
jealousy and controllingness. As the name inspirer suggests, this character affects
other people the most strongly. This along with the tendency to challenge limits
provides at time a springboard to 'jump the rails' of the beaten path. Reich clearly did
this, and he seems to have had a self-reflective process that kept him from exploiting
people for the most part.
Predominant negative core beliefs: "I must never surrender. Everything is a
lie, including love, including me. Whatever I believe in the moment is the truth. I
must never be wrong. If I am wrong, I will be humiliated. I must get others to
need me, so I can control them, in order to get what I need. - If I acknowledge my
feelings, I will be weak and get abused. The world is an abusive place.
Characteristic Illusion: "I'll get love if I have power over you and control my
needs"
Primary falling fear: falling down
Primary holding pattern: holding up

Primary longing: to have integrity

Primary Struggle: the right to trust
Illusion of Contraction: I can do anything myself if I so will it"
Illusion of Release: I will be used, manipulated, humiliated, and helpless.
The Inspirer Character in Relationship
The need to have followers is felt as an essential reason to engage with others. It is
through the needing to be needed that the person with this character structure
maintains his or her feeling of power, while denying dependency at the same time.
Creators always have at least one follower, which will usually be a relationship
partner. Inspirers will often engage in side relationships, to prove potency and to
'prove' he or she is not controlled by their partner.
Inspirers primarily relate to others as objects, as sources of narcissistic supply to
support images of power and specialness. Since others are objectified, anything can
be said or done to get what is wanted from another without concern for the others
feelings or well-being.
A divide and conquer approach is often taken to gain control of others, individually
and in groups, pitting people against each other, then sometimes taking the role of
mediator or peacemaker. Eccentric, radical, dramatic, unpredictable or extreme
behavior and appearance are often used to gain attention and/or to keep others off
balance
Sexual Functioning
Sex is seen as a means to an end, or a contest, often used to gain power, not pleasure,
or to express revenge feelings; sex is related to as a conquest of the other person and
as further proof of ones prowess
In men, maintaining an erection is more important than having an orgasm, and
extreme pride is taken in the penis; in women, likewise, being seen as sexually
powerful and technically skilled is more important than sensual or orgasmic
pleasure; feelings in the genitals are greatly diminished, so performances of great
endurance are possible, but genuine surrender to sexual feelings and orgasm is
experienced as humiliating or terrifying.
Physical Characteristics of the Inspirer Character

The body may be designed to serve the purposes of

dominating or seducing, and can take almost any form, following whatever main
image the person is primarily attached to -- for example athletic and powerful,
youthful and innocent, sexual and alluring. This is the 'image' psychopathy described
by Lowen and alluded to above. Generally, however, there are two types of body
formations typical of this character structure
1) The overpowering type which is inflated on top, blown-up looking, with a
barrel chest, broad shoulders, and large head, while rigid and small in the pelvis,
with small buttocks and thin legs, particularly the calves; or 2) The seductive type
which is inflated in the pelvis (but numb to feelings there), with broad hips and
hyperflexibility in the back, while deflated and immature in the chest area
The "V"-shape of classic bodybuilders (before anabolic steroids) depicts well one
common psychopathic structure. Armoring is particularly marked in the chest,
diaphragm, legs and shoulders. Eyes are highly charged, often large, and frequently
gleaming or sparkling. In the dominating type, the eyes are penetrating and
compelling. In the seductive type, they are soft and intriguing, cunning, dreamy or
sleepy looking. Often, there is a pronounced split between the head and the body
(mature body, with a small child-like face and head, or visa versa); this split is
facilitated by severe tension at the base of the skull and in the shoulder girdle, which
holds the head tightly in place. Arms tend to be immobilized and away from the body
(due to the inflated chest and severe shoulder girdle tensions).
This character often manages anxiety by movement, and confinement is usually very
distressing. Inspirers do very well in sports requiring episodic, spontaneous,
unique, explosive or wily movement of individuals, like basketball or
football. Inspirers often have less interest in sports where a limited range of
movement is practiced over and over, such as tennis or golf.
Feet tend to be pulled off the ground and may be small; calves and thighs may be
short and thin, even when the torso is heavy. Physical illnesses are often not felt or
manifested until late in life due to extreme willfulness and numbness (later life
problems may be in the hips, prostate, pelvis in general, or the heart). Spine may be

twisted or fused and immobile. Chronic areas of tension: base of the skull, shoulder
girdle, chest and rib cage, including the diaphragm, waist and abdominal muscles
(which are often hard and clenched to pull sexual energy away from genitals), pelvic
area in general, genitals specifically.
Energy Characteristics
The structure is highly charged, with energy displaced and pulled upwards into the
top half of the body and away from the pelvis. The eyes are often strongly charged,
used to penetrate, intimidate and/or seduce. Energy is directed outwardly to
influence, lead, and control others, and directed inwardly to deny feelings in the self
by contracting all feeling centers. Energy is not allowed to flow downwards, cut off by
severe tensions in the pelvis, waist, diaphragm, shoulders and base of skull.
Origins of the Inspirer Character
(Developmental Period Birth to 4 Years)
While the validity of the adult inspirer or psychopathic character seems well
established by everyday observation and plentiful sources outside the Reich and
Lowen tradition, the childhood origins of the character have not been
explained as well as other pre-oedipal characters. One possibility could be
that this character in part represents biological resilience. That is, the same
detrimental experiences that produces an oral character in one person, if they
happen to a child that has a strong genotype toward upper body strength, may result
in the same weak grounding, but spare or even exaggerate upper body development
and lead to more of an inspirer character. That could also explain why there seems
to be a disproportionate number of male to females in this character. In any case, the
following situations have also been posited to play a role in the development of the
inspirer character.

One or both parents manipulated, seduced, sexualized, or otherwise used the

child (covertly or directly) for their own narcissistic purposes; parents instilled
in the child an image of how they wanted the child to be in order for the adults
to feel good about themselves

The parents used the child as a buffer or weapon against each other. The child
was overly involved in the marital relationship or parent of the same sex was
significantly absent from childs early life (due to work, illness, death or
divorce, etc.).

There was a role reversal in which the child was maneuvered, often with
sexual overtones and promises of love that were never delivered, into being
the pseudo-spouse or pseudo-parent to a parent (frequently of the opposite
sex); the child was expected to be more than he or she was to that parent
(Mommys little man; Daddys little princess). One or both parents
invested child with feelings of specialness and importance and then rejected

or ignored child, or otherwise became unavailable (frequently the parent of

the opposite sex). One or both parents competed with the child, feeling
threatened by the childs real or imagined accomplishments, and sadistically
exploited the childs weaknesses to humiliate, control and diminish the childs
self-confidence

Possibly, the child experienced horror from witnessing events that could not
be understood or integrated, such as verbal or physical abuse (either of a
violent or sexual nature); a major trauma occurred in the childs life, usually
after the second year, that could not be understood intellectually by the child
and was experienced as a betrayal; (i.e. hospitalization and surgery,
exposure to sex acts by adults, witnessing extreme violence, etc., while being
told that all was well by the adults, or blaming the child for the trauma)

The childhood history may include: restlessness and hyperactivity, dangerous

behavior (i.e. fire-setting), severe tantrums, spectacular achievements (in
school, sports or the arts) coupled with spectacular self-sabotage or
delinquency, cruelty to animals or other children, premature sexual behavior,
troublemaker persona, inappropriate lack of fear and a lack of crying when
hurt.

A Note About Therapy with the Inspirer

With this character, since problems are externalized, only external
solutions will make sense. This is more than saying that the responsibility for the
problem is externalized, the entirety of the problem is externalized. Should the
therapist land in the position of suggesting there are problems, the therapist and the
therapy can easily come to be experienced by the client as the problem. All characters
will bring a characteristic resistance maneuver into the relationship with the
therapist, but since the inspirer's maneuver is to dominate the therapist, it can be
particularly difficult to establish a working alliance. Although body work will be
initially appealing, it will difficult for this character to take ongoing feedback from
the therapist, since he will attempt to deny any serious problems exist.
Possible Difficulties for the Inspirer Character

Intense fears of being defeated, humiliated, controlled, or used

The incidence of addiction and substance abuse is higher, due in part to thrilland sensation-seeking and a craving for feelings of power and invincibility.
However, with this character, loss of control is very ego-dystonic, so that
durable will-based remissions are not uncommon

Feelings of falseness, insincerity, and a lack of integrity

Feelings of emptiness and boredom, counteracted by episodes of recklessness,

risk-taking and thrill-seeking behavior, addiction to intensity

Conflicts with authority (including employers, institutions and the legal

system)

Impulsive sexual acting out, promiscuity, many shallow relationships, but no

real intimacy or trusting friendships

Criminal, sociopathic behavior; domestic violence

Characteristic Attitudes of the Consolidator (Masochist)

To others, Consolidators tend to be kind, pleasant, pleasing, servile, initially selfsacrificing and ingratiating. They often volunteer to help and rarely assert their
desires directly. Consolidators have a very difficult time saying no, and may well end
up doing thankless tasks or things they don't want to do. This is called social
masochism (or formerly 'moral masochism'). It is, however, important to distinguish
the energetic masochism of this character from mere social masochism (being a
'doormat'). The latter is a common strategy also of
the creator and communicator characters also due to weak aggression.
The consolidator has, subjectively, a chronic sensation of suffering, and to others
who get to know them better, a tendency to complain. However, in this complaining,
unlike that of the communicator, both direct blaming and a broad swath is
avoided. Consolidators tend to accept the way the world is in general, and so their
complaints tend to be along the lines of how they have been misfortunate in their
particular circumstances and situations. There is tendency to call attention to their
burdened or misused state but usually indirectly and not in a way that can be
followed through by change either by themselves or others. Rather there is just the
underlying implication that others should fix the situation and they will not or
cannot. It seems consolidators take pride in their ability 'to take it' and
desire credit, not relief. In fact if straightforward effort is made to help
a consolidator change his or her circumstances, frustration often ensues and it has
been often felt that the consolidator is 'addicted' to humiliation, degradation,
defeat and pain.
Despite the usual calm or cheerful outside presentation, negative feelings are felt
intensely. However the direct or open expression of negative feelings is severely egodystonic. Any self-assertion produces powerful feelings of guilt, shame and
humiliation. There can be a fear of exploding violently. Negative feelings are
expressed mainly through passive-aggressive behavior or indirect provocations,
although sometimes a strong 'victim-role' is taken on, which is sometimes described
as 'whining.'
For consolidators, anxiety is present most of the time. Anxiety is already present
before something is undertaken, or in anticipation of an undertaking. This often
leads to rumination and anxiety about events that probably will not happen. The
anticipatory anxiety often leads the consolidator to avoid things, but the avoidance
does not dispense with the anxiety. This produces for the consolidator the experience
of constantly being under great pressure.
There is a constant search and preoccupation with approval. While with
the communicator character approval is sought for esteem, with
the consolidator approval is an act of submission--an attempt to format an

interpersonal relationship. This of course brings a submerged element of resentment

or resistance to approval which complicates encouragement and support from
others.
There is a tendency toward periods of inaction, brooding, and self-incriminating
rumination. This has been described as the 'masochistic bog or morass.' It may
appear to others as a depression. However it differs from depression in that it is
possible to fairly easily elicit emotion. Also, unlike depression it is not lack of energy
but rather a high energy system getting stuck between two conflicting impulses,
however, it should not be minimized because the stuckness is very real and very
difficult to change.
In whatever they do, consolidators give the impression of squeezing or forcing
something out with great effort. The tendency to procrastinate is
strong; Consolidators often cannot either do something or decide not to do it. They
often look to others for direction in what to do, but just as often find fault with this
direction. Moreover, they also quite commonly undermine others' plans with
slowness, stubbornness, perfectionism, or passive aggressive behavior.
There is a reliance on others to provide a means of release of pent-up feeling--hence
the tendency to provoke. Indecisiveness also contributes to tension and provocation
can be used 'to make something happen.' The anger and punishing attitudes that are
provoked in others seems to justify internal feelings of spite. Placing others in the
wrong allows an expression of feeling that is not possible otherwise.
There is a common misconception that masochism means that pain is pleasureable,
Actually however it means that moderately painful sensations enable a release of
feeling including pleasurable and sexual feelings.
The mind can be very orderly, but usually obsessively so, with much ruminating on
details, serving as a distraction from feelings.Consolidators may have valuable
knowledge but they hesitate to take leadership, sometimes being a loyal 'second-incommand' but often continuing to work below their abilities.
Childhood and adult history may include: clumsiness and many minor accidents.,
overeating (to stuff down feelings), chronic sore throats, acne, digestive problems, a
sensitive gag reflex and anxiety about vomiting, constipation, and excessive neatness
or sloppiness.
The will is weakened by the constant holding pattern, but it is strong enough to
express its resistance (to the parents crushing will) through stubbornness, defiance
and passive refusal (to move, to be successful or happy, etc.); the will is also often
directed to make the individual appear stupid or eccentric, or to dissimulate, so there
is much inner doubting about ones own intelligence or wisdom.
Predominant negative core beliefs: I will be loved as long as I submit to the
will of others. If I assert my independence, I will be crushed. - To get love, I must

please others. I can never say no. - I must never express my negativity. I will
hurt myself to prevent others from hurting me. - If I feel too much, I will explode. I am inferior and disgusting because of my negative feelings. - Life is hard and
suffering unavoidable.
Characteristic Illusion: "I'll get love if I submit myself to your wishes."
Primary falling fear: of the bottom falling out
Primary holding pattern: holding in
Primary longing: to be free/spontaneous
Primary Struggle: the right to be assertive.
Illusion of Contraction I'll be loved as long as I'm good
Illusion of Release I will be crushed and humiliated
Assets: Great capacities for pleasure, humor, optimism, playfulness and joy.
Genuine supportiveness, strength and desire to be of service to others. An expansive,
open heart with deep compassion, true kindness and understanding. When released
by a strong enough stimulus, there is positive assertiveness and healthy aggression
with substantial amounts of energy; - Ability to be spontaneously creative in the
moment, surrender ego control and trust the natural order in all things.
Relationship and Interpersonal Functioning
In relationships, consolidators are able to feel close and give and receive some
warmth, but the relationships still contains a feeling of tension and pressure.
Consciously or unconsciously trying to get appreciation and approval, permission to
feel, and relief from guilt are predominant motivations in relationships. This is
attempted either through exaggerated pleasing, servile and submissive behavior (that
may be experienced by the recipient as hostile, controlling and contemptuous),
through self-deprecating attitudes and self-damaging behavior, constant whining
and complaining, or through directly provocative behavior. Alternately
a consolidator may couple with a more verbally critical character structure (for
instance a communicator), so that the complaining can be "contracted out" to the
partner. If this is the case, the consolidator often can 'go along' with most things
and deny distress, even when it is obvious that they are being treated quite
disrespectfully or controllingly by his or her partner.
Sexuality
The Consolidator has a strong sexual drive. Intense preoccupation with sex and
frequent masturbation are common as this person continually seeks pleasure and
release, both of which are intensely desired and also inhibited. Commonly there is a
fascination with pornography. Sadomasochistic fantasy is common (seeking to turn
pain, submission and humiliation into a release or way to earn pleasure). Orgasms

are controlled by pushing and squeezing actions (of the buttocks, thighs and pelvis).
Surrendering to love is related to as both potentially liberating and potentially
crushing, with pain as a necessary ingredient and good feelings in love and sex as
too much.
Sexual Masochism and Consensual Power Exchange
Social masochism as expressed in this character has much less of an overlap with
traditionally defined sexual masochism than is commonly supposed. However, this is
the likeliest spot to address how the topic fits into the Reich and Lowen view of
sexual functioning. As pointed out elsewhere, pain, humiliation, and submission is
not pleasureable to anyone, but rather in certain settings, modest pain, dominance,
or humiliation can allow a release that is otherwise impeded. The intentional seeking
and employment of practices that provide this type of release has become known as
Bondage, Discipline, Dominance, Submission, Sadism, Masochism, telescoped into
the acronym BDSM.
Consensual power exchange, ironically, is a paradox usually quickly understood by
women, gay men, and minorities. It is less quickly understood by traditionally
privileged groups. Power exchange done consciously is an exercise in strong
boundaries rather than weak boundaries because both typical avoidant strategies and
symbiotic illusions are unavailable.
Like the Reich and Lowen tradition, BDSM consists of 1) experiential activities, 2)
organized around increasing pleasure, 3) deliberately employing sensation and
autonomic stimuli, 4) sex-positive, and at times, 5) meant to be healing.
Unlike the Reich and Lowen tradition, however, 1) the emphasis is on the erotic and
not the satisfying, 2) emphasis is on performance, 3) natural attraction is neglected,
4) fantasy is encouraged, and 5) 'servicing' is considered a sound interpersonal
stance.
Physical Aspects and Structure

The body is typically thick and muscular and gives an impression of chronic tension
in the body. Height is average to somewhat shortened. Expression in the eyes is one
of suffering. The face often has an invariable smiling. Hair tends to be coarse and
thick. There is usually a great deal of body hair. Women tend to wear hair about
shoulder length, or if kept longer, tie it back. The neck is short and thick (from
pulling in of the head). Shoulder muscles are bulky. Buttocks are pulled in and
squeezed together (to control the impulse to mess up and let out), which pushes the
pelvis forward; creating a "flat back" or 'tail tucked in' posture. Waist is short and
thick, encased, compressed and collapsed (from pulling in and down from the top
and up and in from the bottom to control impulses to let out); in women, hips and
thighs are often thick and heavy. In men, the abdomen often balloons. The
abdominal compression affects the whole diaphragmatic segment, making exhalation
difficult and hindering all of the organs in the area.
There is often an awkwardness or clumsiness in the persons gait and movements,
with frequent minor accidents along with a general uncomfortability in the body.
There is anal and genital tension and spasticity (causing acute suffering and inability
to freely experience pleasure) as the whole pelvic floor is contracted. The skin tends
to have a brownish hue due to held energy charge; there may be severe problems
with acne. Chronic areas of tension are the neck, shoulder girdle, pelvis and buttocks,
and most of the large ('extrinsic') muscles Chronic physical ailments of the throat and
colon/anal region, such as sore throats, colitis, constipation and hemorrhoids, and
digestive problems
Energy Characteristics

The consolidator character is fully charged energetically, but energy is tightly held
in check (though not frozen), so this person is boiling inside. Energy moving
upward and downward is choked off at the neck and waist (causing compression)
and outlets for energy discharge are blocked (throat, anus, genitals) The highly
charged energy is stagnant in the skin
The Origins of the Masochistic Character
Developmental Period - 19th to 30th Months
Parents offered conditional love to the child based on compliance with their will (that
the child be a good boy or girl and control impulses). Attempts by child to assert its
own will or say No were overpowered by parents and greeted with threats of
abandonment or withdrawal of love. The child's strong pleasure and excitement may
have caused anxiety in the parents. Possibly parents were excessively involved in
childs eating and excretory functions (child may have been pushed to eat more than
it wanted, toilet training may have been severe, enemas given, etc.), and in general,
there was a strong focus on eating and defecating in the family.
Father may have been passive, submissive or absent while mother was dominating,
smothering, or harsh (often with a self-sacrificing, martyr-type mask), or father may
have been harsh, controlling or sadistic while mother was permissive and indulgent;
- Parents may have been excessively concerned about messing up (around personal
hygiene, household cleanliness, finances, order in general, etc.); - A sudden
interruption in the parent-child relationships may have occurred in the childs
second year of life (birth of a sibling, divorce, absent parent due to work, illness,
death, etc., or a physical illness of child).
Possible Difficulties for the Consolidator Character

Chronic feelings of suffering and chronic low-level anxiety, both emotionally

and physically

Submissive behavior, and lack of self-assertion (inability to say, No);

Intense feelings of shame and humiliation

Feeling trapped

Self-destructive behavior patterns (sabotaging success in jobs and

relationships, accidents, sexual acting out, etc.)

Obsessive/compulsive problems, particularly around sex, cleanliness and

orderliness

Preoccupations with sex, masturbation, pornography and/or excretory

functions, accompanied by intense guilt, shame and self-punishment

An inability to let go of or change repetitive patterns in abusive or ungratifying

relationships.

Inability to tolerate pleasure or success without guilt or anxiety.

Characteristic Attitudes of the Achiever (Phallic) Male

Because the rigid character achieves genitality, adult sexual feeling and biology
comes into play very strongly in character formation, and functioning differs strongly
along gender lines. This is consistent with folk wisdom and everyday observation of
rigid characters (as opposed to other 'pre-genital' characters). The men appear
manly and the women appear feminine. This view, that human sexual
dimorphism, where it exists, is natural, good, and a characteristic of maturation, is,
of course, inconsistent with the political correctness of the present day. The
male achiever or rigid character, is named the 'phallic' character, because he is
thought to exhibit 'male' aggression, perhaps a substitute for full sexual release and
satisfaction. The female rigid character is known as a 'hysteric', because strong
sexual feeling builds but can only find expression in outbursts or conversion
symptoms. Below is a description of the male character.
The male achiever copes effectively with the world. This character organizes his life
around accomplishing goals. In business this means increasing margins where
possible. Without being deceptive, the achiever tries to put as little into a situation or
association as possible while getting out as much as possible. This is not about
domination, however, the achiever assumes others can push back in their own selfinterest. He is not resentful when they do, and can relent at times, although the
achiever can also push back even more strongly and become very competitive and
aggressive. Pre-oedipal characters may consider achievers bullies.
The mind is developed, with an efficient, but unyielding intellect that is trusted much
more than feelings or impulses. Thinking tends to be very linear, with good
concentration, but little capacity for or interest in abstraction. Creativity is controlled
in favor of soundness. In large organizations, achievers often team
with creators or communicators. The achiever, as boss, provides the aggression
and reality contact to implement the creativity and abstraction of the latter
characters.
The ability to make decisions and take action is valued by others, and achievers often
assume leadership positions. Traditionally,achievers have been the heads of
industry, government and law enforcement. (Although, with trends in society moving
toward narcissism, these roles increasingly go to inspirer or psychopathic
characters).
Pride is the driving force in this structure and great efforts of the will are directed
towards performance and outer appearances (always being attractive and never
appearing vulnerable or foolish). There is stubbornness that is not in the service of
spiting others but rather in the service of avoiding looking foolish.

Achievers are often athletic due to graceful movements and intense competitiveness.
They often favor sports that combine face to face competition with controlled
movements, such as handball, tennis, or golf.
PREDOMINANT NEGATIVE CORE BELIEFS If I love, I will be vulnerable. I
will get love by appearing invulnerable and attractive. - If I desire sexually, I will be
rejected. I will get sexual gratification by controlling my sexual longings. No one
surrenders to another. I will survive by never surrendering. The world is a
rejecting, competitive place.
Characteristic Illusions: "If I hold back my heart, It will never be broken again"
"If I don't give you my heart, I can be sexual."
Primary falling fear: Falling forward or on one's face
Primary holding pattern: Holding back
Primary longing: to surrender in love.
Primary Struggle: the right to love sexually
Illusion of Contraction: I will be loved if I am attractive and accomplished.
Illusion of Release: "I will be rejected if I fully open my heart"
The Male Achiever Character in Relationship
Achievers tend to be very attractive to women, partly because of external features but
mostly because of the 'energy' they give off. Relationships are often treated the same
as a business, in that it is deemed rational to try to get the most out of it while putting
only the necessary minimum in. Having a relationship with an unmitigated
male achiever can be like constant re-negotiation with a hard-driving boss. This
means that in personal affairs, achievers often become dominant de facto. Love and
erotic feelings are strong, but are controlled by the mind and will. Achievers have
intense fears of having their heart broken in love Surrendering to another is
deemed unacceptable and collapse is unthinkable. Dificulty surrending of course may
support the work function but interferes with the love function. Achievers may have
a less than complete sense of self caused by the separation of love feelings from
sexual feelings. Male Achievers may become 'womanizers' to reinforce a sense of
virility without the need to commit to love. Achievers may marry several times, as
the intent is there to commit to one woman, but once in a committed relationship
there is holding back, and then a search for love elsewhere. Alternately, achievers
may be actually quite 'moral' about sex, because there is enough feeling to experience
modesty.
Sexual Functioning
The achiever is usually erectively potent. Premature ejaculation is often a problem.
Outlet of sexual discharge through the genital may be limited. This can lead to

several acts of sex in a single day, because a large amount of sexual excitement
remains in the pelvis after each act of sex. The achiever may identify with this as
being superior as a man, and develop 'Don Juan' behavior around
it. Inspirer characters often also develop Don Juan behavior due to incomplete
discharge, but in the case of that character, the pelvis as well as the genitals is
restricted. In any case, achievers often receive only ego and not body satisfaction
from sex. This lack of satisfaction is of translated into a dissatisfaction with the
feminine partner. The juxtaposition of high sexual drive and limited discharge may
be responsible for the drivenness of this character.
Structure

Overall, the body is well-formed and proportionate. There is a distinct aliveness:

bright eyes, good skin color, good skin turgor, graceful movement and gesture.
Movement may command attention. Facial features are very 'masculine' Hair tends
to be well groomed. There is frequently a receding hairline. There is a tendency to
hold the head high and the back straight. In fact, the back may appear 'overly
straight'. Alternately there may be a slight backward displacement of the torso, as if
to keep the heart from being captured ( as in the illustration to the left). There is a
stiffness not related to any one joint but overall muscular function. This stiffness can
be considered 'good bearing' and imitated by people who wish to thought important.
Overall this rigidity prevents the achiever from participating fully in love or work
Energy

The overall energy level is good. In movement, there is grace but also a certain bias in
maintaining a very vertical posture. There is a fairly strong charge at the surface,
which supports good reality testing. The holding back is at the surface (rather than at
the core or muscular layers as with other characters.) This allows energy to flow
within the body, but limits its expression in the world.
The rigidity of the body may cause the torso to function as a tube, forcing energy to
bounce from the head to the pelvis. In this instance the head and the pelvis may act
as reservoirs, holding expression back at the 'final step.' The charge in the pelvis plus
the tendency to hold the pelvis back sometimes leads to a 'charged bladder' and an
urethra that used at times to discharge energy and aggression (after sex, after
meetings, etc) This is possibly the origin of the term 'pissing contests' to describe
struggles to establish dominance.

Origins of the Achiever Character

(Developmental Period 4-6 Years)
This character is believed to have had 'good enough' nurture up to 4 years of age or
the start of the oedipal period. At that point, love feelings for the mother were
rejected, and or the father interfered with this relationships. This 'heart-break'
resulted in a stiffening against disappointment.
Possible Difficulties for the Achiever Character

Difficulties with monagamy that threaten a valued primary relationship

Being experienced by his family as a hard driving tyrant

Workaholism, inability to enjoy success

Inabilty to sustain a long term relationship

Characteristic Attitudes of the Rigid Hysterical Female

Because the rigid character achieves genitality, adult sexual feeling and biology
comes into play very strongly in character formation, and functioning differs strongly
along gender lines. This is consistent with folk wisdom and everyday observation of
rigid characters (as opposed to other 'pre-genital' characters). The men appear
manly and the women appear feminine. This view, that human sexual
dimorphism, where it exists, is natural, good, and a characteristic of maturation, is,
of course, inconsistent with the political correctness of the present day. The
male achiever or rigid character, is named the 'phallic' character, because he is
thought to exhibit 'male' aggression, perhaps a substitute for full sexual release and
satisfaction. The female rigid character is known as a 'hysteric', because strong
sexual feeling builds but can only find expression in outbursts or conversion
symptoms. Below is a description of the female character.
The hysteric character has a very impressionistic cognitive style, in which detail is
less important than mood and emotional nuance. There is strong attention
to surface and appearance, and clothing and furnishings will tend to be fashionable
and well kept. This may be seen by some as superficial, but if as Alexander Lowen
posits, pleasure, contact, and consciousness all happen on the surface, then this
can be seen as healthy, if limited. There is a mild suggestibility, because there is a
tendency to agree with what looks or sounds good. Reality testing is basically good,
though, and this character is rarely taken advantage of severely.
PREDOMINANT NEGATIVE CORE BELIEFS If I love, I will be vulnerable. I
will get love by appearing invulnerable and attractive. If I desire sexually, I will be
rejected. I will get sexual gratification by controlling my sexual longings. If I
surrender to the man, I will be abandoned"
Characteristic Illusions: "If I hold back my heart, It will never be broken again"
"If I don't give you my heart, I can be sexual."
Primary falling fear: Falling forward or on one's face
Primary holding pattern: Holding back
Primary longing: to surrender in love.
Primary Struggle: the right to love sexually
Illusion of Contraction: I will be loved if I am attractive and desirable.
Illusion of Release: "I will be rejected if I fully open my heart"
Relationships

For the hysteric, relationships often exhibit a push-pull quality, especially around
sexual contact, with a constant seeking out of sexual situations and simultaneous
flight from them Often one person is chosen as a sexual partner, while another is
chosen as a love partner. Relationships are often sought out with people who are seen
as having status in socially acceptable ways (the "checklist"); others are often related
to as either competitors (to be defeated) or suitors (to be seduced). There tends to be
a superficial or formal quality to interactions, though often with undertones of
intrigue (gossiping or a soap opera kind of drama as the style of communicating),
argumentativeness, or there may be an hysterical quality to self-expression.
Something is always held back in relationships to maintain interest and mystery and
an edge Sex is primarily sought after for validation of ones attractiveness and
prowess and secondarily for pleasure. Sexual desires are often experienced as
incestuous. Sexual pleasure and full orgasm are possible, but often avoided out of the
fear of surrendering and appearing vulnerable. Orgasms, when allowed, may take a
long time and a lot of effort.
Structure

This character is well-formed and attractive. Overall alignment is straight, with

possibly some pulling back in the upper body. Sometimes there is a split with a
girlish upper body and a fuller lower body. Movement is graceful. The eyes and the
skin tend to 'radiate' Hair tends to be kept longer than the shoulder, and worn down,
even in a long term relationship and even into middle age. The lips are full.

The pelvis is the most mobile of all character structures, although Lowen believed
that even the hysteric character was beginning to lose mobility of the pelvis in our
society. The belly has a gentle pleasing curve from the waist that flows into the hips
and the mons. (there is not a tight band of constriction above the iliac crests and
pubic bone as there is with most other characters).
Energy
Lowen believed that energy flowed well in this character, but not quite making it to
the very ends of the 'pendulum'. That is, if development is complete in the adult,
energy normally pulsates back and forth between the genitals and the cerebral
cortex. Lowen posited that in female achiever, that the energy made it into the pelvis
but not the genitals, and into the midbrain or limbic system but not the cerebral
cortex. With this energy model, he explained an impressionistic thinking style (not
deficient, but not cortically dominated) and orgasm difficulties despite great sexual
energy.
Another outlet for sexual feeling is in subtle movements, which in this character
often have a definite sexual nuance.
Origins of the Hysteric Character
(Developmental Period 4-6 Years)
Like the male counterpart, this character is believed to have had 'good enough'
nurture up to 4 years of age or the start of the oedipal period. At that point, love
feelings for the father were rejected, and or the mother interfered with this
relationships. This 'heart-break' resulted in a stiffening against disappointment.
Possible Difficulties for the Hysteric Character

Difficulties with sexual satisfaction

Not being taken seriously, despite considerable abilities

Relationships in which the hysteric invests much more than the partner, being
taken for granted.

Physical Characteristics of the Passive-Feminine Male

This character has reached the genital stage physically, but interpersonally a great
deal of masochistic function is lived out. The passive-aggressive male will have a
warmth and poised manner that is attractive to and attracted to strong females but
will have a strong castration anxiety that can only partially be alloyed by submissive
behavior. This makes relationships unstable despite great reasonableness and ability
to cooperate.
The name of this character from a slight physical aspect of femininity that exists
within a very mature physical development. This is very different from an immature
appearing male that looks in a general way like an immature female. The secondary
sexual characteristics only fully develop when a person has reached genitality.
Therefore ironically, a male that has reached the genital stage, such as the passive
feminine male, is more capable of a certain feminine qualities, such as sinuous
movement, than a pre-oedipal character, male or female. This is very different from a
pre-genital male imitating a women's movements. In this latter case the movements,
even if unconscious and certainly if conscious, will be exaggerated, hard, and a
caricature of femininity.
Origins of the Passive Feminine Male Character
(Developmental Period 4-6 Years)
Like all rigid subtypes, this character is believed to have had 'good enough' nurture
up to 4 years of age or the start of the oedipal period. At that point, it is possible that
the father was rejecting, and the mother was accepting of the child generally, and
accepting of most male characteristics but not of aggression or sexual initiative.

Masculine Aggressive Female

Clearly this character structure cannot be discussed, even in the body aspects,
without first addressing the idea of gender and sexism. Our modern culture
encourages women to be successful in 'traditionally male' pursuits. However, the
basics of character are formed by five years of age, and so social learning may reinforce but does not really explain this character.
This character encompasses the idea that a female rigid character may subconciously
identify with the father (seemingly a phallic rigid father) and develop not only the
behavioral competitiveness, but also some male secondary sexual characteristis such
as a lot of body hair. As a rigid subtype, she is attractive as a woman, but will tend to
use her looks in a power way. Mannerisms may be slightly mannish. Psychological
functioning is along the lines of the phallic male.
Origins of the Masculine Aggressive Female Character
(Developmental Period 4-6 Years)
Likeall rigid subtypes, this character is believed to have had 'good enough' nurture up
to 4 years of age or the start of the oedipal period. At that point, the mother was
rejecting and the father was accepting of the child generally, but was dismissive of
feminine traits.

Energy and Movement

In the Reich and Lowen Tradition

Structure, Movement, and Energy

In any healing tradition that includes bodywork, the point has to be

made quickly that there is no exact dividing line between structure,
movement, and energy. All three are necesary to life. Unfortunately, despite
the obvious fact that all actual persons in our lives are readily observed to have all
three, discussing these areas can quickly sound ungrounded, fanciful, circular, even
made up. The best way to understand structure, movement and energy is by
experiencing all three. The second best way to understand them is looking at the
everyday phenomena of life which show their trace. Alexander Lowen led the way in
developing a way to give people both paths to understanding simultaneously. He
called this bio-energetics. I am choosing to call the study of structure, movement,
and energy just 'energetics' to avoid confusion with the entirety of Lowenian
principles.
The Concept of Energy in Psychotherapy
There is a difference between the way a physicist uses the term 'energy', and how a
lay person uses the term. To a physicist, energy is the capacity to do work. To a
physicist, energy doesn't move. Matter moves however, and energy is responsible for
that movement.
To a lay person, energy is the desire to do things, or the feeling that one could do
things with ease. It is also the sensation of something moving in the body. The Reich
and Lowen tradition uses the lay definitions when it speaks of energy. Alexander
Lowen writes:
Life may be viewed as an excitatory phenomenon. We are not ordinary pieces of clay but a
substance that has been infused with spirit or charged with energy. When we become more
excited, our energy level rises. When we become depressed it falls. If we become highly
excited, we light up or luminate and glow. These excitatory phenomena like sexual
excitement are energetic processes. And the lumination or glow that they produce can be
seen. (Depression and the Body Chapter 10, Paragraph 32)

Whenever something desireable is also invisible, there will be many charlatans, both
witting and unwitting. Any reference to energy has to be suspect, because many
charlatans do claim to be able to perceive and manipulate unseen energy. In this
tradition, however, no one is manipulating energy. Rather, individuals are shown
how to free restrictions in their bodies that are likely to result in pleasureable
sensations and ease of action. It is the perceiving individual who must judge for
themselves if what they are experiencing is 'real' and helpful.

Pleasure and Sensation

Often in casual conversation, the terms pleasure and enjoyment are used
interchangeably. However, there is great value in making some distinction. Pleasure
is a biological phenomenon. Enjoyment is a psychological phenomenon. Usually
pleasure is accompanied by enjoyment but not always. Other things besides pleasure
can be enjoyed. What is of interest in this article is pleasure and its role in human
functioning, which I call the pleasure economy.
The Pleasure Economy: The pleasure process was described by Wilhelm
Reich as having 'four beats': physical tension, energetic charge, energetic discharge,
and physical relaxation. Hold ups occur around charge and discharge. Physical
undertakings like sex and eating are obvious examples of the pleasure economy.
Tension and charge with anticipation of pleasureable discharge can be
calledexcitement. An excited state is usually associated with some movement but not
all movements enable discharge, and discharge is not merely a movement. Discharge
and relaxation after sufficient tension and charge brings a desirable state of
experience described under the goal of satisfaction. It is also important
to distinguish discharge from 'release'.
The form of the discharge may be temporally but not logically linked to the
excitement. For instance, play at recess has been long understood to make the
tension of sitting still and paying attention in class not only possible but profitable.
The link between class and recess is a temporal one with tension preceding release in
time, but the tension causing activity is not logically related to the discharging
activity. This is why non-specific 'relaxation' at routine intervals is so valuable-everyone accumulates tension, and if the tension is held indefinitely the tension
become un--dischargeable, even with participation in normally quite pleasureable
activities.
For example, sneezing is a strong discharge which is naturally pleasureable, which
may explain why it is frowned upon in polite society. Laughter, especially 'belly
laughs' is a great discharge, hence the term 'comic relief.' Sleep for those whose sleep
is good serves as a general discharge for tension accumulated during the day--how
else to explain the frequent pleasant, satisfied feeling upon awakening? Crying
(especially sobbing with abdominal and chest movement) is a strong discharge and is
clearly part of the pleasure economy. At times a person will cry after sex when it is
good because crying enhances or completes the discharge.
A great mistake in pleasure is often waiting too long between the tension and
discharge. The connection between the two may be very logical but if too far apart in
time, the discharge may not be possible. Delaying gratification may lead to more
pleasure of course, by increasing the magnitude of the eventual discharge, but there

are limits to this process. That is why great achievements may not provide great or
even modest pleasure.
At this point a distinction needs to be made between the prospect of pleasure (which
may or may by itself involve some positive feeling) and actual pleasure (which is
'cleansing' and satisfying) The prospect of pleasure is of two
types: anticipation and promise. Anticipation is a whole-body phenomenon, it is
excitement with awareness. Anticipating a good meal when one is hungry is itself
pleasureable, but if the meal never comes, frustration may arise. How anticipation
gets misused when there are blocks to pleasure is described in the section
on sensualism below.
Promise (or relatedly, opportunity) is a cognitive recognition that one has obtained
the means for pleasure. The human ego is always concerned about the future. This
has some value in ensuring future conditions conducive to pleasure. This gratifies the
ego and is accompanied by a modest positive feeling that has no real discharge and
which I think is better described as reward or elation. Still, there is a profound
confusion in our culture between actual good feeling and the prospect of good
feelings. If one asks person how they are doing, almost always the reply is some
evaluation of prospects. The difference is lost between the real time recognition of an
activity as pleasureable, and the evaluation of an instrumental activity as gainful in
the future. The two are not intrinsically incompatible, but where the incapacity for
pleasure is present, prospects are illusory. A common example is a driven careerist
who works constantly, fueling the ego with short-lived bursts of reward, in the
process crippling the body's capacity for love or pleasure.
It is said that there are three types of pleasure: sensory, aesthetic, and mastery.
Sensory pleasures are described later on the page. Aesthetic pleasure is present in the
arts. Visual arts and drama can provide real pleasure by ideationally producing
excitement then provoking its discharge. Managing the progression of tension and
then discharge is openly acknowledged to be the skill in these arts. Symphonic music
is in the same category, although it may blend with the sensory. Popular music is
more clearly sensory, It is common for people to feel like dancing when music is
playing. Music provides the excitement and dancing is the discharge that completes
the pleasure. In art, what brings pleasure is known as beautiful. Much modern art
gets away from the beautiful, and while it may then still have a salutary function, it is
not a source of pleasure. Mental pleasure is a term that may refer to the 'prospect of
pleasure' and reward as discussed above, or may refer to aesthetic pleasures. After an
aesthetic excitement, pleasure may need to be completed with another step, such as
in self-directed movement, self-expression, or sex.
Mastery is a pleasure where the tension of addressing a challenge is well matched by
the release of actually doing the activity. 'Flow' is a term that has been coined to
described this pleasureable state at its greatest intensity.

Problems with discharge and relaxation are much more common than
problems with tension and charge. That is, problems achieving enjoyable
release are more common than problems achieving excitement. Excitement is
necessary for pleasure, but not sufficient. This build up of excitement can become
painful, especially if it is considerable and discharge is not available. Excitement
must subside away in the absence of discharge, and while this may be tolerable and
inevitable at times, it is never satisfying. Work often builds tension over the course of
the day. At quitting time there can be a natural release of tension in the body which is
pleasureable. When work consists of extreme vigilance, is drudgery, is resented, or
has no real stopping point, this natural release may not occur. Hence the ritual of
drinking right after work, which provides an artificial release for a time but soon
weakens the natural release, and dependency is common.
Very commonly the inability to discharge leads eventually to an inability to charge.
This the basis of depression and dysthymia. The problem of pleasure in this case
may seem to be lack of good fortune with external events, but it is really an internal
incapacity for pleasure. To a depressed person, normally very exciting things do not
produce the excitement, this is the basis of anhedonia. Relative anhedonia may exist
apart from depressive episodes. A self-depriving ideology may be adopted to make
sense of this pleasurelessness.
Pain While people vary widely in the capacity and search for pleasure, the tendency
to avoid physical pain is almost never disrupted. Pain is associated with contraction
of the body and with the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system.
Pleasure is associated with the parasympathetic branch. One function of pleasure
perhaps is to restore the balance in the autonomic nervous system after inevitable
experiences of pain.
Pain is intellectually and phenomenologically the opposite of pleasure,
but they are not symmetrical in physiological roles.Reducing pain does not
increase pleasure, rather it provides a temporary good feeling and burst of energy
known as relief. Pain and pleasure occurring at the same time does not produce a
neutral feeling, but rather a 'bittersweet' experience in which both things are present
together. If relief is chronically mistaken for pleasure, one might not be aware of how
much pain one puts oneself in usually. Also with pain or injury endorphins are
produced to counteract the pain. Endorphins trick the mind into perceiving that the
body is okay by making the brain feel good.. Endorphins do not provide an
actual discharge and are not part of the pleasure economy. Endorphins can
become part of the pleasure 'psychology' (not pleasure economy) however, since it is
possible to manipulate the brain to be euphoric with 'aerobic exercise' or other
ordeals (cutting, starvation, risk-taking, etc)
The qualitative difference between pain and pleasure also underlies the difference
between medication and psychotherapy. Medication can take away bad feelings
(provide relief) but (disregarding the deceptive short euphoria of drugs used
recreationally) drugs cannot provide good feeling. Psychotherapy, especially body

psychotherapy can both decrease bad feelings and produce good feelings.
Admittedly, therapy is considerably trickier to 'get right' than medication.
Medication may increase the quality of life considerably, and medication (except
perhaps for chronic opiates and benzodiazepines) is compatible with body
psychotherapy.
It is a myth that in sexual masochism, 'pain is pleasureable.' Rather, short modest
pain or strong sensation can act on the musculature to allow a pleasureable discharge
that dwarfs the initial pain. This is confirmed by the fact that pain is only sought out
in very specific circumstances, such as sexual 'scenes', in which pleasure is
appropriate. Endorphins may have a role here also.
Sensory Enjoyment: The senses are involved not just in acquiring information but
in the tension/charge phase of pleasure. All sensory intake that is likely to lead to
pleasure is therefore called pleasant. Pleasant sensations vary in intensity, which is
related to the tension produced. The intensity of a pleasant sensation depends on the
objective qualities of the stimulus but also on the sensory traits of the person-sensitivity, appetite, taste, etc.. Whether the tension of a sensation is welcomed is
rightly related to the possibility of discharge. For instance, a person starting to get
hungry welcomes the smell of good food cooking because he or she looks forward to
discharging the tension in the eating. Someone who is full may find the smell of the
same good food cooking slightly irritating. Any pleasant sensation in judicious
quantities may be considered a good in itself, however, because the reasonable
anticipation of pleasure produces some good feeling by itself. Pleasant sensations are
necessary if not sufficient for pleasure, and so healthy functioning includes the
seeking out and acceptance of such sensations, including novel sensations.
Food is a very basic source of pleasure. Food intake is regulated by the body both in
terms of metabolic properties (calories etc) and in terms of pleasure. In a fine
restaurant, portions are small, because it is understood that a smaller amount of
really good food provides enough satisfaction. This is explainable only in terms of
pleasure. The epidemic of obesity seems related to the consumption of large amounts
of unsatisfying, sweet but mostly bland food. The body will easily overeat in
terms of calories and grams in order to achieve or attempt satiation in
pleasure In the pleasure arena though, quantity cannot make up for quality. Factory
methods of farming bring food prices down but may delete subtle taste factors that
previously provided pleasure. Another condition of pleasure in eating may be just
being truly hungry so that the food really produces excitement, but not being so
ravenous that it is not in the mouth long enough to be tasted. With cheap food and
snacks always available, many people never really get hungry. Salt and sugar may
drive intake but not provide real pleasure (rather just comfort, as described below).
'Insulin toxicity' creates a craving for carbohydrates but this is not a pleasure related
appetite.
Sensory Adaptation: Humans are noted to quickly adapt to pleasant sensation.
For example, a rare tasty food might produce considerable excitement the first time

it is consumed, but if consumed frequently, the excitement drops off. That is why
material prosperity past a minimum seems to have so little permanent effect on
pleasure. A wise person learns not to try to 'force' pleasure by over-consuming. The
same sensation can continue to be pleasant if it is not over-visited. An unwise person
who does try to force pleasure is known as a hedonist, and this gives pleasure a bad
name. Besides over-consuming in quantity, a common hedonistic strategy is to go for
more and more rarefied sensations. As an occasional treat, unusually exquisite
sensations might lead to very deep tension-discharge cycles, but as a steady lifestyle,
they lead to boredom and sensory burnout.
Sensory adaptation as described above is a functional homeostatic mechanism. By
itself, it does not indicate that all 'upgrades' in living are pointless. Better food for
instance can lead to more vitality and satisfactions by other mechanisms than
sensory input, and the same is true of more living space etc.. However, pleasure
and satisfaction do not require escalating consumption or constant
novelty, just reasonable variety. But misadventures do arise when the difference
between excitement and pleasure are not understood, one of which is sensualism.
Sensualism: It is possible to learn to enjoy in some sense a state of charge without
immediate commensurate discharge. In fact, it can become a 'pleasure skill' to build
excitement and delay discharge, because the gratification is greater and more deeply
satisfying. Building excitement seems more elemental biologically and can persist
even when a early negative environmental responses have limit the ability to let go
and discharge excitement. It is much easier to use the will to engage in activities that
bring about excitement then to bring about release. The effect of will on the body is to
decrease feeling, flow, and subtle, involuntary movement, and so discharge of
excitement is hindered or made impossible. There is a distorted approach to
producing good feeling that often develops in this predicament. It involves treating
the anticipatory good feeling of excitement as an end in itself. Alexander
Lowen called this sensualism.
Sensualism results in a need for ever more intense excitement to maintain the partial
good feeling of excitement, and mask the pain of undischarged excitement, which
must ebb away. Completed pleasure provides a feeling of peace and a feeling of
enough, but with sensualism, there is never enough. The inordinate pursuit of
excitement indicates that 'real' pleasure is not being achieved. Sensualism gives
pleasure a bad name, because observers may associate the role of pleasure with a
moral decay or addiction, or erratic behavior, but the opposite is the case. When the
worry is expressed that a person can become 'too attached' to pleasure, it is probably
sensualism that is being referenced.
For there to be pleasure in activity, it has to be the by-product, not the
goal of the activity. The most fundamental example of the pleasure process with
adults of course is sex. The goal of sex is union, (or as some say fusion), but the goal
cannot be achieved if the capacity for pleasure is not intact. Trying to 'mine' sex for
pleasure may work partially, but it falls far short of the potential.

Taste: What is experienced as pleasant varies from person to person, and can
change over time for the person. Something can be sensed as too irritating for one
person and delicious for another. For instance, one person can dread hot chilies and
another seek them out. Sometimes, a person can come to love what they disliked.
However, it is an error to infer from this that tastes (what is found pleasant) is
arbitrary or random or solely the province of conscious human choice. Tastes
change partly because of exposure to sensations, and also partly due to
associations, but largely because the capacity to hold tension or
discharge tension increases or decreases. The set of sensory experiences that
have the potential for pleasure do not really change, although individuals may always
be discovering a new part of it for themselves. There is always a certain subset of
sensory experiences that are 'edgy' that have a potential for high excitement but are
actually painful for those not ready. Very spicy foods and the music of Bartok are
examples. On the other hand, something truly not enjoyable may become a social fad,
but then the term 'taste' becomes a misuse.
Conditioning: Pleasure and pain naturally influence behavior and learning. This
has become, strangely, the foundation of a theory of human functioning called,
broadly, behaviorism, and specifically, 'learning theory.' To reduce the role of
pleasure to merely decisional information misses entirely the role of pleasure in
regulating the body, let alone missing its role in love. Also, in learning theory, no
distinction is made (or makeable) between pleasure and decrease in pain as an
incentive. This can be very misleading, in that, a life in which a person is limiting
pain is seen as progress, when in fact, maneuvers that limit pain often limit pleasure
as well. In fact suppression, by limiting both pleasure and pain, defeats conditioning
which is a healthy process. Human motivation is a compelling subject, in which
pleasure will always be intertwined. The study of motivation is always hampered,
however, if the pleasure function is taken for granted, or if the prospect of pleasure is
used as a proxy.
Pleasure Anxiety: As described elsewhere on this site, to avoid painful or
overwhelming feelings, many people have severe muscle tensions, and an
estrangement from their own bodies. Pleasure, because it produces expansion in the
body and some involuntary movement, is both painful and frightening. The stirrings
of pleasure bring about feelings of unease, guilt, anxiety, incompetence,
disorientation, and loss of control. Many people arrange their lives so as to avoid
even 'the near occasion' of pleasure. This can be a conscious ideology, but it can also
be an unconscious trend that dominates even when there is no conscious effort to
avoid pleasure. The sounds of children and adults having fun can become irritating.
Other common maneuvers to avoid pleasure anxiety (and thereby avoid the
possibility of pleasure) are workaholism, self-deprivation (under the guise of
austerity, efficiency, or purity), addictions, cults, and taking on excessive obligations
that offer little enjoyment. A very insidious form of avoiding pleasure anxiety
is turning possibly pleasureable activities into 'learning experiences.'

Another mechanism for pleasure anxiety may be the ego's unwillingness to lose its
individuality. In intense pleasure, the ego disappears. That is why orgasm is
sometimes known as 'the little death.'
Subjective well-being ('happiness') is a complex phenomenon that
involves pleasure, excitement, elation, comfort, ability to decrease pain,
and purpose. Only pleasure and purpose seem self-regulating. Everyday
experience brings one into contact with people who are getting stuck in the other
four: excitement (party-going, good time people...), elation (people who are always
busy starting some new project or activity...), comfort (food, oral substitutes,
reassurance, sick-role...), and decreasing pain (numbing, dissociation, TV, opiates,
video games...)
Comfort and Comforting
Comfort is a state of relaxation, freedom from pain, ease, and agreeableness of the
physical state. Comfort is a 'sensible' pursuit for it's own sake and for the sake of
reducing and avoiding sympathetic shift. Comfort is a more limited phenomenon
than pleasure however. Comfort is less dynamic and does not support the life
process as much. Comfort is also biased toward sameness rather than newness so it
does not promote growth and learning as much as pleasure. Also, unlike pleasure,
comfort does not have a clear point of 'enoughness' and an over-indulgence in
comfort can work against the life process.
Comforting is a process that at times strays even farther from pleasure and from the
state of the body. Comforting is reducing a discomfort, pain, or anxiety, using some
of the same 'pathways' as pleasure. An example of comforting is eating a particular,
easily digested food when lonely or worried. Another example is talking to a friend
about a worry. A capacity to seek comforting deliberately is part of selfnourishment.
However, comforting, if overused, can be a way to partly numb oneself and become
estranged from the nature of one's problems. Comforting can be an avoidance of
deeper feeling. Oral comforts--smoking, alcohol, drugs, snacking, rapid talking--are
especially prone to this use. One tricky source of comfort can be spending time
generating comforting thoughts--these may just be reassurances to the ego. It is
common for adults to confuse various comforts and the act of comforting with
pleasure, and therefore overlook the gradual loss of pleasure in their lives.

Discharge versus Release

In the Reich and Lowen tradition, the basic guiding format for a 'session'
is charge then discharge. This is simply a straightforward way to re-establish
the pleasure cycle. Charging is generally upward in the body or in the upper body.
Discharge is downward through the body, or in the lower body. Discharge is usually
more blocked than charge. That is why hang-ups are so common. If discharging has
been blocked for a long time, charging may be low, this is an advanced difficulty.
Screaming, hitting, biting, reaching are all actually charging activities, as is
hyperventilation. Kicking, crying, belly laughing, and grounding measures are
discharging activities
Because of Lowen's emphasis on expression and undoing emotional suppression,
another element got added in the tradition that is confusing, and that is release.
Unlike discharge, which is a biological and energetic concept, release is an emotional
or psychological concept. It is possible to experience an emotional release
without an energetic discharge, they are the same. This is particularly the
case in a group format where emotional expression is so prominently a demand
characteristic. If properly understood in emotional terms, a release can lessen blocks
to discharge and can harmonize the body, and ultimately considerable emotional
release will be required in the work. A release without discharge, and without change,
however, is just a catharsis. A hazard of emphasizing expressive work too early is
setting a pattern of charging through emotional release which only provides a brief
mental comforting without change in the body.
If grounding and neuro-muscular development is properly attended to (in therapy or
in one's own self-designed program,) discharge becomes possible and usually
spontaneous. While many people start Reich and Lowen work with both inadequate
release and inadequate discharge, the benefit of release only (which is available also
through conversational traditions) is limited.

Feeling, Sensation, and Emotion

Feeling and Sensation

First, some semantics are in order. All feelings are a perceptions by the mind
of a change in the body.* A change in the body may be a response to what is
happening outside the body (with or without physical contact), or reflect the motility
and internal functioning of the body. The environment is only known by its effect on
the body. A body that is not affected much by the environment has little feeling.
Chronic muscle tension hinders changes in the body and reduces feeling. Selfawareness arises from feeling. It is the totality of all body feelings at any given time.
Feelings are either sensations or emotions, although in the latter case, the feeling is
only part of the emotion..
A sensation is a feeling that has no emotional aspect. Sensations of course can be and
frequently are judged desirable or undesirable, but judgment is not emotion. Pain is
a sensation that usually indicates damage. Pain is a sensation not an emotion but it
often provokes emotion. Sensation varies in intensity and many people find strong or
even medium levels of sensation hard to endure. The mind tends to 'tune out' to all
feeling that it deems unimportant or about which it intends to do nothing. This is the
basis of suppression and denial.Sensation is a reliable union of the body
and the mind since, without a body to experience a change, the mind cannot have a
sensation, and without a mind to sense it, a change in the body produces no
sensation Perhaps this underlies the Buddhist saying "You are sensation."
Emotions affect actions both through the felt and the unconscious aspects, but this is
quite variable from person to person. Muscle tension and emotional armoring
decrease both sensation and emotion, but there may be relative sparing of sensation
since this is neutral and less threatening or conflictual. Chemical intoxicants
(including endorphins) blunt feeling including sensation, but may release some
emotion because emotion is more than feeling. This intoxicated release does no
durable good for the emotional health of a person, because, besides being distorted,
it is not felt.
In English the word feeling is often used as a synonym for emotion. In everyday use
this is probably not confusing, but as will become clearer in the discussion below,
there is a need to distinguish the two to understand the 'emotional economy' of
humans. Also the word feeling is used to mean 'opinion,' 'tentative conclusion' , or
'ideological position.' These extended meanings derive from the definition above
because folk wisdom has always understood that decisions and principles of living
are based on bodily integrity and pleasure. In the modern culture, though, where
unfeeling cognition is promoted, the term feeling can be misused to describe 'fuzzy'
cognition.

Anxiety, though often a feeling, is not an emotion, but rather a holding against
emotion. Anxiety usually provokes the emotion fear because its origin is not
understood and the mind tends to look for threats when anxiety is present. Shame is
a distressing feeling that probably is best not understood as an emotion either.
Anxiety and shame both drive behavior strongly, but the behavior tends to deny,
obscure, and avoid the stimulus unlike the emotions that tend to involve the person
and the stimulus together.
* This is the definition of Antonio Damasio as well as Alexander Lowen The change in the body may still have effects elsewhere in the body, but
this is reflexive or physiological and not a response to sensation

Emotion
Emotions appear in three different realms, subjective experience (feeling), behavior,
and physiological responses (including 'energy'). As such, emotions have the
potential to be very unifying to the person. However, these component aspects of
emotions may vary independently of each other, giving the description of emotional
life a very elusive aspect. Modern study of psychology (even the 'touchy-feely' variety)
often eschews emotional concepts because of this inconsistency. A certain amount of
of inconsistency, however, does not equal randomness and meaninglessness.
Emotions can be understood and that is a basic task in the Reich and Lowen
tradition.
Emotions are at base, involuntary body responses to events or people in
the environment. As reflections of what is happening, they are neither good or
bad, but just are. Examples of emotions are fear, anger, joy, sadness, terror, disgust,
and mirth, among others. The subjective experience of emotion is based upon the
mind's perception of the bodily response. However, the perception is not necessary
for the emotion to be present. All perception requires some movement and change,
and the perception of emotion is no different. If a person is locked into a bodily state,
they may reasonably be said to be locked into one emotion. Eventually the conscious
perception of even this one emotion fades. It is common to see people whose bodily
attitude indicates fear or shame but who are unaware of it subjectively. These
emotion states are still operative however. I use the examples of fear and shame
because overwhelmingly, these are the two emotional states that get 'locked in' easily
because they are contraction-based and contraction is much stickier than expansion.
In humans at least, memory, explicit and implicit, is able to change the bodily state
enough to evoke emotion, and therefore emotion may not reflect the present state of
affairs outside the person. This makes human attachment and bonding possible, and
deep loving relationships would be impossible otherwise. This is the positive side of
internalized object relations. But the imposition of memory into the experiencebody response-emotion loop also makes the trauma response possible.
Stated another way, the emotional (that is body-response) history of the person
greatly affects his or her present response. That is why, at a reunion with a loved and

trusted one, the body is able to experience great joy. Unfortunately, this effect of the
past is greatest where there has been suffering or trauma. Perhaps this is because
contraction is more self-perpetuating than expansion. I call this misfortunate
tendency disappointment.
Emotions are often lumped together and confused with conditioned reactions. Like
all conditioning, reactions are based on past experience and meant to be
anticipatory. The conditioned reactions most often confused with emotion are
defensive ones that increase arousal and initiate fight or flight mechanisms. Early
relational difficulties instill a set of conditioned reactions that tend to make later
social interactions contentious and so the conditioning tends to be self-renewing and
even progressive. While reactions usually have some trigger, they speak far, far more
to a person's history than to the present situation. Because of the irradiating aspect of
conditioning, conditioned reactions tend to be increasingly frequent. 'knee-jerk' and
invariable over time. By contrast, emotion becomes more fine-tuned with maturity
and experience.
Conditioned reactions often produce behavioral displays that are jarring to others.
Strong emotion may elicit displays as well but they will be less jarring to others if
those others are in sync with what is happening. Conditioned reactions do usually
evolve out of difficult to tolerate emotional states such as shame, disgust, fear, guilt,
hopelessness, and helplessness. The reaction is meant to avoid feeling these
emotional states again. There is an inverse relationship between reactivity
and emotion, If the two are lumped together, there will be great confusion about
what is healthy and desirable, and that confusion is evident in most psychotherapy
approaches outside the Reich and Lowen tradition.
The very strongest reactions have been called 'vehement emotion' by Pierre Janet.
These episodes usually present as rage, terror, or panic. Vehement emotions, are not
so much emotion as they are the behavioral manifestations of very high states of
arousal. These reactions are dissociative, and have the following elements: 1) loss of a
sense of self, 2) loss of observing ego, 3) loss of attachment and bonding, and 4) loss
of contact with the body. This is almost the opposite of functional
emotion. Usually the person later repudiates the actions and statements and cannot
or does not integrate the affective tone, even in a more moderate form. These are
actually minor dissociative episodes, from approach-avoidance conflicts or past
trauma.
Frustration is not emotion. Frustration tension in mind and body when a
person is not able to get what they need or want. In early life frustration is
pivotal in emotional development. if experienced in a moderate degree it helps the
establishment of the reality principle. If experienced in a sever degree, normal
development is overwhelmed and a host of maladaptive patterns arise. As a teen or
adult, frustration can result unnecessarily from being too rigid or narrow in defining
what one wants or 'must have'. A creative approach to life implies enough flexibility
to find alternate routes of satisfaction. It is possible to experience frustration but not

know what one wants. Work with self-expression is indicated. A tendency to

frustration is probably increased by an overall state of muscle tension, and this can
become a circle
Emotions are irreplaceable aids to navigating a life, but not just that. The direct
physiological effects of emotions appear central to regulating the health of the human
organism. Facial expressions are associated consistently with the same emotions
from culture to culture, indicating the common biological basis (but of course in
interpreting, the voluntary control of the ego over part of the face is a complication).
Importantly, a great deal of any emotional state is reflected in the body below the
neck.
Increasingly in our culture emotions are considered disruptions or
distractions and not true guides. This is surely misguided. As mentioned above,
the aberrations of the past will at times bring a mismatch between present emotion
and present environment, but this cannot be used to discredit emotion generally.
Everyday observation will confirm that physical vitality, the prevalence of good
feelings, and strong relationships only exist in persons where emotion is freely
expressed. Any given instance of emotion may complicate things, but in the long run,
comfort with one's emotions leads to a certain ease in facing life, and the asset of
conviction.
There is a worry that emotion will undermine self-determination. This arises
mainly in two cases. One is rage, which as a dysregulated distortion of anger which,
like other vehement emotions mentioned above, does merit special care. No
irreversible or hard-to-reverse action should be taken when upset. The other case is
one in which unedited self-expression will displease someone and lead to a unjust
loss. This latter danger exists of course, but it is from toxicity of the other person, and
one should not model a life around navigating it.
Emotion ideally is ahistorical, that is reflecting the present situation only. This avoids
the unnecessary contamination of memory, although it also forgoes the balancing of
'taking into account' the entire positive history of a relationship. While emotions are
ahistorical, a mature person need not be. Emotions are the motor of response not the
steering wheel.
While this will be a controversial generalization, women are more 'in touch' with
emotion than men, on average, and this will affect inclinations on how relationships
and courses of action are pursued. Women have always been depended upon to do
'more than their share' of emotional work for families and groups, and this continues
today even though it cannot be acknowledged as easily. It is considered 'disempowering' to describe anyone, woman or otherwise, as 'more
emotional' since there is an antithesis between emotion (actually all
feeling) and power.

At times, hostility is mistakenly lumped with emotion, which of course gives emotion
a bad name. Hostility is universally recognized as a uncompleted defensive process
that involves fear, perception of threat, and inability to be direct or express one's own
interests directly. Besides the fear, however, hostility is not an emotion but a pattern
of ego response, and the unpleasantness it creates is not due to emotion.
In a free and natural environment, emotions do tend toward action. They
do this by activating, in an incipient sense the muscles, that would be used in the
action. Because emotions have this 'action tendency', they make 'work' (doing things)
possible or easier. However, the exact actions are not a foregone conclusion but
shaped dynamically as the person acts (this is self-possession). Emotions can
explain an action, but they are never justification for an action (except perhaps, the
act of self-expression.)
It is not possible to choose emotions, but it is possible to choose activities that are
likely to elicit emotion. This is why people may go to a happy, sad, or horror
movie. There is no recipe of emotions for well-being, rather it is the
capacity to respond emotionally to what is happening that matters. As
stated above, emotions tend to be prompted by changes in the environment, and
emotions decay in sameness. Some people become very rigid in routines over time.
In avoiding changes they are avoiding emotions. People more comfortable with
emotion may travel a lot or try new things. They are seeking emotion (as well
as pleasure.) Of course, real emotional response is based on really being involved.
Watching a movie affects the body as long as the experience is not to frequent and
taken seriously because the body is 'fooled' into feeling it is real. With a deluge of
entertainment, the body is no longer fooled, only the mind, and so the mind is
affected and the body is detached.
Muscles can be held rigidly in check and this has the effect
of suppressing emotion, selectively at first but globally as muscle tension
forms into rigid patterns--muscular armor. The same mechanism that stops
emotion, muscle tension, also stops pleasure. A tense person may be irritable but this
is a problem with arousal, not true emotion. Emotions like grief or sadness are
associated with the subjective experience of suffering but the greatest suffering of our
time comes from emotionlessness and the accompanying pleasurelessness.
Relationships (those that are not purely practical exchanges) develop through the
sharing of pleasure and exchange of emotion. 'Small talk' has the function of
exchanging emotion without exchanging any significant information. Too much
information crowds out emotion. People low in emotion always have trouble with
small talk because they can only think of communication as the exchange of
information.
Emotion interacts with quite a few things--cognition, memories, autonomic state,
beliefs, pain, and suffering, which all affect emotions, but it is not accurate to state
that these cause emotion. Life causes emotion, to the extent that the person

is living. Emotions are not truly complete or completely felt unless they are
expressed. In humans, language is strongly developed and word choice (symbolic
expression) can go a long way in expressing emotion, but for those that are not great
poets, movement and voice quality are necessary for full expression.
Appraisal
To restate, in our time, emotion is often confused with judgment or appraisal. An
appraisal is a brain-based judgment about the significance, benefit, or detriment of
an event or person in the environment. One type of appraisal in limbic (mid-brain)
based, and implicit. This appraisal makes itself known to the mind through
feeling. The second type of appraisal is cortical (cerebral cortex) and explicit. This
appraisal is free of feeling and has the potential to be 'objective'. In the study of
human behavior, the interaction of the two types of appraisal is of some interest.
Calm cortical appraisal is nowadays often touted as the superior replacement to both
implicit reasoning and emotions. This is of course based on the reduction of
emotions to information (which they partly are) but missing the biological and
relationship building aspects. Limbic appraisal will affect emotions, but mainly
through an effect on arousal. If there is a conflict between limbic and cortical
appraisal, limbic appraisal seems to win usually, but the person may believe they are
following cortical appraisal. Both types of appraisal certainly affect behavior
and mood.
To the extent that the ego has a definite idea of the way things should be, there is
often a perturbation of the mind when things aren't this way. Again, this is a
cognitive product, an appraisal, not an emotion, although there may be underlying
fear. Interestingly enough, TV sitcoms are almost always based on this perturbation
rather than feeling.
Related also is adult frustration. Frustration is a state of tension in mind and body
that arises when a drive is blocked. In early life, drives are instinctual and seek basic
human needs and wants. Frustration in this arena, if excessive, is unfortunate, and
Reich and Lowen wrote extensively about the sequelae. If early frustration is modest,
the experience is part of development. However, in either case, frustration is not
chosen. However, emerging from childhood, drives may become misdirected, or
focused on what is seen a means to an end. When there is a rigidity and inability to
turn to other objectives, the tension is related to an appraisal of 'what must be' This is
adult frustration, which is voluntary, unlike emotion which is involuntary. See the
section on desire.
Cognitive therapy attempts to make life better by managing cortical appraisal, but in
so doing, reduces life to just voluntary instrumental behavior. To be fair, inaccurate
appraisal clearly has a role in suffering, but the solution to re-regulating appraisal is
more spontaneous emotion, not less.
The Symbolization of Emotion

Humans are able to represent experiences in words and ideas. This is part
of symbolic thought. Emotions are more than experiences, but at least the
experience of emotion can be represented symbolically. It allows much greater
versatility in interacting with others. For instance, it is possible to say "I am angry" to
another without any physical action. This is considered part of maturity. The capacity
for symbolic thought and expression is considered vital in children. Children are
counseled "use your words" at a very young age to hopefully hasten the process. The
understanding of experience can certainly be enhanced by having that experience
named.
Symbols are useful if the people using them have regular contact with the actual
thing. A potential problem with language and intellect is that symbols can take on a
life of their own and continue to be used where the experience symbolized has faded
or never been experienced. Words naming emotions can become meaningless or start
to be used to merely denote elements of justice or morality. A foundational
undertaking in the Reich and Lowen tradition is bringing actual emotion into a
session and into a life. The composure which is a by-product of the symbolization of
emotion is not itself bad, but it has nothing to do with self-possession, which is
based on 'holding' (as in possessing, different from holding back) emotion, not
distancing from it. At times, it is necessary to block devitalized and hollow verbal
expression to allow attention to fall on a bodily state and an experience. Importantly,
the bodily effects of emotion cannot be replaced by symbols.
A Visual Depiction of Emotion as Body Feeling
I have come across a Finnish study that used subject reports to map where feeling
was increased and decreased during particular emotions. As far as I know, these
researchers had no Reich and Lowen affiliation, but their model is in surprising
agreement. Here is the graphic they produced. Notice that these researchers have
included the powerful feeling states of anxiety and shame as emotion.

People drew maps of body locations where they feel basic emotions (top row) and more complex ones
(bottom row). Hot colors show regions that people say are stimulated during the emotion. Cool colors
indicate deactivated areas. // Image courtesy of Lauri Nummenmaa, Enrico Glerean, Riitta Hari, and
Jari Hietanen. From: Bodily maps of emotions Lauri Nummenmaa, Enrico Glerean, Riitta Hari and
Jari K. Hietanen Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America
(PNAS) Retrievable as http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/12/26/1321664111.full.pdf

The colors indicate nothing about the 'valence' (pleasantness or unpleasantness) of

an emotion but only the location and amount of feeling. The contrast
between happiness (full of feeling) and depression (numb) is both visually striking
and certainly confirmatory of Alexander Lowen's formulation. Also notice that the
feet have strong feeling only in happiness ('joy') love, anger and to a lesser
extent,fear. The upward displacement in pride really stands out. Abundant further
observations can be made by the reader and compared to Lowen's descriptions.

Moods

Moods are states of the body that are different from emotions in that they are more
durable and less changeable. Moods shape thought rather than action. Moods
seem a product ( but not just a cognitive product) of the difference between perceived
challenges and perceived capacities and resources to meet these challenges. If there
is perceived to be a surplus, the mood is good; if a deficit, the mood is bad. That is
why folk wisdom knows that people tend to be generous when the mood is good and
stingy when the mood is bad. A common exclamation when the mood is bad is "now
what?" because an obstacle is perceived to tip the 'balance sheet' further into deficit.
Moods are forward looking. Because they reflect feeling about prospects they can,
unlike emotion, be said to be positive or negative along a spectrum. Moods act to bias
thought. Unlike emotions, moods can be quite distorted, both about capacities and
challenges. Resulting cognitions may at times be unrealistic.
Perhaps that is why undertaking deliberately to change moods, for ourselves and
others, is so common. Think of the phrase "cheering someone up." Moods are
human, but unlike emotions are not really necessary. The more one lives in the
present with good contact, the less role moods play. Emotions influence mood, and
of course moods influence emotion, but mostly in the aspect of intensity. A pleasant
mood is not a mood that directly brings pleasure but one in which enough openness
is present to allow one to experience pleasure.
Examples of mood (from most positive toward negative) are mania, elation,
encouraged, hopeful, neutral, dour, discouraged, desperate. Addiction is a dedication
to directly manipulating mood. Addiction over time decreases emotion and increases
the extremity and variability of mood--this is moodiness.

Anger the Valid and Healing Emotion

Right now, at the outset, I would like to make an important

distinction between, on one hand, a healing emotion, anger, and on the other hand,
a destructive force I call rage. When most people speak of anger problems,
anger management, or fearing someones anger, they are speaking
about rage. Rage is a destructive action. It's only possible outcome is to break
someone or something.
The most fundamental reason that a self-protective impulse emerges as
well-possessed anger in some and distorted rage in others is
physiological. Rage results from the impulse of self-protection being forced
through the 'fight-or-flight system, that is, mediated through the sympathetic
nervous system. Anger, on the other hand, is mediated by the ventro-vagal
'social receptivity' system, part of the parasympathetic nervous system. The
autonomic nervous system is not under immediate conscious control, but it can be
purposely shifted over time toward relaxation and social engagement. which is what
much of this website is about. Although the goal of this page is the understanding of
the healing and beneficial qualities of anger, it is necessary to have one's mind put at
rest about violence. To this end, rage is discussed rather thoroughly in the box below,
so that a more confident discussion of true anger may follow.
__________________________________________________________
Rage
Rage is not so much an emotion as it is an activation of the emergency
defense system. Three broad biological conditions are involved: 1) the fight or
flight system of the sympathetic nervous system is activated, 2) certain, conflict
recognition areas in the limbic (emotional) brain are triggered, and 3) the executive
part of the cortex (orbito-frontal) loses contact with the previously mentioned limbic
areas.
In human affairs, rage causes problems because it can be activated not just in rare
life-or-death situations, but much more frequently in situations of social threat. The
repeated physiological and neurological cascade of rage over-develops these
pathways and disconnections with each episode. Eventually every self-protective
impulse is pulled into a rage response. Secondarily, but no less important to
'recovery,' the interpersonal havoc that ensues unfortunately in many ways increases
the tendency to rage through the psychology of shame and resentment, and
sometimes through the acquisition of power.
Rage is not just really intense anger Based on the biological mechanisms
mentioned above, rage or rage episodes have five universal, qualitative, and defining
characteristics:

Suddenness In a fight or flight reaction, the adrenal glands pour potent

chemicals into the blood that highjack the body and mind immediately. This is
unlike true anger, which works through the parasympathetic system and takes
minutes or even hours to develop. That is why people sometimes say I'm
getting angry but never say, I'm getting enraged

Irretrievability It is the nature of the fight or flight system that once the
chemicals are released the biological state will persist for an hour or more,
even if soothing maneuvers are begun immediately, and much longer if
antagonizing activity is pursued (which is usually the case) Once rage 'blows'
no words or thoughts or consequences will change it. True if the consequences
are severe (like arrest) sometimes actions can be crudely controlled, but the
internal state remains unchanged. Even if the 'cause' of the upset goes away,
the rage will persist. If an unrelated activity has to be done (like going to work)
the rage will carry over to the new situation.

Loss of Contact With rage, vision, perception, empathic feeling, and

subsequent memory are diminished and distorted. That is why there is the
folk expression 'blind rage,' and psychologists speak of 'dissociative rage.'
After a rage, the rager often truly does not know or remember what happened
(which of course aids denial.)

Loss of Self With rage, all prior history in a relationship is lost. All principles
and beliefs the rager has developed in life are inaccessible. Any previous
agreements, sincerely made or not, are repudiated.. Human bonding,
attachment, histories of good-will or shared pleasure are denied. The rager is
temporarily without personality, a defensive entity at war with the world.

Loss of Behavioral Control With rage, there is a certain amount of

start/stop activity, but true control is more about guidance and achieving a
desired result through just the right force and direction of movement. With
rage, there is no ability to guide and really no desired results. Rather
movement is either 'destroy' or 'hold back'. Holding back is physically painful.
If the rage is strong, holding cannot last and destruction happens.

The Role of Denial, Resentment, and Revenge

Rage's most common role these days is as an adjunct to denial. Denial is not
accepting that something that has happened has actually happened, or
not accepting that a situation is actually occurring. Denial is natural with
large losses. Sometimes it takes time to take something in. But if a reality threatens
an illusion, time alone may not overcome denial. It is common to accept something
conversationally but not accept it emotionally or not accept the implications. If this
goes on too long, the person is living unrealistically. Ongoing denial is never
stable, the actions and statements of other people will threaten it, and
when this happens, fight-or-flight dynamics and rage usually erupt. After

the rage subsides, denial reforms, perhaps even strengthened by shame

about the outburst. Other people affected by the rage learn not to challenge the
denial. This is a self-perpetuating process.
Resentment is related to denial. While denial proper is the non-acceptance that
something has happened,resentment is the non-acceptance that something
'should have' happened. The most justifiable reason for the position hat
something should not have happened is believing that it happened through the illwill of somebody else (and should be reversed by some imaginary judge). That is why
resentment is made known to others through blaming tendencies, and can take on
the character of paranoia.
Non-acceptance can also lead to attempts to 'undo' Undoing can only be symbolic of
course, even if actual actions with actual effects occur. Revenge (mostly fantasized
but sometimes carried out) is one form of undoing. The results never satisfy because
the original offense still must be accepted. (Retaliation is a punishing action that may
be driven by the psychology of revenge or driven by pragmatics.)
Resentment and revenge are psychological defenses in that they are ways
to hide an unmet need or desire that is painful to acknowledge. To get past
resentment, it is necessary to discover and admit what one really wants or wanted.
Some true anger may emerge, but likely great sadness and shame. This is self-focus
as opposed to the other-focus of resentment. While the energy behind resentment is
the distorted self-protective impulse that would otherwise emerge as anger, the
content of resentment can sometimes be logically rather distant from the unmet
need--this is the way with psychological defenses. However, exploring resentments
honestly with a self-focus will reliably lead to the root.
Resentment, denial, addiction, and rage all contribute to each other. Resentment is
so closely related to both addiction and rage, that one wonders whether resentment
ia physiological as well as a psychological state. In any case, resentments ensure that
self-protection is shunted to rage, because true anger requires acceptance that what
has happened has happened.
Precipitating Situations for Rage

Survival In a literal sense, lethal threats are rare in our society, and even
then, rage may be less effective then a 'cool' escape plan. However, where early
experience has included abuse or insecurity, any social problem can take on
survival characteristics. Even something very ambiguous, like a 'weird look'
from someone, can seem threatening.

Shame Shame is feeling inadequate and unable to justify one's existence.

Undiluted, it is an intolerable feeling, and rage is often an escape from the
feeling (but of course a future cause of shame)

Abandonment Being 'left out' is devastating from a child's standpoint, and

many adults still feel that way. Sometimes a temporary separation, like a
partner going to work, can trigger a reactive rage. Even a difference of opinion
can be a trigger.

Exposure This is where events uncover evidence that something denied is in

fact true.

Power and Control Rage usually develops strongly as a pattern from the
reasons above, but since rage intimidates others, a secondary re-enforcement
can come about. This is most evident in domestic abuse. Rage is self-induced
by mulling over resentments, or erupts when the feeling of losing control
arises.

Dis-inhibition Rage can become a source of an adrenaline high. Like power

and control, this is a secondary pattern built on the first four precipitants.

The destructive consequences of rage are well-known. If rage happens more than
once or twice a year, it will dominate the dynamics of any relationship.
Given the characteristics of rage described above, the following basic implications
seem to apply to efforts to address rage. (Finer, more far-reaching suggestions are
listed after that)

Once rage has erupted, absolutely nothing except soothing and decreasing
stimuli is of any use. This is the basis of the timeout procedure taught in
'anger management' classes. Any discussion of issues is counter-productive,
including discussing the effects of rage on others. Breaking off contact is
almost always best. Slight increments of better composure do not indicate the
rage is ending.

Rages are not willed and so will-power cannot conquer rage. However, selfdetermination can lead to choices that restore balance and harmony in he
self-protection system and 'short-circuit' rage. This is the idea underpinning
the 'ultimate solutions section below.

Rage may explain actions, but never justifies them. To learn, we all must be
responsible for the products of our actions, even when there are involuntary
aspects.

Where a rage tendency exists, there is no point in trying any relationship

improvement strategies like family counseling, new activities, agreement and
bargains, etc.. because none of this will transfer to the rage state. Rage has to
be changed first.

Drug and alcohol use, whether it seems to be a problem by itself, greatly

increases the three physical conditions of rage and should cease. Rage and
addiction often co-exist and if so, they have to be addressed simultaneously.

The impulse for others to tip-toe around the raging person will be strong and
almost automatic, but unless safety contra-indicates it it, rage should be
addressed the first time and every time. Rage is a 'huge deal' that will escalate
when accommodated.

Certain conditions, like brain injury, may mean rage is not changeable, but
secondary patterns and effects can be prevented by understanding.

Rage hurts others, but it is not a moral issue like cruelty. To confront it from
the moral high ground is just to increase the shame dynamic.

Rage dynamics trample context. No 'making sense' of the rage, or things said
in a rage, should be attempted because it is just crazy-making.

Safety sometimes demands force be used to restrain a raging person, but

punishment produces resentment which of course strengthens the rage
pattern.

Denial, although it has to be overcome, is not a sign of moral depravity, but

part of the rage.

Ultimate Solutions

Decrease sympathetic shift. Increase the ventral vagal or social

engagement system.

Increase behavioral control by increasing fine-motor control Bodywork,

Pilates, or yoga are excellent for this. Martial arts may also help, provided the
instructor is attuned to the fine-motor aspects. Brain Gym exercises are also
helpful. All these modalities strengthens the connection between the executive
areas of the cortex and the limbic system.

Identify Resentments and Replace Them with real engagement and

problem solving with the people involved. The fourth step of the 12-step
system has a template of sorts for this, but this is not the only way.

Increase True Anger as described in the sections below this box on rage. Of
course, where rage has been a tendency this will be doubly tricky

Decrease Shame. This is a topic in itself but some ideas are listed in these
sections under self-nourishment and respect. Shame is the engine of
denial.

______________________________________________
Beyond the distinction with rage, anger has a tricky role in social norms and
interpersonal relations, as the paragraphs below discuss. Unlike rage, anger is
grounded in acceptance. Not 'accepting' in the sense of permitting mistreatment,
that is submission not acceptance. But anger is not about undoing what has
happened and what is, although anger is sometimes about re-doing it.
Anger is not negativity, which is a tendency toward criticism, sarcasm,
and judgment, sometimes delivered in a hostile manner but without
any real emotion. Negativity is a defense against anxiety and unwanted emotion.
Expressing negativity, however, is not satisfying, not healing, and damaging to
relationships. Negativity often covers up an inability to act assertively. Negativity can
also be a means to avoid real disappointment and hurt, by anticipating it in advance,
like a broken clock. Willingness to bring up an uncomfortable issue is not negativity.
Anger is commonly confused with a loss of control. It is rage, however, that
results in lack of control. Rage is also recognizable by the irrationality and
disorganization. A person in a rage is usually unable to state what they want. Anger
tends to bring a clarity and focus. An angry person may ask for more than what is
practical, but what an angry person asks for will be rational. Still, even true anger
may be somewhat disorganizing at first if anger has been suppressed. Anger can
always 'flip' to rage if the person is overwhelmed It may be beneficial to work with
anger first in a controlled setting like therapy. Anger, when a person is ready to
own it, often spurs actions that positively 'take control' of a life or
situation.
Anger is also confused with the desire or actuality of punishing someone.
Putting aside all dubious arguments of whether it can beneficially change behavior,
the act of punishment is not the logical result of anger but an attempt to be rid of
anger (or more likely, painful rage). In fact violence, including verbal violence, arises
from either rage, or a need to quickly as possible discard strong feelings we cannot
yet tolerate.
Similarly, anger is confused with blame. Blame is placing the responsibility for
one's actions and feelings on another person. Anger does not transfer responsibility
to the target. Blame also functions as an attempt to punish.
Loss of control, punishing actions, and blame all have to do with the
intense other-focus of rage. Anger, on the other hand, brings a self-focus. Selffocus means an awareness of our feelings, our desires, our needs, and our
foundation. Others do not get the worst of it when we are able to self-focus. On the
contrary, the other- focus of rage dehumanizes others into perceived monsters. Anger
humanizes others.
Anger is not shouting or screaming. Rather these effects on the voice are from
rage and fear, which tighten the throat.. True anger deepens the voice slightly, and

adds a resonance which draws attention to itself and leads others to take the
communication seriously.
Anger also is not hostility. Anger is warm (sometimes hot), has a specific
concern, and impels one toward the provocation. Hostility is cold, consists of a global
attitude against a person, and generally includes withdrawal. Hostility arises when
there has been betrayal or betrayal is feared. Hostility is often driven underneath by
past attraction or subconscious attraction
Anger is also confused with 'establishing the moral high-ground'. Many
only feel they can express upset and protest when someone has done something
'morally' wrong. It is taking a victim role, and expecting that role to compel the other
person. That is, they can get angry against someone, but not angry for themselves.
This leads to negativity and a critical attitude that attempts to make personal
interests, which are legitimate, into moral law, which they are not. This is focusing on
faults and not solutions. Moreover, there is a loss of self-focus.
Anger starts as a self-protective impulse. If the impulse results in
contraction, the emotion is fear. If the impulse results in expansion, the
emotion is anger. If there is contraction, then explosion, then partial
recontraction, this is rage. If the threat is strong, fear is realistic and protective, but
not healing. Most complex social threats faced today naturally elicit elements of both
anger and fear.
In the therapy community, there has arisen a slogan that anger is a 'secondary
emotion that covers fear" Anger is not secondary to fear, it is secondary to
threat, as is fear. Fear is often preferred by other people because it is less socially
disruptive and less likely to be destructively distorted as described above and below.
Still, in the therapeutic context it has be admitted that the threat that provokes
the self-protective impulse is often self-imposed. The anger cannot be
productive because the person is at war with themselves. In these instances, the
threats need examining and not confronting, and this perhaps can be 'more coolly'
done from 'the fear side.' But fear is not in any way morally superior to
anger, and should not be seen as a preferable state apart from the
context.
There are two main categories of self-imposed threats: ego-image,
and self-negation.When the accurate observations and adult behavior of others
threatens false self-mages, protective protests are self-defeating and misdirected. A
clue is defensiveness. With true anger, one doesn't doubt one's legitimacy. It is
necessary to distinguish righteous anger from 'self-righteous' (really 'ego-righteous')
anger. Also irritable explosions may result when one waits too long to take care of
oneself. For example, we want to leave to go somewhere but we are 'too polite' to
interrupt someone talking to us, thinking we can wait it out. Resentment builds. It
may explode, or the resentment is carried along to the next setting because it has
built up in our body.

While anger is an emotion that informs and energizes action, it is never a

justification for an action. Few of us have the ability to hold and experience
anger calmly enough to allow anger to participate in a humane but honest response.
Anger doesn't keep wellwhen denied it turns into buried or partly buried rage, and
resentment.
Anger occurs in a relationship. If some friction has occurred with a stranger, the
anger that arises puts the two people into some type of relationship, if they are
capable of it. If they are not, then often there is rage instead. It is relationship which
will put a cap on destructiveness. Anger is not rejection, it is the opposite of rejection
(not the only opposite of rejection, but one indispensable opposite of rejection.) An
angry confrontation almost always strengthens a relationship if the two parties can
avoid drama and rage. Anger can bring honesty and realness where there has been
acting and superficiality. 'Make-up' sex has long been known to usually great because
the preceding anger has cleared away much of the falseness and distance in the
relationship.
Anger is not intrinsically inappropriate, it is a strong emotion for strong
situations. Some people are to accept the existence of anger, but strongly
question the wisdom of its expression. That is, they have a hard time even
imaging any positive effects from bringing it into their relationships. Cannot goals,
even assertive goals, be achieved another way? Anger is not a tool to achieve
goals. Cannot wrongs be addressed 'peacefully'? Anger is more than conveying the
information of an injury. It is also more than registering a protest on ethical
grounds. Anger is a biological process which restores vitality and
interpersonal contact. A goal for many in this culture is to convey the most
information with the least biological activation. That is a mistaken goal.
Anger is not 'resolved' by managing outcomes, but is discharged (or
'dissolved') by taking congruent steps. Discharging anger is a biological
function that occurs mainly through the lower body. Verbal expression may
adequately discharge anger if the ego is identified with the body and the anger, and
the body's alignment allows for grounding.
True anger is a natural response to injury or intrusion. The motives of
others who injure or intrude may vary quite a bit, but the response of anger is still
natural, and just as healing. Many of us have trouble expressing anger toward good
people or family. We may feel that anger is not 'justified' toward others who may
have our best interests at heart. Anger, unlike punishments or other actions, is an
emotion and does not require justification. When our ability to express anger is
regained in relationships, others may perpetuate the confusion by acting like they
have been punished. The key is not to try to achieve justification, but to achieve
connection.
Anger is often displaced. That is, it is vented on someone else with flimsy
justification. It is possible to make a complete circle of displacement. For instance

a man may vent his anger at his co-worker on his wife, and his anger at his wife on
his co-worker. While this seems to cover all the bases, it avoids really feeling and
identifying with the emotion, and avoids getting closer.
An inability to express anger to the appropriate person contributes to an
inability to express love. Anger is the trickiest interpersonal tool available, no
doubt about it. Every child quickly learns that some people cannot accept their anger.
Perhaps it will beall the people in their lives. Since anger is involuntary, the child
comes to see him- or herself as unacceptable. One seeming way out of this dilemma
is to become nice.
Niceness is no substitute for love, and in fact, it usually gets in the way of
love. Niceness is based on withholding true feeling, and while that makes sense with
strangers, and in casual or business relationships, it is disastrous if used extensively
in close relationships. Niceness covers up anger a lot more poorly than people think.
The anger comes out in distorted form, such as withholding, negativity, passive
aggression, resentment, righteousness, and playing a victim role. An additional
reason that anger is denied is that admitting anger means having to do something
constructive about it.
There is a saying about detoxifying the effects of unprocessed anger: "Claim it, tame
it, aim it."

Claiming means accepting the legitimacy of one's self-protective impulses

and recognizing the effects of anger stirring somewhere in the body and in the
self. Describing injuries and injustices one has experienced may be legitimate
but this is not claiming anger. There is a mistaken cultural norm to try to fix
all things without any anger. Anger, however, when appropriate, is necessary
for healing and self-building.

Taming means shifting the self-protective impulses from

the sympathetic or rage system to the ventral-vagal or social engagement
system. This usually means some bodywork. Taming also means developing
the capacity to hold anger long enough to shape it into a humane response.

Aiming means channeling the energy of anger through the social engagement
system to address the cause for the anger. It is movement toward a
constructive goal. 'Stewing' with anger is not aiming! Perhaps aiming will
include protest, but complaining in a way that makes it clear that the
complainer is not prepared to participate in a solution is called whining, and
this also is not aiming.

Fear

A distinction needs to made between a threat and fear. A threat is any force, entity or
process that can impair the integrity of an organism or end its existence. Fear is
an autonomic and bodily contraction that can be one response of higher animals to
a threat. Fear has an affective component (like most bodily changes) and can
properly be called an emotion. Anger is also an affective response to a threat
characterized by a bodily expansion, and it too is an emotion. Any actual response to
a threat will be driven by anger, fear, or instinct. In humans, love is also a possible
basis for a response, but it is naive to believe that this is suitable for all threats or
even a large fraction of threats.
In humans, with attachment and emotional needs as well as survival needs, threats
can be infinitely complex. So complex, that it is understood that what seems at one
moment to be a threat may in another moment is seen clearly not to be a threat. This
cannot be overgeneralized though, there are some threats, even social ones, that are
basic and cannot be reappraised away. Examples are abuse, bullying, humiliation,
and betrayal. Still the point has to be taken that sometimes, the bodily response of
either fear or anger is not needed.
Fear is realistic if the threat is strong. Fear has four stages in order of severity: alert,
shrinking, freezing, and dissociating Fear might or might not engage the fight or
flight system. Fear needs also to distinguished from defense, although in the animal
world freezing is known as a defense. As stated above, most modern threats are social
ones The best approach to such threats may be the ventral-vagal social
engagement system which is compatible with both anger or fear (if neither is
severe.)
It is a fashionable trend now in therapy and personal growth to encourage
participants to "discuss their fears." What is really meant is discuss their threats.
This naturally is wise as threats can be put in perspective and some will evaporate,
and practical solutions to other threats will gel. However, in this trend it is implied
that fear, apart from lethal threats, is actually a mental mistake. (And also, that anger
is both a mental and a moral mistake.) It is proposed that social threats be
'understood' away. Fear and anger are both involuntary responses, and if the intellect
is employed to discredit them, this is dissociation.
If one endures fearful threats past a point, the contraction becomes fixed. Young
children are very vulnerable, and may be subject to threats that adults do not
appreciate. The contracted state of muscles is stickier than the expanded state. Once
contraction takes hold, in the absence of bodywork, it may be more or less
permanent. However, the feeling of fear leaves the mind, but an interpersonal style
develops that is vigilant and suspicious. The threats are being anticipated
unnecessarily to 'make sense' of the body's condition.

For this reason, it is sometimes said that fear is living in the future (and therefore,
again, a mental mistake). But the fear has a present basis in the state of the
body. As long the body is contracted this way, cognitive work to debunk
the sufferer's conception of what is the threat will have meager results
and widen the split between the mind and the body. We naturally have an
interest in combating fear through safety, either by a protected environment or by
knowing what will happen. But safety cannot be achieved completely, especially for
social threats.
A useful analogy is the comparison of a house cat and a sheep. The cat stays relaxed
in the midst of activities and other creatures. Only when another creature comes very
close and acts threatening does the cat react, usually by showing claws or taking a
'fighting stance'. The cat can run but it is not its first move. The cat immediately
relaxes when the threat is far enough away. A sheep on the other hand, cannot
defend itself except by fleeing or going unnoticed. Therefore sheep are always restless
and on guard always for threats. Potential threats are fled before they are close
enough to really evaluate. The point is that it is not anticipation, but the ability to
fight that provides a sense of safety.
Now of course for humans' fighting may be unwise where there is the possibility of
real bodily harm. But in the social arena, everyone can learn to fight manipulation,
disrespect, shaming, humiliation, betrayal, being cheated etc. If one is prepared to
fight these, it is not necessary to be constantly on the lookout for them. Chronic fear
is closely related to suppression of feeling.

Holding Back, Suppression, and Repression

Perhaps the most important concept in the entire Reich and Lowen tradition is
suppression of feeling and impulse. This is not just a matter of hiding information
or sentiments, it is an actual impedance of the flow of charge in the body. An impulse
is an incipient action that arises in the muscles as a state of preparation for action,
and in the mind as an urge to do something. Impulses are a manifestation
of emotion. A very young child probably carries out all impulses to the extent he or
she is actually physically able to. As a person matures, they are expected not to carry
out every impulse, this is self-possession.
Holding back is using conscious choice judiciously to not fulfill an impulse. The mind
is still aware of the impulse, the urge is still there. If this is not too frequent, the
musculature that was primed subsides into relaxation and the impulse also leaves the
mind. It is known that if an impulse is strong or persistent, doing something else
physical will displace it, in the musculature and therefore also the mind. In fact,
some people are known as 'impulsive' because of sudden 'thoughtless' actions, but
these impulsive acts in an adult are usually undertaken to 'get away' from the real
impulse. A continuous environment that steadily provokes natural impulses but
punishes their expression is stressful. Many families meet this criteria, as do many
modern jobs. But holding back is usually a transient state because the person can
take other actions to handle whatever was provoking the impulse. These other
actions are driven by a modified impulse. Maturation is a process where the impulses
that are provoked by common stimuli change over time to be more responsible and
social. Holding back is not required, the mature impulse can be followed most of the
time.
However, with the consolidator or masochist character, holding becomes fixed
because it is evoked by such a broad range of impulses. The state of continually
holding keeps the impulse alive, and so there is a stalemate with decreased action but
strong urges which usually produces a state of anxiety. Muscles may hypertrophy but
mostly are not unduly contracted.
Where impulses are at an early age a cause of fear, suppression occurs. Suppression
is a strong contraction in the musculature against an impulse. Not only is the action
not carried out, but the muscle cannot prime for the action due to continuous
contraction. Suppression can be transient, but usually it is frequent and so becomes
continuous and global. The contracted muscles can be used for instrumental action,
but this is a matter of will not impulse. The look and feel of spontaneity is lost. This
is muscular armor. The natural urge to do things is lost in the mind also, and
becomes replaced with other motives. Desire is more than impulses but when
impulses are lost, desire fades. The contraction in the muscles also decreases
sensation, especially proprioception. The strongest evidence for this is the
observation that when muscular spasticities are loosed, impulses and sensory

vividness increases. Also, it can be observed that true spontaneity (not erratic
unpredictability) coexists only with graceful easy movement.
Another mechanism of suppression, especially of feeling and memory, is gating in
the nervous system. This is emphasized in the work of Arthur Janov. All sensory
input from the body subject to gating or blocking on its way 'upstream' to
consciousness. Gating is where the output of a neuron is less than the sum of its
inputs, due sometimes to biochemical ceilings on neuron capacity but mostly due to
neurotransmitter interaction. A great deal of gating occurs in the brain stem below
consciousness. If it did not happen at all, the mind would be overwhelmed with
routine information of physiological functioning etc.. However, brainstem gating
varies from person to person and time to time. When arousal and sympathetic tone is
high, more raw input gets through, when arousal is low and parasympathetic tone is
high, less input gets through. Remember, input is both information and charge.
Ideally gating enhances functioning by 'cleaning' the signal and enhancing the
'signal-to-noise' ratio. Meditation may work by enhancing below-consciousness
gating in a way that is somewhat quietistic but improves clarity.
Gating is naturally also prominent in intense, painful, or prolonged stimuli.
Endorphins, other painkillers, serotonin, drugs of abuse, alcohol, nicotine, sugar,
self-mutilation, and many other elements have a role in gating. In this way, volitional
intent can be brought to bear on gating. This internationality is even more evident in
excessive activity. Instrumental activity and distraction both seem to crowd out
unwanted feeling via gating. That perhaps is why our culture has become so busy and
so involved with spectacle. Gating of course is dissociative. Likely, obsessive
compulsive behavior is a maneuver to enhance or shore-up gating.
Concentration is also a means of gating that has an origin more in the mind than
brainstem. Deep concentration means the exclusive of all other awareness.
Gating is involved in backward masking. It has been shown certain stimuli of the
right quality suppress at least the memory and possibly the effect of an earlier
stimulus. Think of the act of gasping and holding the breath after something
frightening. It seems likely that muscular stimuli are able to backward suppress
autonomic system or gut feelings, possibly more so because of greater myelination in
the voluntary nervous system.
Meditation, besides its relaxation and other effects, seems to 'open gates' and work
against suppression. That is responsible for much of its benefit but also that is why
some individuals are overwhelmed and have 'psychotic-like' reactions to meditation.
It may be advisable for people to build up the energetic capacity of the organism
before attempting meditation as a means of ungating
Muscular armor certainly works together with gating and perhaps it somehow works
through gating. Gating may lead to a back-up of nervous 'pressure' that can
overwhelm or leak, which produces anxiety. An interesting theory is that for some,

epileptic seizures discharge this backlog all at once and 'reset the gates'. Electroshock
therapy, interestingly, is an induced epileptic seizure. Slow or incomplete nerve
myelination in development or demyelinating diseases may have some role in
suppression.
Leaking is a slang term for the negative behavioral and interpersonal effects that are
wrought by suppressed feelings and impulses making their way to the surface in
distorted form. Leaking through projection is very common. Suppression is not
elimination. Jungian shadow is a concept devised to explain characterological
suppression and leaking through reactivity.
With suppression, real maturation never occurs. Ego defenses remain primitive
because the full spectrum of adult feelings never reach the ego. People learn prosocial behavior but it has to be intellectually driven because impulses have dropped
out of the picture and are not developing. Mentally driven behavior often has
resentment lurking behind it. No action gets the intended result all the time. When
actions have been driven by natural impulses, there is still peace of mind because the
person knows he did what he wanted to do. When actions are driven by intellect or
precepts, what the person does is indeed what the person chose to do but it cannot be
what they wanted to do. Any imperfect result leads to blame and other-focus. It
might be objected that impulses are dangerous, after all do we all not have impulses
to kill somebody? This is frequently just hyperbole, but lets stipulate that this
sometimes happens. This is a problem only because the arrested impulse of an infant
exists in an adult. Remember, no impulse has to be carried out. The role of impulses
is not to guide self-determination but to bring realness to action.
Suppression is strong in the oral or communicator character, and very strong
indeed in the creator or schizoid character. Suffering negating events very early
is associated with weak impulses, which gives rise to the question of whether certain
impulses require some neuro-muscular development post birth. Depression is the
complete lost of impulses.
Absence of thoughts or memories in the mind is called repression and is a by product
of suppression. When bodywork is done to decrease muscular tension, memories and
'uncharacteristic' thoughts usually arise. Suppression cannot be overcome by
rebellion, which is a mental choice that produces instrumental action lacking feeling
and pleasure. Cognitive or conversational work can partly, in focusing on
provocative topics, raise the emotional temperature and 'push through' suppression a
little, but by and large bodywork is required to free feeling and impulse.

Vibration

Vibration exists in all living things. If there is no vibration, the organism is dead.
Vibration varies of course in amplitude, rate and traveling characteristics. There is an
inverse relationship between character armor and vibration. Vibration varies with
changes in the organism, including emotional. In general, the greater the vibration,
the greater the vitality. For humans this is captured in the phrase "giving off a vibe."
Generally, the more a person vibrates, the happier others are to have him or her
around. Being in proximity with someone who is more vibratory is pleasant, but it
can give rise to anxiety if it stimulates more vibration in the nearby person than that
person is used to handling--this is a form of pleasure anxiety.
Vibration ceases at death. In a very real way, the less a person vibrates, the closer
they are to death. The more a person vibrates, the more liveliness. Domesticated
animals are very aware of this and are attracted to vibrating people. Dogs tend to
bark when with very sick or dead animals because the lack of vibration is disturbing
to them. However, in humans, both abstract intellectual activity and ability to
accumulate power and wealth proceed largely independently to vibration. Even sheer
life longevity is not strictly proportional to vibration. Therefore, mainstream culture
is uninterested.
Individual oscillations cannot be seen by others, but the overall effect is discernable
by people with good sensitivity. This is reflected in the expressions "looking vibrant"
and "vibrancy." A great deal of social friction is dependent on low vibratory states. At
greater vibratory levels, people generally feel better and deal with social conflicts
more productively, independently of any psychology involved.
Because vibrations are not relevant to immediate, concrete, goal directed
manipulations of the environment and others, mainstream culture finds no use for
them. They are excluded from social discussions. Our brains tend to suppress
awareness of what we deem irrelevant. Of course, not hardly vibrating oneself will
ensure a large 'blind spot' for the vibratory phenomena around one.
Tics and fidgeting are not vibratory phenomenon but rather volitionally-tinged
attempts to relieve muscle tension in a the absence of much vibration. Neither tense
shortened muscles or flaccid over-lengthened muscles are conducive to vibration.
Sound is an important source of vibration. Humans have the ability to generate
sound deliberately and creatively. Singing has long been a communal activity that
connects people and raises the life force. Mothers instinctively sing to babies. The
late Alfred Tomatis demonstrated the relationship between sound, hearing, and
well-being.
Hallucinogens are known for increasing the perception of vibration, but this effects
decays with habituation and also is accompanied by an emotional dissociation that

blunts the impact. This unfortunately, has lessened the credibility of vibrations
slightly, because someone talking about vibrations is often thought to be on drugs or
hallucinating. Aldous Huxley is famous for associating hallucinogens with
increased perception. This is possibly because, as discussed below, vibration and
perception are related. Of course a much preferable and durable way of increasing
vibration and therefore perception is bodywork!
Sensory function (and therefore perception) is dependent on movement.
For instance if one holds one arm perfectly still, it will go numb. Vibration and
pulsation (motility) can have the function of refreshing perception when greater
movement (mobility) is not convenient. The eyes are a great example. If they are held
perfectly still, the image fades--this is momentary blindness with the eyes open!.
Keeping vision refreshed can be accomplished by keeping the eyes moving from
point to point of an object of interest (shifting), but there is also the interesting
phenomena of saccades, which is rapid small movements of the eyes, an analogue to
vibration. The Bates Method of improving vision is largely based on getting the
eyes moving again. Lack of subtle movement of the eye is likely a large element
of ocular block, as described in the Reich and Lowen tradition.
Attunement
Attunement is an idea from the world of sound, or audible vibration. Attunement
between two people implies that they are both vibrating, and that each's vibration
influences or changes to match the vibration of the other. It is very hard for someone
with a low energy level or low motility to attune with any one. Sound and voice play
an important role in attunement. Agreement is based on information or ideas and
has no vibrational component. Non-face-to-face, non-voice, 'asynchronous'
interaction, such as email, or texting can lead to agreement but not to attunement.
People often find that attunement obviates the need for agreement.
Pulsation
Functionally vibration and pulsation are similar. Generally the word vibration
suggests movement back and forth around a fixed point, while pulsation suggests
a wave movement outward from a point. In part this is an artifact of the observer
because many waves, such as the pulse of blood generated by the heart, return to the
source. Propagation is how a wave moves through a medium, (in this sense, the
body). When people doing bodywork say they feel 'energy moving' possibly they are
sensing the propagation of waves in the body. Breathing is the start of a pulsation
that 'plays out differently' according to the capacities and situation of the body.
Wilhelm Reich's much misunderstood, much maligned 'orgasm reflex' is simply a
rhythmic wave initiated by the breath, that occurs when the person is relaxed from
even chronic tension and therefore emotionally open.

Motility Contrasted to Mobility

Motility is movement of the body around a fixed point. (Mobility is movement of a

body from point to point). Our culture pays some attention to mobility but ignores
motility. Mobility is associated with the will and instrumental action. It is also
associated with moving towards or away from something. Motility is associated with
just being, rest and relaxation, pleasure, and receptivity. It is motility within mobility
that gives movement beauty and grace. What is rarely recognized is that progressive
loss of mobility usually involves an earlier loss in motility. Mobility is the 'shell' of a
movement, and motility is the guts.
Verticality, Posture, and the Use and Misuse of Gravity
Humans are the only animals that have a fully upright posture. This is a very social
and vulnerable position. It also presents unique requirements for the pelvis. The
pelvis is critical for balance, alignment, and dynamic movement. Posture is the idea
that there is a preferable 'form' in which to stand. Posture is a static concept that
does not easily translate to movement.
Verticality is a dynamic concept that translates much more readily to movement.
Verticality implies not exactly a preferable 'form' to stand, but rather a harmonious
relationship between the skeleton, the muscles, and gravity. It has been said that
walking is a controlled fall. All graceful movement is a controlled fall in that gravity is
leveraged in some part. Adaptation to gravity can be awkward or graceful.
When there is not good alignment and flexibility in the feet ankles legs and pelvis,
(and this tends to be the rule not the exception) there is always present a fear of
falling. Fear of falling has far reaching emotional effects of course, but these stem
from the physical effects. With fear of falling, all movement is distorted to avoid
leveraging gravity. Gravity is fought all the time, which is exhausting.
Graceful movement on the other hand is based on a secure feeling. Graceful
movement is pleasureable. This is the experience of children (for the most part).
Children often cannot not move. Adults of course must learn to be more judicious in
movement, but this does not mean growing out of the pleasure of movement.
Traditionally dancing is a form of shared pleasure in movement. In the first half of
the twentieth century, community dances were abundant. Perhaps this was a way to
provide a shared experience of pleasure for young men and women that didn't
involve sexual intercourse, consistent with the mores of the time.
The type of dancing that is prevalent in the second half of the twentieth century and
now is more akin to shaking or rocking. This may have a neuro-muscular impetus
and benefit, but it also perhaps disguises an increasingly distorted verticality and fear
of falling. There is no leading and following and so the pleasure is not shared
although there may be pleasure simultaneously with others.

Ida Rolf believed that humans would actually take energy from gravity if the body
was oriented to gravity in a correct way. She believed that beliefs about a 'subtle
energy body' arose from the experience of effortless and plentiful energy that
occurred for some people when excellent-enough alignment happened. Like all
phenomena of excellence, this is rare, and scientifically unprovable
Energy Level
Two separate points are to be made about the energy level of a person and the energy
level of an activity. A personal high energy level is very different from a
high activity level. In fact, frenetic activity almost always speaks to a low energy
level and exhaustion. Frenetic activity is high mobility with low motility. It is
as if the mobility is being forced to try to fix the low motility. Pleasureable activity
always has high motility, but the mobility may vary from laying down to dancing.
A high energy level in a human allows muscles to be relaxed and therefore ready to
apply exactly the right amount of force at the right time. There is a feeling of
readiness. As for the energy characteristic of an activity, as Fritz Perls has pointed
out, all thought (even brilliant thought) and language is low-energy activity, and all
physical action is high energy activity. That is why 'thinking ahead' about a big
physical or practical activity conserves energy by moving the trial and error phase to
mental activity.
However biology, including emotion, seems to flourish when there is sufficient high
energy activity in a life. It is beneficial to understand the distinction between high
social value, urgency, and high energy in activity, because depression is a disorder of
energy, unrelated to the merit of what the person has been doing.