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What is Bioenergetics?
“Bioenergetics is a way of understanding personality
in terms of the body and its energetic processes. These processes,
namely, the production of energy through respiration and metabolism
and the discharge of energy in movement, are the basic functions
of life. How much energy one has and how one uses his energy
determine how one responds to life situations. Obviously,
one can cope more effectively if one has more energy, which
can be freely translated into movement and expression.
Bioenergetics is also a form of therapy that combines work with
the body and mind to help people resolve their emotional problems
and realize more of their potential for pleasure and joy in
living. A fundamental thesis of bioenergetics is that body and
mind are functionally identical: that is, what goes on in the
mind reflects what is happening in the body and vice versa.
The relationship between these three elements, body, mind, and
energetic processes, is best expressed by a dialectical formulation
as shown in the following diagram.
As we all know, mind and body can influence each other. What
one thinks can affect how one feels. The converse is equally
true. This interaction, however, is limited to the conscious
or superficial aspects of the personality. On a deeper level,
that is, on the unconscious level, both thinking and feeling
are conditioned by energy factors. For example, it is almost
impossible for a depressed person to lift himself out of his
depression by thinking positive thoughts. This is because his
energy level is depressed. When his energy level is raised through
deep breathing (his breathing was depressed along with all other
vital functions) and the release of feeling, the person comes
out of the depressed state.
The energetic processes of the body are related to the state
of aliveness of the body. The more alive one is, the more energy
one has and vice versa. Rigidity or chronic tension diminishes
one’s aliveness and decreases one’s energy. At birth,
an organism is in its most alive, most fluid state; at death,
rigidity is total, rigor mortis. We cannot avoid the rigidity
that comes with age. What we can avoid is the rigidity due to
chronic muscular tensions resulting from unresolved emotional
conflicts.
Every stress produces a state of tension in the body. Normally
the tension disappears when the stress is relieved. Chronic
tensions, however, persist after the provoking stress has been
removed as an unconscious bodily attitude or muscular set. Such
chronic muscular tensions disturb emotional health by decreasing
an individual’s energy, restricting his motility (the
natural spontaneous play and movement of the musculature), and
limiting his self-expression. It becomes necessary then to relieve
this chronic tension if the person is to regain his full aliveness
and emotional well-being.”
Except from Lowen & Lowen, Way to Vibrant Health
(1977), p. 1-4. |
Vibration and Motility
Grounding
Breathing
Forum |
