Breaking Through the Body Armour of Chronic Pain

A little over a half-century ago, on August 23, 1956, six tons of books and published research journals were removed from a private publishing concern in Manhattan, taken to a municipal garbage incinerator, and burned according to a Federal Court injunction. At that time, the author of these works, a fallen disciple of Freud, was sitting in detention, serving a sentence for violation of the Food and Drug Act.

For many reasons, it is worthwhile to take time out from the waning days of summer to remember Wilhelm Reich: the upcoming anniversary of the ultimate form of censorship; the sparks of sexuality the hot sun seems to elicit from so many sources this time of year, whether it be the sunburned cellulite peeking out from the too-snug bathing suit at the municipal pool, or that pair of legs in the crosswalk not really covered by the sheer white fabric posing as a skirt, all of which remind one of Reich's theories, as expounded in "Die Funktion des Orgasmus".

How many of us, however, watch the sun set, alone-or at least untouched? How many of us end each day without the opportunity to give an affectionate pat to that pink cellulite? How many of us fold our hands under our heads without touching that knee draped in gossamer?

And how many of us live in pain because of these falterings and fumblings?

Those who falter and fumble gradually harden themselves to the outside world, developing what Reich called "body armour", thinking this will prevent others from seeing them as twisted characters out of a Sherwood Anderson novella. Thus, Reich attempted to see through that armour, by observing body language, and not just listening to words as Freud had taught. Reich relished the challenge of seeing through the physical habits and behaviors built up over the years to hide the suffering inside.

Reich became too much for Freud when he began to touch patients, at times using so much force to break through the painful armour that he actually caused pain. Reportedly, some patients would scream because of the pain; others would sob, or respond with violent movement. Reich saw such reactions as a release of sexual energy, the beginning of healing. He went further, however, having patients disrobe to their underwear in an attempt to symbolically and once and for all repudiate the negative forces of body armour.

Reich went on to propose scientific theories about sexual energy, claiming it could create a measurable electrical potential in the skin, the psychogalvanic phenomenon, and be harnessed as orgone energy in orgone boxes.

Alas, such theories have caused many to dismiss all the work of Reich. However, it is my opinion that we should at the very least pinch ourselves once in a while: We should try to stay in touch with how thick our armour has become, how much of life we are not allowing in, and how much life we are not giving out.