Austrian doctor and psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich discovered through his experiences that there are 7 segments of muscle tension in the human body where unexpressed emotions are 'frozen.' He called this the 'muscular armor,' which implies the blocking of the natural flow of life energy.
These are often referred to as 'muscle blocks.' To allow energy to flow freely, it is necessary to release muscle tension in these 7 segments.
These 7 segments are as follows: eyes, mouth, neck, chest, diaphragm, abdomen, and pelvis. In each of these areas, various emotions may be 'frozen.'
Interestingly, these 7 segments of muscular blocks coincide with the 7 chakras of Hatha Yoga.
Reich relaxed these muscle blocks with massaging movements. It is also possible to work on them through open conversations with a psychotherapist.
These excess muscle tensions can also be removed through exercises, which we have presented in our lessons.
Blocks can be released in three ways: • Through muscle stretching • Through even more tension (exhausting the muscles leads to their energetic discharge) • Through breathing.
In our lessons, you can work on the following areas with exercises: neck, chest, diaphragm, abdomen, and pelvis. The zones are not worked on in a specific order, but all the mentioned areas are engaged.
You can work on the blocks in the eye and mouth areas using the following practices:
Eyes: • Open your eyes as wide as possible or squint. • Make eye movements from side to side: right-left, up-down, diagonally. • Rotate your eyes clockwise and counterclockwise. • You can also use the well-known yoga exercise 'Trataka' (steady gaze).
Mouth: • Open your mouth as wide as possible, stretching the muscles. • Extend your lips forward like a pout."
