Pulsation: working with the inward flow

Reich had described the elementary process of the expansive and contractive pulsation in orgone functioning and declared it his most important discovery. Expansion was the expressive movement of the life force within the organism from the core to the periphery and beyond. This was equated with pleasure.
The inward oriented flow of the pulsation was declared opposite, the contractive part of the pulsation and associated with fear and anxiety.
Most psychotherapy and Body Psychotherapy relies on this interpretation and is outward oriented. It is the „ storming out“ of the affect -as Freud called it- or the wish to „ express“ ourselves and our emotions which determines most therapeutic approaches.

We found in our therapeutic experiences that not all movements are genuinely expressive of the patients needs and desires and that not all inward movements are associated with contraction and fear and anxiety. In contrary, a free flowing inward movement will lead towards a state of trust and deep centering, which can be associated with the qualities of a self centered reflective state. Thus we found that it is the quality of the flow, not the direction which is determining the experience.

The instroke or inward moving aspect of pulsation is constructive, integrative in its dynamic. It is enhancing acceptance, congruence and the creative process. It mobilizes the self healing forces of the organism in both realms, the psychic and somatic and allows well-being.

By mobilizing the instroke it is possible to work safely with trauma patients by going below the cortical level of cognition and emotions, below the defenses and even below the trauma itself, thereby contacting the undamaged endo self state whereby the patient can “heal” her/himself.