Body expression and character structures

The expressed energy often shows little of the living life forces that are at work behind the scenes, unconsciously. It is important to perceive which attitudes, internalized measures are useful for the present life or as old relics are directed against the present existence.

© by Klaus Thomas-Lindoso

With the help of bioenergetic character work, „achievements“ which previously arose as necessary defensive reactions against, for example, painful influences on the person, are made perceptible, recognizable.

It is promoted the readiness to break up encrustations and to dismantle blockages. Curiosity about the unrestrained life force, the dynamic behind the blockages is awakened.

Life history in connection with character structures

The soul has its correspondences in the body and is expressed in the body. The character structures determine the life story. Under unfavorable life constellations the liveliness in the body was allowed to create only little space for itself.

The soul atrophies, the unity of body and soul is disturbed. Instead of flowing aliveness, this person experiences stress, dissatisfaction, depression, and unconscious being driven.

From a bioenergetic point of view, life processes are divided into four phases:

1. Affirm,
2. Take,
3. Hold,
4. Give.

Character structures describe energetic disturbances of personality development in one or more of the four phases:

• affirmation is the driving force of every healthy life process (basic trust),
• In taking we fill up with enough energy (also emotional saturation) to be able to actively shape life,
• through the holding capacity we gather and store strength,
• in giving we are then able to share, to give away, to give ourselves in love.

In summary, this means the following:

If the life impulses emanating from the infant have been affirmed, if it has received enough and stored sufficient strength, then it can give itself over. It has developed so much life substance, in order to step balanced and generously into contact with „the world“.

A child develops in an affirmative environment more and more, in which it becomes ever more conscious of its rights.

According to the developmental stages, the right to exist, to satisfy one’s needs, to be self-reliant and independent,… is the focus of development.

This described optimal course of development is only the case if no early disturbances have seriously influenced the personality development.

In the conflict between drive structure and social reality, between „inner and outer world“, depending on the course of development, certain character manifestations, tensions and blockages of the musculature occur.

Z.B.If an infant who expresses his need for affection and tenderness by crying repeatedly experiences that this need is not answered at all or is answered negatively, he will begin to suppress his need for tenderness and affection.

It keeps z.b. the air, bites the teeth, tightens the belly hard. Out of fear of renewed rejection and/or pain of abandonment, a muscle armor develops as a protective reaction.

In Bioenergetic Bodywork, these needs and yearnings are mainly expressed in early childhood (up to the age of 8).The defensive and protective reactions that developed during the first year of life are revealed and their life-limiting effect is reduced or eliminated. Degraded.

Bioenergetics distinguishes five character structures

1. The schizoid character
2. The oral character
3. The psychopathic character
4. The masochistic character
5. The rigid character

Character structures – Brief description of the schizoid character

If an infant is not clearly affirmed in its very early development, encouraged in its existence, it does not feel properly at home within itself.

The fear of being rejected makes the body contract. The inner and outer unity breaks through too much tension. The body appears fragmented and disproportionate.

Doubt and mistrust cause disagreement with oneself and the reality around it. The schizoid person withdraws into his „fantasy world“ („world escape“). It builds up its own undisturbed dream world. Body and soul become estranged.

Especially with schizoid personalities, it is about learning to fill their „empty“, „meaningless“ body with life again. They need to reclaim their body.

Character structures – Brief description of the oral character

Who did not get enough, runs unsatisfied and „starved“ through life. His body shows signs of deficiency. He cannot take what he needs, because his organs are blocked.

He is hardly able to express his needs and his longing desire. Since it almost only has the feeling of coming up short, it is drawn deeper and deeper into illusions.

The foundation for the development of addictions is laid. He feels weak and helpless. He evades any effort, often also the responsibility for his actions. A typical sentence is „I can’t do this“.

The oral person must learn to take what he needs for a fulfilled life.

Character structures – Brief description of the psychopathic character

Children have an inner desire to grow up. If they are offered an adult role or it is hyped up, the child is seducible, manipulable.

If it also receives positive reinforcement for its sensible behavior, it will accelerate its adolescence and want to grow up quickly.

From the fear to be overlooked otherwise, it corresponds to the strange desire and is cheated thus around its childhood. Because the inner growth could not keep up, the psychopath exhausts himself, overtakes himself.

„Having to be precocious“ like „wanting to achieve too much too fast, cannot replace physical growth. Since the child is always praised for its adulthood, it believes to be strong, to have no weaknesses and to always want to determine everything.

In the body everything shifts to the top“ and the upper half appears bloated. There are fractures in the middle of the body between above and below. The psychopathic personality is very top-heavy and denies its feelings. The outward posturing and grandstanding is the focus of their existence.

The psychopathic person has the rediscovery of his deep feelings to the task and the associated vulnerability.

Character structures – Brief description of the masochistic character

If children are repeatedly suppressed in their urge to move and their curiosity, and if they control themselves out of fear of rejection, spontaneous expression is hardly possible anymore.

You always try to make everything right for the others. They adapt to the pressure of others not to „misbehave“.

Consequences of this permanent adaptation are lack of drive, uptightness, inhibitions and feelings of shame. Striving for independence is sacrificed to being good and not wanting to be noticed.

Such persons are later will-less receivers of orders and avoid the self-responsible decision.

The masochistic person must try to discharge his aggressions appropriately, without feeling guilty about it. She does well to „learn to say no“ and reduce her feelings of guilt. Deep relaxation is very helpful to him.

Character structures – Brief description of the rigid character

Important characteristics are: Noble reserve, pride and aloofness. Here is protected by rejecting and rejecting behavior.

Loving devotion to a loved one is extremely difficult for the rigid type. It lives in the idea to have to create everything alone.

The rigid personality has passed through the phases of affirming, taking and holding quite satisfactorily, so that it could actually give itself affectionately. But it is precisely in this development phase that difficulties arise.

In the form of specific tension patterns that result from restraint. The rigid only partially surrenders. If he feels deep love, he will shy away from giving himself sexually. If he gets involved in sexuality, he will withdraw his heart.

He must learn to put aside his fear of rejection.

Author: Klaus Thomas-Lindoso

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