Bioenergetics is a therapy that uses the language of the body to heal and transform the problems of the mind. This body-mind approach to personality has a positive effect on emotional, physical, and psychic distress. Dr. Alexander Lowen, founder of this therapy, writes that "increased joy and pleasure are possible in every day life through an understanding of how your body functions energetically: how it determines what you feel, think, and do." He also points out that "lack of energy is the result of chronic muscular tensions, a condition caused by the suppression of feelings. These tensions can be dissolved through the direct body work in bioenergetic exercise, which restores the potential for living a rich, full life." Dr. Lowen looks at common physical problems like headaches and lower back pain and shows how they are easily overcome by releasing the muscular tension that is responsible for them.
Below are powerful documentations of this work:
I first experienced the power of this work when I moved to Maui in 2012 and went through a plethora of experiences that rendered me frightened, sad, and nearly suicidal. I started to see a woman by the name of Jane Eldridge for Gestalt therapy and Bodywork.
As I became a witness to the healing power of bioenergetics, I began an eternal internal revolution.
Our sessions would fluctuate; sometimes we would do talk therapy and then others we would start right away on the table. I found the bodywork to deliver better results but I found that the talk therapy is important-as long as it is balanced with the body. I remember the day I went in to her and was having a really tough time. I got on the table.
I laid down and she asked me to start breathing, a certain way of breathing that had me breathe deep but stretch my upper chest out and then release the breath quickly. I kept the breathing up as she would walk around me and lightly massage certain areas of my body with gentle pressure on various meridians. Her presence was strong and she was there with me.
Suddenly I started to tingle all in my wrists, cheeks and legs. She would check in with me...
"What's going on? Where are you?"
I would describe to her the pain I was feeling which was super odd because it was just a tingling sensation, but it was like when my foot would fall asleep, except times a thousand! Seriously...
"What does the face want to do? What does the face want to do?" She would repeat in a gentle and direct way to me, talking to my wounded inner child. It was at this point that my body would take over, and my heart would say, "Matthew, let go and allow your vulnerability to shine through!" She was right with me, and at that moment I realized I was resisting tears, I was afraid to cry. I had been taught that it was cowardly and unmanly to show sadness through my tears.
IT FELT SO GOOD TO CRY!
After the session, I felt amazing. From this point on, I said to myself, "We are going to keep up with this type of work.
I currently work with an incredible man by the name of Jerry Pearson who lives in the Chicago area. He studied with Alberto Villoldo, and currently works with clients to help them achieve outstanding results similar to those you will find in the videos above.
This blog is a journal documentation of the experiences and truths that come from my sessions with Jerry.
PEACE
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