IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: 

#1 The problem of identity is the root of all other problems. It stems from a feeling of contact with the body, and without that awareness, a person becomes split into a disembodied spirit and a disenchanted body.

#2 The schizoid individual knows he has a body, and is therefore oriented in time and space. But since his ego is not identified with his body and does not perceive it in an alive way, he feels unrelated to the world and to people.

#3 The image is a symbol and mental creation compared to the reality of physical experience. It derives its reality from its association with feeling or sensation. When this association is disrupted, the image becomes abstract. The discrepancy between image and reality is most clear in delusional schizophrenics.

#4 The aliveness of the body is a function of its metabolism and motility. When these two things are reduced, the body loses its ability to be impressed by or respond to situations. The more alive your body is, the more you will perceive reality and the more actively you will respond to it.

Summary of Dr. Alexander Lowen M.D.'s The Betrayal of the Body

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