Bio Energetics

Bioenergetics and Character Structure By Nisreen Barazi

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Bioenergetics and Character Structure

As the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud is most often associated with the study of the unconscious mind. While his theories regarding memory suppression, ego formation, and childhood sexual impulses are well known and still influential, few realize that Freud was deeply interested in the physical manifestations of emotional issues. In fact, psychoanalysis was born out of Freud’s interest in how psychic distress could lead to disturbed somatic functioning (Lowen, 1958/2003). Unable to find a mechanism for this transference from the mental to the physical, however, Freud abandoned his attempts to understand the somatic and focused on psychological theories that would become the foundation of modern psychotherapy (Lowen, 1958/2003). Interest in the mind-body connection was not abandoned by all Freud’s followers, however, and the first somatic psychotherapy was created by his student Wilhelm Reich. Reich developed a theory of biological energy in

3 which he proposed that the human organism is in a perpetual state of energetic expansion and contraction, and health requires a balance between energy intake, such as through eating and respiration, and energy expulsion, through activities such as physical growth and sex. Neurosis, Reich believed, was a state of energy imbalance; usually due to lack of adequate sexual release (Baker, 1967). Furthermore, Reich introduced the idea that repressed energetic expression leads to ingrained patterns of blockages called body armor, which serve to bind energy and protect from external stimulation and internal impulses (Reich, 1933/1972). Over time, the way in which energy is bound becomes the basis of what we perceive to be an individual’s character. In keeping with his psychoanalytic background, Reich believed that most characterological neurosis was a result of repressed or dysfunctional sexuality, but his treatment of the neurosis was a radical departure from standard psychoanalysis (Reich, 1933/1972). Rather than sit quietly behind the patient in an unseen position in which he could serve as an observer of the patient’s emerging unconscious and a screen for his or her transference, Reich positioned himself directly next to the patient and physically manipulated the physical manifestation of the patient’s repression (Smith, 1985). His goal was to enable his patients to

4 surrender fully to the spontaneous and involuntary movements of the body in both respiration and sexual release (Lowen, 1975). Though Reich’s work was controversial, he had many loyal followers. Among them was Alexander Lowen. Lowen was a student and patient of Reich, and he greatly appreciated Reich’s understanding of the importance of orgastic potency for overall health. He had found Reich’s work to be personally beneficial, and when he later became a Reichean therapist, his patients seemed to benefit from the hands-on approach as well. Over time, however, many of the gains that Lowen and his patients made through therapy seemed to fade, and Lowen had a growing sense that Reich’s approach was too narrow (Lowen, 1975). He agreed that the sexual drive had an important role in shaping an individual’s personality, and to ignore it would be to disregard one of nature’s most important forces, but he reluctantly came to believe that a broader view of personality must be considered. Furthermore, he realized, “there is no single key that will unlock the mystery of the human condition” (Lowen, 1975, p. 29). For real healing to take place, Lowen believed that change needs to happen on two levels. The first level is the personal, in which careful analytic work is combined with a physical approach that works on the chronic muscular tensions that inhibit freedom and constrict life, and the second level is the social, in which an evolutionary change in people’s attitudes

5 towards themselves, their environments, and their fellow humans needs to take place (Lowen, 1975). He gave Reich much credit in making important contributions on both of these levels, but he was ready to make his own contribution in what came to be known as bioenergetics. Bioenergetics is based on the belief that the life of the human is the life of his or her body. As Lowen explains, “Since the living body includes the mind, the spirit and the soul, to live the life of the body fully is to be mindful, spiritual and soulful. If we are deficient in these aspects of our being, it is because we are not fully in or with our bodies” (Lowen, 1975, p. 42). Bioenergetics is a therapeutic technique that helps people get more deeply in touch with their bodies so they can breathe more deeply, move more freely, and express themselves more fully. It aims to ease the restrictions that are developed as a means of survival in a family or social environment that denies these values in favor of power, prestige, and possessions (Lowen, 1975). The primary nature of every human, Lowen says, is to be open to life and to love. But circumstances teach people to be guarded, armored, distrustful, and enclosed, and those qualities are taken on in self-protection. If these qualities become deeply engrained, they become characterological and structured in the personality, and the limitations they create are more crippling than the original hurt that inspired them (Lowen, 1975).

6 As in the Reichean model, Bioenergetics sees the human organism as an energy body in a constant state of charge and discharge, and its health depends on a balanced flow of energy. Because the living body is the means through which each human exists, expresses him or herself, and relates to the world around him or herself, the body is capable of expressing who each person is and how that person is in the world. Additionally, how a person feels can be read from the expression of a body, because emotions are bodily events. It can be said that emotions are energy in motion, or energy as it is felt in, and affects, the body (Lowen, 1975). Furthermore, a person’s attitude towards life and his or her relationship to reality and sexuality are also visible in the body (Lowen, 1975). In theory, by observing a client’s body posture and movements, a bioenergetic analyst is able to identify the client’s primary character structure, of which there are five. In order of the age at which the structure develops, these structures are called schizoid, oral, masochistic, psychopathic, and rigid. In Lowen’s model of personality, growth and development are a process in which a child grows into the realization of certain human rights, and it is the way in which these rights are handled that determines whether a fixation, and thus a characterological pattern of defense, will develop around it (Lowen, 1975).

7 The first of these rights is the right to exist, and this right is established at the very start of life. If a child perceives a threat to its existence, or if this right is not firmly established, a schizoid structure is likely to take shape. In the schizoid structure, the essential conflict is that between existence and need, and the child believes that if it expresses a need for closeness, its existence is threatened. Therefore, existence requires the forfeiture of intimacy and the adoption of isolation (Lowen, 1975). As Judith explains, the schizoid is a child who has trouble coming fully into the body, and this often begins in the womb of a mother who is ambivalent, fearful, or not wanting to be pregnant. These feelings contract the womb, which gives the child the message that it is unwanted and does not have the right to take up space. As a result, the child doubts its innate right to exist and feels that its existence is a burden (Judith, 2004). A schizoid structure could also be the result of a traumatic labor, chaotic circumstances, or threatening events taking place in the first nine months of life. It would seem that the earlier and the more longstanding the threat, the greater the impact it has, but it is important to remember that these structures are based on the child’s perceptions and its individual sensitivity level (Judith, 2004). Additionally, though a strong schizoid structure develops out of a conflict in the child’s right to exist in the first few

8 months, anytime a person experiences a threat to his or her existence, they have the potential to develop schizoid tendencies (Lowen, 1975). The demon of the schizoid structure is terror, and this constant fear draws all the organism’s energy inward to a highly contracted linear core. Schizoids have uncomfortably constricted bodies, and this makes it difficult for them to hold an energetic charge without fragmenting it, just as they fragment their lives (Judith, 2004). As Lowen observes, one does not get a feeling of unity from the body structure of the schizoid, as their musculature is tense, spastic, segmented, and uncoordinated (Lowen, 1975). This inability to be fully and gracefully in the body leads to a severe groundlessness, and it distorts the schizoid’s boundaries of self. This gives them a heightened awareness of energy fields that others are not even aware of, and it makes them exceedingly sensitive people. Because they cannot rely on their motor system to flee threats in infancy, they come to rely on their heightened sensitivity to avoid danger and achieve success in the material world (Lowen, 1975). Thus, while they tend to be very creative, intelligent, and spiritual, they have little contact with reality (Judith, 2004). The second right is the right to have, or to be secure in one’s needing (Lowen, 1975). This right is derived from the mother’s support and nurturing during the first 6 to 30 months, and if an infant’s need for sustenance, attention, or affection is not satisfied at this stage, an oral structure

9 develops in which the conflict is one of need versus independence. Such a person feels that if he or she is independent, then he or she must give up any need for warmth and support. However, to give up the need for love, as a schizoid does, is far more life-denying, so an oral bases all love relationships on dependence for warmth and support. Theirs is a clingy and infantile love that demands much and rarely feels satisfied (Lowen, 1975). Judith explains that the symbiosis between parent and child was begun in the oral, but never fulfilled, so there is always an unresolved longing for something which has been deprived. The child must then move toward independence before he or she is ready, and this forces the child to deny his or her own needs, which the child unconsciously longs for others to meet (2004). On the other hand, this premature independence often leads to heightened intelligence and communication skills. Oral characters love to talk; especially about themselves (Lowen, 1958/2003). They are also often very generous and caring individuals who “feed others to feed themselves” (Judith, 2004, p. 24) This sense of lacking is visible in the soft and collapsed body of the oral character, who is chronically undercharged energetically. The lack of energy in their legs, which are generally weak, forces them to lock their knees to maintain a sense of stability, and it prevents them from initiating forward movement from the ground up. Instead, they initiate movement

10 from their heads, which seem to protrude from their sunken and slouching chests (Lowen, 1958/2003). Not surprisingly, because depression is essentially a deficit of energy, the biggest complaint of those with an oral structure is that of depression, and Lowen believes that the diagnosis of orality can often be based on the symptom of recurring depression alone (Lowen, 1958/2003). This energy deficit, and thus depression, is often maintained because it is difficult for those with an oral structure to hold their charge. When an emotion arises, they quickly move to discharge it by talking or crying (Judith, 2004). On the other hand, their moods often swing toward elation (Lowen, 1958/2003), and if this is interpreted as a temporary state of excessive charge, it would correspond to their tendency toward sensory gratification through means such as food, alcohol, and sex (Judith, 2004). However, while a schizoid has sex to feel contact with another person, an oral has sex in order to take in and feed from the other person; in other words, “the genital organ serves the oral need” (Lowen, 1958/2003, p. 158). The third right is the right to be independent, and this right is established through self-assertion starting at 18 months of age. However, if self-assertion and opposition are crushed by the parents, a masochistic character structure, in which the conflict is closeness versus independence, can develop. The masochistic child comes to believe that if he or she

11 exercises freedom, then he or she will not be loved. The compromise becomes an attitude of submission and pleasing in order to maintain relationships (Lowen, 1975). The masochistic child is often well-loved and receives a great deal of attention and nurturing, unlike the schizoid or oral child, but he or she is not allowed to individuate. When the child does not obey, the parent seems to withdraw affection, punish harshly, or shame, and the child never gets a sense that he or she has the power to determine his or her own fate (Judith, 2004). Because the age of emerging independence coincides with the age at which many children begin toilet training, many of these struggles involve issues related to feeding and body function, which adds a great deal of humiliation to the child’s powerlessness (Lowen 1958/2003). The overmanagement of the child’s dressing, feeding, and toilet training, long after is developmentally appropriate, leads Lowen to say that parents of masochistic children are those that practice “smothering” rather than mothering (Lowen, 1958/2003, p. 137). Because parents give a great deal of attention to the child’s material needs, but neglect the child’s tender feelings and spirituality, the child grows up to feel inadequate and worthless, and because parents have much more power than the young child, the child grows up to feel that any effort he or she makes is doomed to fail (Lowen, 1958/2003). Regardless, masochists

12 are very hard workers that will endure situations few others could (Judith, 2004), and they try to gain love in exchange for their diligent work and strenuous effort (Lowen, 1958/2003). In fact, the greatest need of the masochist is approval, but “he is confused in his desires, embarrassed to express his wants and doubtful that he can achieve any satisfaction” (Lowen, 1958/2003, p. 201). This confusion is partly due to the masochist’s tendency to comply outwardly and defy inwardly (Judith, 2004). Consciously, the masochist feels that he or she is making the maximum effort at any endeavor, but unconsciously, there is a great deal of resistance and self-sabotage as a way of rebelling against all the shoulds and oughts imposed on them (Lowen, 1958/2003). This self sabotage, along with the anger that has no outlet and is thus turned back in on the masochist’s self, is one of the ways this structure earns its name (Judith 2004). More importantly, the energy of the masochist is overbound to his or her thick musculature, and it takes a great deal of pain and discomfort before it can find a release. Finally, because the masochist feels that he or she is always exerting the maximum amount of effort but can never achieve satisfaction, the sense of suffering is always present, and the feeling of pleasure is met with anxiety. Thus, pain and pleasure become easily confused (Lowen, 1958/2003).

13 Because the masochist must sacrifice movement for security, and because his or her compliance is only granted with a great deal of inner resistance, the body of the masochist gives the impression of one who won’t budge. To numb themselves from “the obligation of suffering,” masochists thicken their bodies in layers of fat or dense muscle (Judith, 2004, p. 28). Lowen describes them as very “musclebound,” with short, thick necks, and strong, tight arms and thighs (1958/2003, p. 190). Energetically, they are highly charged, but the energy has little means of escape, so it stagnates and creates a great deal of inner tension (Judith, 2004). The fourth right is the right to be autonomous, or the right to not be subject to the needs of others. This right is established between 2½ to 4 years of age, but it can be thwarted by a parent who is manipulative or seductive (Lowen, 1975). The seductive parent uses the child to meet his or her own needs, whether physical or emotional, and in so doing, creates a conflict of intimacy versus power and a psychopathic character structure (Judith, 2004). Rather than feel the terror of their vulnerability, psychopaths will adopt the manipulative behavior of their parents and become obsessed with control. Determined not to be subjugated or controlled in adulthood, those with a psychopathic structure will do whatever it takes to stay on top, and they often create their own set of ethics to do so. They view everything as a challenge that must be won, and they can use their own power of

14 seduction to deceive and manipulate their way into positions of power and adoration (Judith, 2004). This underhandedness is not usually conscious for those with a psychopathic character, for even as they betray others, they perceive themselves to be the betrayed. They seem to be genuinely unaware of their lapses in integrity, and they will aggressively defend themselves against any attacks on their character. On the other hand, this character structure is alternatively called the “challenger-defender” because psychopaths will just as aggressively defend the week and downtrodden (Judith, 2004). This need to rescue others likely stems from two factors. The first is that psychopaths cannot bear to face their own vulnerability, so while their own sense of helplessness is deeply repressed, they are very sensitive to the vulnerability in others. And the second is that, for many, the character arose from the type of manipulation in which they were assigned the role of caring for and being a partner to their opposite sex parent, so a large part of their identity is built around the role of rescuer (Judith, 2004). The need to be needed is the defining characteristic of the psychopath, and he or she is only comfortable in relationships in which he or she is the powerful protector and provider. This enables the psychopath to deny his or her own needs, and by extension his or her deepest feelings. Similarly, psychopaths tend to be very sexually driven, but their frequent conquests

15 are less about the sensual or emotional pleasures of sex than about the pleasure of demonstrating their power. Because seduction is both the trauma and the expression of this structure, the body of the psychopath also tends to have seductive qualities (Lowen, 1975). There are two variations of the psychopathic body type (Lowen, 1975). The first is what one imagines to be the body-building ideal, with broad shoulders tapering down in a “V” shape to narrower hips (Judith, 2004). This type has a great deal of energy displacement in the upper extremity, and the impression it gives of being blown-up corresponds to the individual’s blown-up ego image (Lowen, 1975). Also, the disproportionately broad shoulders are a sign of premature responsibility (Lowen, 1958/2003). In this body type, the pelvis tends to be undercharged and rigidly held. In the second type of psychopathic body, the pelvis is overcharged but somewhat disconnected, and the upper body does not have such an inflated look. However, the back tends to be hyper-flexible in this body type, and the hips are usually loose (Lowen, 1975). The fifth right is the right to want and to move toward the satisfaction of that wanting directly and openly. This last right to emerge is strongly tied to the early sexual feelings that the child develops between approximately 3 and 6 years of age (Lowen, 1975). At this stage of devolpment, love and sexuality are a unitary force that the child does not consciously separate, so

16 if a parent shames genital gratification or rejects the child’s physical affection, this is perceived by the child to be a rejection of his or her loving self, and it leads to the formation of a rigid character structure (Lowen, 1958/2003). With their emotional needs unnoticed, rigid children do not develop a connection to their innermost feelings, and they play the “good little child” role to gain approval. Furthermore, they are often shamed for expressing emotions that the parents deem unpleasant, such as need, fear, and anger, so the conflict for the rigid child is that between his or her persona and his or her feeling self (Judith, 2004). Rigid characters did not endure the ego wounding traumas that earlier structures endured, so they have strong egos and a great deal of pride, which gives them the stiff and upright posture that earns the rigid name (Lowen, 1975). This pride is often heightened by the rigid’s many achievements, for it is a highly functioning structure that tends towards competitive performance in all areas. Rigid characters are usually fit, attractive, successful, and sociable, but their drive for perfection in all areas leads them further and further from their authentic core. The result is a person so far removed from his or her true feelings, that he or she appears deceptively well adjusted emotionally (Judith, 2004). Beneath the surface, the rigid doubts that he or she has a right to want, to need, or to ask for help (Judith, 2004). Though it may seem that

17 the rigid’s trauma is less significant than the physical threats, abandonment, neglect, oppression, or seduction of other characters, because the trauma happened at an age when the ego was fully formed, the rejection he or she felt leads to a deep wounding of the heart that cannot be faced and must be armored against (Lowen, 1958/2003). While the rigid seems the perfect friend and neighbor, all relationships are kept at enough of a distance to avoid the intimacy and emotional honesty that so terrifies this structure (Judith, 2004). Not surprisingly, the rigid body is typically well proportioned, seemingly harmonious, and highly charged. However, in addition to having an overall rigidness, as if it is cloaked in a mesh armor, the chest of the rigid body is especially tight (Lowen, 1975). While they have no problem being grounded in their bodies, it is being grounded in the core of who they are that is difficult for rigid characters (Judith, 2004). There are many useful ways to compare and contrast these five character structures, and the first is their relationship to reality. The schizoid denies reality, the oral has contact with reality but rejects its demands, the masochist admits the rationality of the demands of reality but resists them, and the rigid is fully in touch with reality but meets it with stiffness and tension. One can assume that the psychopath’s relationship to reality would fall somewhere between the masochist and the rigid, but it is interesting to

18 note that when Lowen described each structure’s relationship to reality in 1958, the structures were still being explored and the psychopath had not yet been realized and described. Another way to compare and contrast the characters is through their attitude. The rigid, and probably the psychopath as well, is dominantly aggressive and determined. His or her attitude is “I will.” The masochist is doubtful, hesitant, and ambivalent, and his or her attitude is “I won’t.” The oral is attached to deep resentments and has a weak aggressive drive. His or her attitude is “I can’t.” The schizoid has none of these attitudes and yet all of them. Sometimes he or she acts with determination, but that determination doesn’t last. When aggression rises, it creates a sense of omnipotence because it has not been tested to reality, but it disappears as soon as it is mustered. For the schizoid, “It is a will without an ‘I’” (Lowen, 1958/2003, p. 333). Judith compares each structure’s holding pattern and associated fear. The schizoid holds together to avoid falling apart or going crazy. The oral holds on to avoid abandonment and rejection. The masochist holds in to avoid humiliation and exposure. The psychopath holds up to avoid submission to others, and the rigid holds back to avoid surrender to feelings (2004). According to bioenergetics, each person has a primary character structure that is born out of the most significant trauma the child endured.

19 However, life is full of bumps and bruises, and most people will encounter a bit of wounding at each stage of development. Thus, though each person will have a primary character structure, he or she will also have the defenses of other structures woven into his or her unique character. Though each of these defenses will eventually be worked through in the course of therapy, Lowen asserts that these character types should be kept in the background of the therapist’s mind when approaching the patient. In the foreground should be the patient’s specific life situation, including the presenting complaint, how the patient sees him or herself in the world, and how the patient relates to his or her body. From there, therapy can become a voyage of self-discovery that uses both analysis and physical exercises to access deeper layers of feeling (Lowen, 1975). One of the biggest differences between Reichean therapy and bioenergetic therapy is that, while Reich had patients recline as he manipulated their musculature to stimulate repressed emotions and energy flow, Lowen had patients stand and actively participate in exercises to test and strengthen their flow of energy (Smith, 1985). These exercises are both broadly applicable and specifically tailored to the structure or defense that is being worked on. For example, though the rigid tends to be well grounded, grounding exercises are beneficial to all character types and are of primary importance

20 to schizoids. While the term grounding refers partly to bringing the individual back into contact with reality, it also refers to establishing solid contact with the ground on which one stands. One popular grounding exercise is the bow, in which one arches back while standing and feels the charge that accumulates. Exercises to promote full and unhindered breathing are another thing that all character types benefit from (Lowen, 1975). In her bioenergetics workshop, Judith provides therapeutic suggestions for working with each of the character types physically and emotionally. For the schizoid, she suggests increasing contact with the body by constant referral, such as by asking how it feels and checking that the response is coming from an awareness of the body’s sensation rather than a thinking response. It is important to be patient as the schizoid learns to ground, and a great deal of time might need to be spent working with the legs and feet in order to facilitate grounding. Some useful exercises include pushing the feet against a wall while lying on the back or pushing from the core against resistance. Yoga moves such as the corpse pose, in which the full body has contact with the ground are also helpful, as is the knee to chest pose, which recreates the womb. Emotionally, it is important to get schizoids in touch with their fear by working very slowly towards the center of their terror, as well as helping them access their grief and anger (Judith, 2004).

21 Physical suggestions for orals include charging and grounding exercises like kicking and stomping, pushing the feet against a wall while laying on the back, and yoga moves such as the chair pose or the warrior pose. Additionally, Judith recommends massages to provide oral characters with a sense of nurturing touch and strength training to help them develop muscle tone. On the emotional realm, she suggests that they be helped to strengthen and encourage assertive actions and feelings, identify and develop shadow energies, feel and hold anger, and identify and curb the tendency to project (Judith, 2004). For the masochist, the general strategy is to encourage individuation, autonomy, assertiveness, and aggression and to confront the attitude of obligation. Physically, this includes exercises such as tug-of-war, bending poses to increase flexibility, and sit-ups to stimulate the core. Emotionally, the goals are to reduce and reframe shame and guilt, to dissuade revenge fantasies while allowing grief to come out and be supported, and to release resentment and irritation through anger. Additionally, it is important with the masochistic structure to develop a sense of excitement and hope, and if humor and fun can be a part of the process, this goes a long way toward dispelling the masochistic sense of hopelessness (Judith, 2004). With the psychopathic structure, it is important to make it safe to tell the truth and to mirror underlying emotions of vulnerability while being an

22 ally to the vulnerable, betrayed parts. Emotional work is also done to access grief over betrayals and work toward forgiveness. Empathy should be encouraged, and gestalt chair work is a good way to approach that. Physical exercises include reaching with the arms; body sculpting, in which stances of fighting, vulnerability, perpetration, and victimhood are shaped and held; plow yoga pose to release neck tension; and head to knee yoga pose to foster a sense of surrender (Judith, 2004). Rigid characters are such excellent performers that it is important to get them in touch with the feeling aspect of what they are doing so they are not just going through the motions. Feelings in general should be encouraged, and if the therapist can help the rigid character identify his or her needs and vulnerabilities and access his or her softness and longing, this will go a long way toward helping this character surrender to the self. Physically, rigid characters benefit from playful and spontaneous activities that encourage their flexibility and decrease their reliance on planning and expectations. Yoga poses that increase flexibility, such as twists, as well as those that promote non-effort and surrender, such as the corpse pose, are very helpful (Judith, 2004). The potential exercises for each structure are countless, and because each person is a unique combination of the five structures, the emotional healing work that can be undertaken is seemingly endless as well. As Lowen

23 says, “The journey of self-discovery is never finished, and there is no promised land at which one finally arrives” (1975, p. 106). However, it is often said that the journey is more important than the destination, and bioenergetics provides an elegant map with which to approach the winding path toward greater freedom and deeper love.

24 References Baker, E.F. (1967). Man in the trap: The causes of blocked sexual energy. (pp. 9-24, 31-43). New York: Avon Books. Judith, Anodea (2004). Principals of mind-body integration: Therapeutic techniques for wholeness. Unpublished workbook distributed at Mind Body Integration workshop in Lenox, MA. Lowen, A. (1975). Bioenergetics. New York: Penguin Compass. Lowen, A. (2003). The language of the body: Physical dynamics of character structure. Alachua, FL: Bioenergetic Press. Reich, W. (1972). Character Analysis (3rd ed.). New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Smith, E.W.L (1985). The body in psychotherapy. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company, Inc.