Wilhelm Reich: Orgasm as Analgesic

Austrian-born Wilhelm Reich became one of Sigmund Freud's most brilliant disciples, only to die in a United States prison at age 60.
It has been more than fifty years since his death, but it is interesting that one can see reflections of Reich in those pools of alternative medicine clinics which seem to be popping up on every street corner. I have written about chi and the necessity for the freedom of energy flow for the body to stay healthy. Reich was discussing similar concepts many decades ago.

After his ill-fated involvement with Communism, Reich turned to studying the nexus of mind and body in psychotherapy. He explored tensions in his patients, and how those tensions impact emotions. In the 1930s, Reich developed a theory describing how energy and emotion course through the body: a "new" theory in Europe at the time, yet so ancient to an acupuncturist or a yoga instructor or a chi counselor.

Reich took the tension issue to its obvious next psychoanalytic level, the tension of repressed sexuality. He believed that anyone unfortunate enough to be raised in an atmosphere which negates sexuality is at risk of acquiring a fear of excitation, which in turn can result in physical pain with muscle spasm.

Reich expounded upon the concept of life energy in the 1940s: There are rhythms of life which flow through the arteries of every living being, which watch over the universe, which serve as a conduit for the tenderness of love. Reich felt it was crucial that every human being did not suffer the blockage of this energy.

Unfortunately, many of us develop a sort of armor to block our impulses from embarrassing ourselves in society. Reich was more specific in the naming of this armor, calling it "Neuromuscular Armor". And it is necessary to break this armor so that body energies could move freely once more: this would allow an individual to experience the emotions of others.

"Character Armor" for Reich functions to protect the individual from the negative stimulus associated with pain-pain which is the result of the repression of things that society deems inappropriate. "Muscular Armor" is the physical expression of Character Armor, causing rigidity and possibly muscle pain and arthritis. It is the duty of the therapist to crack these armors, and let the natural flow of life to occur.

Of course, not all pain is the result of a tardy orgasm.
However, we all must be vigilant, and unafraid to confront the barriers to the free-flow of life energy. We all will hurt a little less, particularly if that vigilance does not result in a jail term.