The Body I

Bio-psychosynthesis

Originally RA worked as a psychoanalysis, body was neglected
How can we include the body in our training?
A lot more with the body, not just an add-on
Weekend - intro in how we think about the body
Lots of experiential study

Impressions

Feminine, relaxed, young, male gaze, perfection / ideal, flowing,
Pain, strength, flexibility, control, tension
Comfort, sexuality, tenderness, cosiness, softness,
Lived in, sadness, intensity,
Fun, proud, confident, sex, oily, hard work, youth
Get used to observing
We do it naturally all the time
The body is a communicator
body’s have changed over the years
- Our expectations, limitations
Impacts how we are with ourselves and with our clients
Informed by our outside and inside as well
The body is a mystery
Seems to me we are looking and:
- Reference point of body diversity and capacity for reflection
How would you feel about you body alone on a desert island, out of context?

How we relate to societal images

I am my body and I am not my body
I am my body and I am more than my body
Are there logical paradoxes in psychosynthesis
- Identification and disidentification
What is the body - agent-arena relationship
- At this point we are talking about the gross body (flesh and blood)
‘I’ is embedded, what is the “I” in ref to your body
Psychosynthesis has been criticised with Bypassing
- Misses the limitations such as the psychical
- Look at the film *Babette´s Feast- where
  - they denied bodily functions such as sex
  - The woman wins the lottery - invite the peasants to a feast of riches
  - Who the experience of sensuality changes, caused a spiritual transformation
  - Corporeality
I being an evolving process you can point to
In prison
- Is it the body that is imprisoned?

Exercise

When 5 years old

Bodily image of self
- Confident
- Capable
- Lack of limitations
Feedback from others of your body
- Not much, acceptance for what I am
You general Health and fitness
- Fit and health
How did you compare your body with others
- Noticed my capabilities

When 12 years old

Bodily image of self
- Skinny
- Peak
Feedback from others of your body
- Very white
- Normal
- Attractive
You general Health and fitness
- Asthma
How did you compare your body with others
- Capable, but starting to hold back
- Fast

When 19 years old

Bodily image of self
- In my head
- Connected to the universe
Feedback from others of your body
- A little attractive
- Less confident due to whiteness of skin
You general Health and fitness
- Less fit
- No more asthma
- Skin rash
How did you compare your body with others
- Skinny
- Fast but not strong
- Short

When present

Bodily image of self
- Neglected
- A little podgy
Feedback from others of your body
- Approachable
You general Health and fitness
- Heading towards unfit
How did you compare your body with others
- Neglected

Exercise 2

Let the body tell the story of my life
If the body could speak, what would it say

How does the legacy of the past live on today and into the future?

Relationship changing over time in the chapter of life
- Related to ego
- As my capacity increases / expansion
  - Exploration / invincible
  - Noticing
- As my capacity decreases / contraction
  - Sustainability
Reference points
- Reality check
- Dealing with shame
  - Compensation

Emotional Insults and Human Form

Work of Stanley Keleman
- Shamanic
Communication and development through the body
Four anatomy types
- Ridged type
  - Emotional pressure had in their childhood
  - Works though dominating the environment, pushing away
  - Alpha males
  - Responded to cultural / social environment
  - Leads to body problems like neck problems
- Dense type
  - Originally loved
  - Hard to detect
- Swollen type
  - Extend into other people
  - Take on other peoples stuff, giving
  - Type of ego inflations
- Collapsed type
  - Shame makes them collapse
Outer body doesn’t always reflect their inner world
- Swollen out + dense inner
Insults to form
Application to subpersonalities
- therefore many stresses at different stages of ones life

Personal Feedback

Which ideas have you found the most helpful, meaningful or challenging? Which exercises?: Discussing the psychosynthesis phrases was great for opening my appreciation for the diversity of opinions surrounding it. I feel quite fixed in my view point, so I enjoyed these theories being stretched.
Also framing the impact and expression of my body experience at various stages of my life including the impact on perception from cultural framing was great for identifying some behavioural patterns.
Also, enquiring about aspects and impacts of the body outside of the flesh and blood domain.
What has been the high point or major learning of this course for you?: Being exposed to the Emotional Insults and Human Form was quite insightful. It was a model I had not seen before and can relate to. I quite enjoyed overlapping this model with subpersonality types within the chapters of my life
What has been the quality of the conceptual content? Its organisation? Continuity? Presentation? Clarity?: I absolutely loved the abstract and theoretical discussion that happened. However it was quite different to my expectation of what “the body” would comprise of as I was very much in my head.
I was less interested in hearing so many expressions of self harm, some of which I felt was relevant, but most I felt was just abusing the format of being heard and should have been taken to therapy. Others seem to enjoy it however.
Has there been anything missing from the course or anything you would have liked more of given the time limits? Was there anything which did not work for you or which could have worked more effectively if changed?: More connection with the body during the lesson. I felt quite in my head all day. There were many technical disruptions which could have been avoided if the trainer had familiarised himself with the software beforehand.
What comments do you have about the course trainer(s) and assistants? How was your relationship with the trainer(s)?: Clear, Kind, Articulate, Responsive.