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Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use

Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use, by Jack Willis
The Way to Vibrant Health: A Manual of Bioenergetic Exercises by, Alexander Lowen
Lazy Man's Guide to Relaxation by, Israel Regardie
Core Energetics: Developing the Capacity to Love and Heal, by John C. Pierrakos

FAQ

What is this?
I would call it a psycho-physio-energetic system with a lite-Vipassana twist. Orthodox neo-Reichians would just call it psychotherapy. Core Energetics emphasizes the spiritual component.

Why would I want to do this?
Relaxation, increased self-possession, increased self-expression, deeper breathing, grounding, increased feeling of emotional and bodily wholeness, increased sexual pleasure, remove 'energetic blocks', bring up and work with 'stuff'

How would this help my meditation?
To the extent that the previous answer would help your meditation

How do I know if I would benefit from this?
Is your breathing slow, deep, and rhythmic? Are both your abdomen and chest rising? Is your diaphragm loose? Is your pelvis loose? Does your breath extend all the way to the pelvis? Can you and do you surrender entirely to orgasms? Can you and do you express your emotions freely? Can you relax your entire body? If you answered no to some of these then you would probably benefit from this.

How is this different from Taichi or hatha yoga?
They all emphasize the role of relaxation, deeper rhythmic breathing, and grounding. Reichian therapy, Bioenergetics, and Core Energetics are peculiar to the West and so differ in a few respects from the Eastern systems: emphasis on the role of sexuality, emphasis on free self-expression, and integration with traditional Western psychological concepts like the Oedipal situation, unconscious, etc. In many ways the Western bodywork systems are closer in philosophy to Tantra than Taichi or hatha yoga.

Who created and furthered this system?
Wilhelm Reich, Alexander Lowen, Israel Regardie, Jack Willis, Christopher Hyatt, John C. Pierrakos

Here's Alexander Lowen explaining some the core concepts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIi0ED2GSs8


Here's Dr. Hyatt with some demonstrations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tfDscBUpro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J3beCXtEhw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dAibJBQSZE

In Dr. Hyatt's book Undoing Yourself he gives his exercises in three sets. Here's the first set for those who'd like to try but can't obtain the book
These exercises are considered more reckless than those given in the Willis book.

METHOD I
Step 1. Sit or lie down. Make Faces ~ Stretch all the muscles in the face. Open your mouth as wide as you can, move the jaw from side to side. At the same time open your eyes as wide as you can. Move your eyes up and down and from side to side. This will begin to destroy tension, thereby destroying uncontrolled and extraneous thoughts generated by this area. Make many different faces. Do this for about 2-3 minutes. (A word of caution: While in the end these exercizes are meant to reduce and eliminate certain thought patterns, some might find an increase of new thoughts from previously "Hidden" places of the mind. If this is the case don't be concerned, since this will be a fine way to perform "mental house cleaning.")
Step II. Hum and Chatter — Hum from the depths of your voice box. Use OM or just MMMM. Do this for 1-2 minutes. Now using your tongue, chatter — DA DA — BA BA BA. Stick out your jaw as far as you can and continue humming and chattering. Do this for 2-3 minutes.
Step III. Shoulders to Ears — Pull your shoulders up as if you were trying to reach your ears. When they start feeling tired, drop them as low as you can. Repeat this 3 times in 2-3 minute intervals.
Step IV. Nose Breathing — With your mouth closed take in a deep breath inflating your chest and pulling your stomach up. Be sure to pull the belly in. Hold for a 7 count and then just let the chest fall and the belly relax. Repeat this 10-20 times. Be sure to allow an additional 7 count to elapse before your next inhalation.
Step V. Turn Head — Now bring your attention to your head and turn it from side to side as far as you can. Repeat for 2-3 minutes.
Step VI. Leg Stretch — Lying down on your back, hold your legs about 4 inches off the ground and stretch outward. Hold this as long as you can then let them drop. Repeat this 2-3 times.
Step VII. Quick Breath — With your mouth slightly open breathe rapidly, sighing as you exhale. Do this for 2-3 minutes.

Now lie down and sense and feel your body, for about 10 minutes. Note every sensation you feel. Now assume a meditative position of your choice making sure that: (1) Your eye lids are not tightly closed, but simply relaxed. (2) That your jaw is relaxed and not tense. Make sure of this by trying to stick out your tongue; if you have to lower your jaw, it was too tightly held. Check your forehead making sure it is not wrinkled. Once you are relaxed, either concentrate on your mantra or point of focus. For those students who do not have a mantra or point, we suggest Dr. Regardie's Mantram tape or simply OOOOOO-OOMMMMMMM. For students who wish or require specific images or points of focus, please feel free to contact us.
(3) Finally make sure your throat is not blocked by holding your head in the wrong position. Make sure it is straight. In order to reduce thoughts, keep the eyes relaxed and still, with your tongue touching the roof of your mouth. Do not move the larynx and again be sure that your jaw is relaxed. Meditate before eating, or wait for 2-3 hours after eating a heavy meal. It is also best if the bladder and bowels have been emptied before you start your work.

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/24/14 9:01 PM as a reply to Droll Dedekind.
Hi,
In the last few months I've read a couple of Alexander Lowen's Books and contemplated going to a bioenergetic therapist – but haven't yet.

Thanks for posting that link. I researched the author, went through the linked pages and read the reviews. (checked out command z, undoing, christopher hyatt etc. -- interesting stuff to say the least).

While reading the book you posted I came across the page where Jack advises to practice the breathing exercise for about 12 months before moving on to the actual exercises. That seems like a long time. Is this what you are doing?

I have a lot of tension and tightness in my body. I have a lot of psycho somatic issues – and besides Vipassana or I should say with Vipassana I was thinking maybe a body based therapy would be a good idea.

The testimonials are definitely powerful. Could you share more about your experience with these exercises – how long you've practiced and besides letting go of the tension what else have you experienced?

Thanks!

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/25/14 12:11 PM as a reply to Ashwin R.
Hi,
Then, when you have read all of it, come back to this chapter and read for understanding (but not memorization) this and the next chapter and start the breathing work. After a few months just with the breathing work, when you have some degree of mastery of the proper breathing cycle, then start the work in Chapter 11 on the forehead and eyes. You now have all you really need for the next, let’s say, twelve months.


It's both Hyatt's and Command Z's opinion that Willis' pace is overly cautious. That said, I only do the basic breathing exercises, eye/forehead exercises, and some of the neck/shoulder exercises. I plan to continue with the basics until I notice a marked reduction of tension in whatever area, or I hit the 12 months mark.

I'd say pick your pace preference. If you are fairly sure you're dealing with some serious repression, lean towards the Willis pace. If you're the kind of person that (to borrow from Daniel) would take psychedelics in public, then lean towards Hyatt's more flexible pacing (and pick up Energized Meditation for his similar exercises [Warning: If you're unstable or don't care to be, don't read it]).

I've only been at the work for a couple months now, but I'll share my experiences. In general I feel less tense throughout the day, I'm more able and willing to express myself, and I have increased bodily awareness. During the work I've yet to have a clear and dramatic catharsis. But, I have had bizarre emotions and energetic phenomena pop up. I've experienced: unprovoked frustration, the giggles, feeling like I'm about to cry, feeling my throat constricted like I'm fighting back tears, and feeling static-like energy all over my body (especially in the arms, for some reason).

Also, my breathing has gone from paradoxical, heavily using the accessory muscles (esp. in the neck), to almost proper with slightly less use of the accessory muscles. My concentration practice has become much easier now that my neck isn't stiff with tension after 10 minutes of focusing on the breath.

If you have any experiences to share I'm interested to hear them.

Hope this helps.

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/25/14 12:32 PM as a reply to Droll Dedekind.
Hi and thanks for the reply.

I hope to read through the first few chapters again and then start the breathing exercises. I'll go with Willis' pace for the moment and see how I do on it.

In the process, I also want to impress on myself that this is long term work – as I have had problems sticking to one thing.

Interesting what you've experienced – I bet I will some of the same. I'll keep you updated on how it goes for me.

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/27/14 10:18 PM as a reply to Ashwin R.
I thought to give you an update.

I discovered a remarkable amount of tension in my lower back and pelvis region doing one of Hyatt's exercises. Later that night I tried some of Willis' pelvis exercises and I started to feel my lower back twitching, a pulsing energy around my sacrum bone, and general strange energetic sensations around my tailbone. If the idea of chakras has any merit, then it seems my root or sacral chakra is becoming active

Shortly after reading your reply I fell asleep and dreamed that Dr. Hyatt injected me with an ostensible sedative. It become apparent that the drug was intended to put me into a suggestible state so that he could Undo me manually by removing false beliefs and emotional repression. As my consciousness faded I accepted the Undoing with little reluctance

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/29/14 5:54 PM as a reply to Droll Dedekind.
I've been an occasional lurker on this site for a few years now and this seems like an apt place for my first post.

First off - this book and its technique is a real cracker.

I first came across CS Hyatt's Undoing YourSelf with Energized Meditation almost a decade ago now, and the techniques in it (a hodge-podge of some of the stuff in Wills' book) were my first real kick-start into any kind of practice. When I started out, I'd explored a little hatha yoga and basic zen meditation, but I was pretty screwed up - super-high levels of depression and quite high levels of anxiety. I'd noticed a few months of yoga and meditation had helped a little in that arena, but employing the Reichian techniques was a totally different story.

I practised dilligently, and over the course of the next year I oscillated between phases of extreme bliss and extreme depression/guilt/anxiety (whereas before it was a fairly steady state of depression). It felt like the exercises were doing me good overall so I persisted. Eventually this oscillation calmed down, and I noticed that my anxiety had dropped to very very low levels (and still are to this day, to the point where people frequently comment on how 'chilled out' and 'easy going' I am), and my depression had dropped to low levels (still there today). Along with the exercises I was continuing with a regular meditation practice as well which probably helped balance the whole process.

So CS Hyatt's deranged and wild book and reckless throwing forth of extremely powerful techniques had eventually restored a modicum of sanity to my young mind.

I slowed down with that particular practice for a couple of years, continuing with meditation, but spending a couple of years exploring chi gung and other body-based techniques, discovered some more-interesting-than-average meditation instructors (people like Daniel, and Shinzen Young, among others) did a couple of retreats (a 10-day goenka, a 30-day mahasi), but eventually discovered that Jack Willis book and dove back into committed exploration.

A friend and I started going through the Willis book together, and found his articulation of the system to be far more meticulous and precise than Hyatt's. Hyatt still has some unique things to offer, some of his dvds are good (and he's a pretty hillarious character as far as anti-gurus go), but Droll is right in saying that Hyatt's approach is a bit more... unbalanced - but he does have some unique insights. And his book "Secrets of Western Tantra" is an interesting example of combining this system with Chakra-work and Western Occultism, while his "Energized Hypnosis" is another interesting example of combining the system with Hypnosis.

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/29/14 5:59 PM as a reply to Rob Njosnavelin.
Willis book is the real deal. Its very different from Lowen's stuff (which I almost find to be more useful as a warmup for the heavy-hitting hour-long breathing sessions), and indeed from anything else I've encountered. The effects are utterly incomparable to chi-gung, or yoga, or any other body-based practice I've experimented with. One probably would not want do a solid 10-day retreat of this kind of bodywork, 2-3 hours a week of it really is plenty. And having some kind of meditation practice to support it is a really good idea, and also I find it to have massively beneficial side effects on my meditation practice - such as vastly deepened body-awareness, the ability to sit for long periods of time with much greater ease, among other things.

I still find it to be heavy-duty psychotherapy. I very recently went through some extremely traumatic experiences that years ago might have left me a train wreck for months and months – since then I've done about 4 reichian sessions (and a whole lot of meditation which has also helped), and the whole thing now seems like a well-integrated memory that I've grown immensely from. The reichian stuff is like a wrecking ball – I find it smashes up emotional bundles – right to their core- that might otherwise grow into undesirable character traits.

Hmm, a wrecking ball is a good metaphor. Its certainly not a happy easy shortcut to emotional balance, indeed I find it often makes me feel worse before my subconscious processes and integrates things. Usually this takes a couple of days (there's a very good reason why willis suggests at least 48 hours between sessions).

And the sessions can be frickin hard work. I often feel slightly daunted before embarking on one – almost similar to diving into a cold ocean, you know you're going to feel so much more alive in a very unique way as a result of doing so, but you also know its going to be a bit of a shock to the system. Developing skill at the techniques is challenging too, and not at all a linear progression.

During a session (or the sense and feel (mindfulness) period afterwards), emotional catharses are not entirely uncommon. Unusual “energetic” sensations, tinglings, flows, shards of bliss up the spine etc also happen. Something I find very common is spasming – sometimes in parts of the body, sometimes the whole body. Sometimes very gentle, sometimes they look like an epileptic fit. Sometimes they're neutral in flavour, sometimes almost orgasmic. Sometimes they're spontaneous with no apparent cause other than the practise itself, othertimes they're an aspect of the emotional catharsis.

As far as the pacing of the work goes:
Willis is to slow and Hyatt is too fast, depending on who you are. Willis' pacing makes sense to me for someone who has never done anything like yoga, meditation, dance, etc – for someone who is quite locked up in their own thought prisons.
From my experience I would advise anyone wanting to explore this stuff to first of all get a very very basic degree of mastery with the breathing technique, do the daily preliminary exercises for a while, and then crack straight into the Eyes & Forehead. Do what you feel comfortable with – plus a little bit more. Get used to the highs and lows often experienced after sessions, and work your way up to 2 one-hour breathing sessions (plus a sense & feel of at least 15 minutes after each session) a week. Thats enough for the work to gain its own momentum, but not too much.

Taking my friend through it for the first time, we spent 1 month on the upper half of the face, 1 month on the lower half, 1 month on the neck shoulders torso, and 1 month on the legs. That was a good 4-month tour of the body, giving enough time to explore the whole spectrum of techniques listed in the book – which is probably about the amount of time one needs to decide whether the system is worth keeping in one's psycho-spiritual arsenal, or whether its worth chucking in the bin.

Once one is familiar with the system, one can start to take a more organic, experimental approach – mixing and matching and expanding on the techniques – based on a growing communion with one's subconscious' deeper wisdom & intuitions.
Fun stuff.

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/29/14 7:21 PM as a reply to Rob Njosnavelin.
First, welcome to the DhO. Wow, what a post! I'm glad you took the time to write it.

I agree wholeheartedly that Energized Meditation is a wild and reckless book. At first I thought it was just a poorly-written RAW rip-off. I've come to realize that whereas RAW writes like a friendly-you'd-never-know-he's-enlightened Zen master, Hyatt writes like a schizophrenic Zen master. Something like that.

I actually just finished skimming through The Language of the Body by Lowen, and I'm onto Bioenergetics next. Do you mind going into more detail about your opinions of Lowen?

As I read your post I realized that neo-Reichian exercises are probably the most powerful techniques the West has to offer in the realm of meditation-like or yoga-like practices. And, noting is probably one of the most powerful techniques the East has to offer. If I had 6 months to change someone as radically as possible, noting and Reichian therapy would be my goto techniques. If Tony Soprano had went to a Reichian therapist the show would have ended around Season 1.

If anyone reading this is interested in the prospect of Reichian therapy but is unconvinced or unsure, I recommend The Lazy Man's Guide to Relaxation by Israel Regardie as a primer. The read is short, easy, and relatively content-dense.

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/29/14 7:59 PM as a reply to Ashwin R.
Wow, those are amazing posts– thank you, I appreciate you putting your thoughts here. It's going to be a huge help going forward.

I feel I am where you were 10 years ago. I have a lot of anxiety, depression etc. and it's all locked up inside. So coming across something like this and with so many great testimonials is really encouraging.

Now, the important thing for me will be to stay dedicated over the long term. Well, since you say that it takes about 4 months to judge if it is helping you or not–that will probably be my goal.

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/30/14 7:30 AM as a reply to Ashwin R.
My pleasure. I find this particular 'yoga' pretty interesting, especially as its relatively unknown, and it really does pack a punch.
Hahaha yep schizophrenic zen master is a good description of Hyatt. Peeking beyond his wild ramblings there are glimpses that he was an advocate of hardcore dharma study and practise, along with the western occult stuff – it would have been good if someone shrewd, knowledgeable and penetrating had given Hyatt a serious interview that pushed him out of his mad bad doctor role – some of the experiments he ran with Regardie with the stuff sounded pretty interesting.

As for Lowen – I've only read Bioenergetics and his book containing various exercises. I enjoyed reading his stuff, and I still use his 'bow' and 'grounding' exercises on a daily basis. The exercises he presents seem to make good warm-ups for the full-blown hour-long reichian breathing sessions. I really can't comment beyond that as I don't have any experience beyond the basic exercises and theories presented in his books.

This particular work is pretty open and experimental really – its not an ancient established system of bodywork with hundreds of thousands of practitioners worldwide like yoga, including myriads of experts. Its a bit mysterious – I think Reich, Lowen, Willis, Hyatt all present some useful theories and frames regarding it but I don't think they or anyone really understands it in its entirity. I really like that – it means that everyone who comes to practise it is a little bit of an investigator and explorer rather than a student going from A to B. So I'd be very curious to hear of any experiences with it – short or long-term.

I'll also plug that Regardie book you mentioned Droll – its a nice primer indeed. Regardie was Aleister Crowley's secretary, and one of the senior movers and shakers of the Western Traditions of the last century. I recall reading an interview with him where he recommended that anyone wanting to get into serious Western Magickal practice should go through about 200 hours of psychotherapy beforehand – most preferably Reichian, of course.

Ashwin – my psychological state was so dire 10 years ago that it really provided the fuel to keep going with the Reichian work (and with meditation). I realised I had a serious need for some deep level change. I vividly recall the crystal clear realisation that either I could keep going round and round on the same misery circuits while life slid on by, or I could attempt the practice, and stick at it and see what happened. Hmmm good decision...

I'm happy to be a sounding board for anything related to this stuff if anyone wants feedback or suggestions of exercises or anything at any point in time.

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/30/14 4:43 PM as a reply to Rob Njosnavelin.
Its all very interesting, thanks. From my reading of it, the "weird stuff" seems to be a physiological effect of hyperventilation (p. 58 home book). My guess is that a lot of A&P and kunadlini type experiences might be related to this.

There seems to be a whole world of these psychosomatic type approaches, but in summarising them, it seems to be primarily about training to release bodily tension, particularly associated with poor habits and tension with breathing and the belly/diaphragm. Is that a fair summary?

In terms of "bang for your buck" - or if you have to choose one exercise for a desert island - it would seem that practicising the basic deep breathing technique described in "Technique for home use" (back on floor, knees up, belly then chest, ah on exhale, no gap between inhale and exhale) would be one to go for?

EDIT:

I found this website which discusses principles behind Reichian and Lowen bodywork (this link about breathing, but there is lots of good material on the site if you are interested in how this all might work)

http://reichandlowentherapy.org/Content/Practices/breathing.html

A relevant quote:

"Second, hyperventilation allows the more ready perception and expression of emotion. For anyone relatively distanced from his or her emotions, this can be very informative. There is also a cathartic release (a release is not the same as a discharge) and there will be a sense of calm and well-being afterwards...Acute hyperventilation has been used traditionally in religious and other movements to create an 'oceanic' less earth-bound feeling. While this may have some utility in freeing work, the insights from these moments certainly are not a reliable guide to growth or living! "

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/30/14 4:57 PM as a reply to sawfoot _.
Willis goes out of his way to pitch Reichian exercises as psychotherapy:
It is to be appreciated that Reichian therapy is psychotherapy. It is not mysticism, it is not meditation, it is not occult. It is not chakras or auras or meridians. It is psychotherapy. The major difference in Reichian therapy is that it approaches the psychotherapeutic process by working on the body.

Clearly he has an agenda in attributing the weird phenomena to hyperventilation. This makes more sense when you consider Willis' falling out with Hyatt, who did associate Reichian therapy with mysticism, meditation and, the occult.

In my opinion, more than just hyperventilation is at work here. Sit around purposefully hyperventilating for a couple weeks, take note of results. Then, start the Reichian exercises and tell me if you still think it's just hyperventilation.

Yes, your understanding is correct. As I understand it, the idea is that every thought or emotion has a corresponding effect on the body (part of the primary insight in the Cause and Effect stage). In working with the body you naturally end up dredging up your 'stuff'. It also increases bodily awareness in general and separates muscle groups that are unnecessarily fused together. Read the Regardie book in my last post for more info (it's really an enjoyable read; and, Regardie taught Willis).

And, yes. Breathing exercises + eye/forehead are the best bang for the buck. It seems you tend to intellectualize, so it's safe to say you have a lot of tension in the eye/forehead region. Check Chapter 11 for the eye/forehead exercises.

COUNTEREDIT:
Interesting, hyperventilation is definitely part of it
Acute hyperventilation is not well suited to self-help or homework because the likelihood of dissociating and losing grounding and contact is high. While Wilhelm Reich used this practice, Alexander Lowen largely dropped it, using the bioenergetic stool instead to increase depth and excursion at normal rates of breaths per minute.

But not all of it

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/30/14 5:02 PM as a reply to Droll Dedekind.
Droll Dedekind:
Willis goes out of his way to pitch Reichian exercises as psychotherapy:
It is to be appreciated that Reichian therapy is psychotherapy. It is not mysticism, it is not meditation, it is not occult. It is not chakras or auras or meridians. It is psychotherapy. The major difference in Reichian therapy is that it approaches the psychotherapeutic process by working on the body.

Clearly he has an agenda in attributing the weird phenomena to hyperventilation. This makes more sense when you consider Willis' falling out with Hyatt, who did associate Reichian therapy with mysticism, meditation and, the occult.

In my opinion, more than just hyperventilation is at work here. Sit around purposefully hyperventilating for a couple weeks, take note of results. Then, start the Reichian exercises and tell me if you still think it's just hyperventilation.

Yes, your understanding is correct. As I understand it, the idea is that every thought or emotion has a corresponding effect on the body (part of the primary insight in the Cause and Effect stage). In working with the body you naturally end up dredging up your 'stuff'. It also increases bodily awareness in general and separates muscle groups that are unnecessarily fused together. Read the Regardie book in my last post for more info (it's really an enjoyable read; and, Regardie taught Willis).

And, yes. Breathing exercises + eye/forehead are the best bang for the buck. It seems you tend to intellectualize, so it's safe to say you have a lot of tension in the eye/forehead region. Check Chapter 11 for the eye/forehead exercises.


I had quick skim of the Regardie book earlier, but maybe will have a more serious look.

Yep, it’s a safe bet! Also shoulders and neck, and jaw, pretty much all over really! I think intellectualisers (like me) probably would benefit a lot of from bodywork (which is why I am interested), though often these sorts might be the sort of people to see it as woo. The way I see it as is that a lifetime of overthinking leads to a bodily disconnection, and all this thinking creates tension in the body, and then the tension in body perpetuates negative thinking, which triggers stress in the body, and so on. But the emotional expression angle is new to me, so I am going to read more about that. From my understanding of the link I added in the above post, the hyperventilation induces emotional expression, which is an important ultimate goal of Reichian therapy, and that is the driver for the change (rather than the hyperventilation itself) but I think the attitude and context to the emotional expression is also crucial - i.e. receptivity to it and seeing it an therapeutic context.

Here is another interesting quote from that website on this:

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.
http://reichandlowentherapy.org/Content/Energy_and_Movement/emotion_mood.html
.

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/30/14 5:33 PM as a reply to sawfoot _.
If I had to match you to a character type from Lowen's Language of the Body (a guess of course) it'd have to be schizoid (I also place myself here).

Where the schizophrenic in his break with reality will suffer from depersonalization, the schizoid character maintains the mind-body unity by a tenuous thread. He uses his body as I use my automobile. He has no feeling that he is his body, but rather that the body is the abode of his thinking and feeling self. This is not infantile for it in no way reflects the infant's identification with bodily pleasure. The body of an individual his is most immediate reality as it is also the bridge that connects his inner reality with the material reality of the outer world. Here, then, we have the key to the therapeutic treatment of the schizoid personality. First, to bring about some identification with or to increase an identity with kinesthetic body sensation. Second, to increase the depth and range of expressive movements. Third, to develop the body relationship to objects: food, love object, work objects, clothes, etc. The effect of this approach is to strengthen and develop the ego which, as Freud reminds us, "is first and foremost a body ego."


He then goes on to discuss the common physical characteristics of the schizoid type: head held at a slight angle, strong isolated tensions in neck (but no generalized rigidity), deep tension at the base of the skull, lack of expression in eyes, use of arms seems mechanical, deep shoulder tensions (based on the immobility of the scapula), block in the small of the back at the junction of pelvis and spine (corresponds to tension in base of skull, somehow...), little freedom at hip joint (causes immobility of pelvis), in breathing an expansion of the chest cavity corresponds to a contraction of the abdomen cavity, and a general lack of unity in the body (body feels split into sections).

Anyway, as to Reichian as "woo". You won't have much luck finding scientific evidence for the theory or effectiveness of Reichian therapy, largely because the US gov't banned research into the area. As with meditation, the proof is in the pudding, consider it an experiment, etc etc

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/30/14 11:13 PM as a reply to sawfoot _.
sawfoot _:
In terms of "bang for your buck" - or if you have to choose one exercise for a desert island - it would seem that practicising the basic deep breathing technique described in "Technique for home use" (back on floor, knees up, belly then chest, ah on exhale, no gap between inhale and exhale) would be one to go for?


Yeah probably the basic breathing, although once that was mastered one may as well develop it into the "roll the pelvis" exercise - the basic breathing is fundamental, and the basis for nearly everything else in the book but I get much more bang for buck out of the other exercises.

A friend of mine recently emailed me a similar question, suggesting he was considering 'taste testing' the system, and asked something about what 20% of exercises from the book could give you 80% of the results.

Here's my paraphrased response in case its of use to anyone who might have a similar line of thinking:


Maybe not the most best way to approach this complex and arduous system, but that if I had to pick 20% that I thought were indispensible to this system, a 'greatest hits' if you will I'd go with:

*Making faces in a mirror (move face slowly) for 5 mins+ (can be done anytime, especially awesome after sleep, long periods on computer or work, breaks up mask-like tendencies.)

*"Proper" Breathing - as meticulously described in chapter 4, 6 & 7 (and others) of Willis' book.

*Eyes Open Close (also note the "tonic eyes open" & "tonic eyes closed" exercises which this is a combo of)

*Eyes in Directions (&/or Roll the Eyes)

*Croak Hold Flick

*Roll the Pelvis (Hyatt also has an easier version of this exercise, both versions are great)

*Legs Open Close

You could easily create an effective hour session out of those exercises alone. But I haven't covered jaw-tongue-neck-throat-shoulders, so maybe you'd want to stick something in from those areas. Really depends on what areas need the most work, what emotions are most significant to you, what you want to achieve etc.

An advanced special exercise that is also worthy of the 'top 20% category'
*Mussolini Jaw

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/30/14 11:42 PM as a reply to Droll Dedekind.
Droll Dedekind:
Willis goes out of his way to pitch Reichian exercises as psychotherapy:
It is to be appreciated that Reichian therapy is psychotherapy. It is not mysticism, it is not meditation, it is not occult. It is not chakras or auras or meridians. It is psychotherapy. The major difference in Reichian therapy is that it approaches the psychotherapeutic process by working on the body.

Clearly he has an agenda in attributing the weird phenomena to hyperventilation. This makes more sense when you consider Willis' falling out with Hyatt, who did associate Reichian therapy with mysticism, meditation and, the occult.

In my opinion, more than just hyperventilation is at work here. Sit around purposefully hyperventilating for a couple weeks, take note of results. Then, start the Reichian exercises and tell me if you still think it's just hyperventilation.


Hahaha yeah I agree with you there.

Re Willis - I do think that its possible that he wrote this deliberately to preserve the intergrity of his book and his 'lineage' - keeping it in the paradigm of scientific materialism and out of mysticism has several advantages when you think about it. I wouldn't be surprised that if you took Willis aside off the record he'd have been quite capable of talking in depth about magick and mysticism and undoubtedly had a plethora of experiences related that that side of things, many probably stemming from his own Reichian exercises (he was Israel Regardie's apprentice after all - and Regardie supposedly occasionally taught things like the Middle Pillar Ritual to some of his therapy clients!!).
Using Hyperventilation as an explanation for the results of this system is a bit like saying meditation works by affecting the autonomic nervous system... yknow it like um, reduces stress levels and stuff... *ahem*
Sure there are physically measurable and quantifiable aspects, but clearly there's a who range of very potent subjective experiences and changes that can ALSO result from doing it....

Having said that, I always find it fun to muse about the phsyiological correlates of things like meditation, thanks for that link on breathing sawfoot, looks like a worthwhile read...

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/31/14 4:55 AM as a reply to Rob Njosnavelin.
My perspective on this is to see that you could consider magick, meditation, mysticism as all sub-types of practices of "therapy" - deliberate practices designed to improve or alter self-expression and functioning. And the potent subjective experiences are expressions of activity in your nervous system and brain - just different levels of explanation, each useful and with explanatory power.

From perusing that (amazing and vast) website I linked to am getting an insight into what an original thinker Reich (and Lowen) was. I get the feeling that their perspective might become increasingly mainstream in years to come as explanations for the kinds of phenomena they worked with become better understand (e.g. operations of the vagal system), and as modern society wakes up more to the fact its pretty fucked.

To my mind it provides a great way to think about the practices engaged in here on DhO. "Awakening" is a meant to be psycho-energetic process, and the Riechian therapy perspective gives a great insight on the energetic aspect of the process.

I will try some of the mouth and eye things as well, and I noted the hip roll looked important too. It is one of those things that I feel is probably good for me, like eating well and exercising, but I don't always get round to doing...

edit:
a nice video of some full body exercises, including Lowen's Bow, mentioned above.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD-3j2g9w9U

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/31/14 6:14 PM as a reply to sawfoot _.
I would have to classify magick and mysticism slightly apart from pure meditation. It's all in your head, you just have no idea how big your head is. I lean towards that school.

Also, check out
http://radicalundoing.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/radicalundoing

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
3/31/14 10:19 PM as a reply to Droll Dedekind.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_movement_desensitization_and_reprocessing

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy developed by Francine Shapiro that emphasizes disturbing memories as the cause of psychopathology [1][2] and alleviates the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). EMDR is used for individuals who have experienced severe trauma that remains unresolved ...

During the processing phases of EMDR, the client focuses on the disturbing memory in multiple brief sets of about 15–30 seconds. Simultaneously, the client focuses on the dual attention stimulus, which consist on focusing on the trauma while the clinician initiates lateral eye movement.[12] Following each set, the client is asked what associative information was elicited during the procedure.This new material usually becomes the focus of the next set. This process of personal association is repeated many times during the session.[13]
...

At this phase the goal of the therapist is to identify any uncomfortable sensations that could be lingering in the body. While thinking about the originally disturbing event, the client is asked to scan over his or her body entirely, searching for tension or other physical discomfort. Any negative sensations are targeted and then diminished, using the same bilateral stimulation technique from phases IV and V. The EMDR network has asserted that positive cognitions should be incorporated physically as well as intellectually. Phase VI is considered complete when the client is able to think and speak about the event without feeling any physical or emotional discomfort.


Watching an anime called Ghost Hound, and the main character is receiving this sort of therapy. Interesting synchronicity. Oh, that Reichian is woo-gobbedlygook-New-Age stuff, right?

RE: Reichian Therapy - The Technique, For Home Use
Answer
4/1/14 2:33 AM as a reply to Droll Dedekind.
Droll Dedekind:


Watching an anime called Ghost Hound, and the main character is receiving this sort of therapy. Interesting synchronicity. Oh, that Reichian is woo-gobbedlygook-New-Age stuff, right?


That command z stuff looks (from initial appearances) like a way of monetiszing Reichian therapy in the internet age. I understand people have to make a buck, but it leaves me cold.

My point about mentioning woo, is that if you look into Reichian therapy initially (as I did) there is a lot of "woo" (at least to me - Reich did seem to go pretty nuts later on life), and it puts a lot of people off, and has hampered its acceptance into the mainstream. But then I went onto say that there seems to be a lot value there.

Tried doing some Lowen stool type breathing exercises (with a foam roller on a platform), and man, that was quite intense. I am starting to understand why I might want to take this slowly.