Reichian Therapy, character armour

[334c]

does anybody here have any experience or knowledge about Reichian therapy?

ive attached a book that discusses his exercises and therapy - but it all seems very intense/ risky / a tremendous task to go ahead with alone. ive only read the first 150 or so pages and some of chapter 23 (on psychology)

a large part of the book is discussing the use of hyperventilation - this seems kinda scary and potentially dangerous to me, what do you folks think??

-
my personal situation:

i find my main drive these days is to search for the various potential causes of my energetic 'blocks'. My eating, temperature and cognition is very much in check, yet i still feel tension in my body (neck, shoulders, scalp, behind knees / cant touch toes etc), and my emotions are not at ease, ie i can't "think what i want to think" / life doesn't feel particularly wonderful (well it does at times, though nowhere near as often as it ought to). Im very driven to getting better, but i basically have depression. i have periods where i feel great and form meaningful connections with people, and then they all apart and cause a deep disturbing primal sense of ostracism/ lack of belonging.

you see i 'intellectually' know all the actions i need to take in my life to make it become great, but in my body i just don't 'feel good' enough to execute them. when im upset i feel an aching in my solar plexus and in my throat.

i believe an internal, bodily feeling of security and prosperity / love - is needed for success, relationships etc
-

this is why i'm looking into Riechian therapy - because of the pattern to these emotions in my life i suspect it has something to do energetically with my body / stored trauma.

over the last couple years since discovering peat i have naturally gained a broader level of introspection and have corrected many deeply maladaptive behaviours / character traits.

however its only when i smoke marijuana or when i take several drops of progesterone - do i have access to the amazing gut feeling of "being a part of things" / connection to people. Is the progesterone momentarily loosening the character armour?

can anybody vouch for Wilhelm Riech?

 

[Makrosky]

does anybody here have any experience or knowledge about Reichian therapy?

ive attached a book that discusses his exercises and therapy - but it all seems very intense/ risky / a tremendous task to go ahead with alone. ive only read the first 150 or so pages and some of chapter 23 (on psychology)

a large part of the book is discussing the use of hyperventilation - this seems kinda scary and potentially dangerous to me, what do you folks think??

-
my personal situation:

i find my main drive these days is to search for the various potential causes of my energetic 'blocks'. My eating, temperature and cognition is very much in check, yet i still feel tension in my body (neck, shoulders, scalp, behind knees / cant touch toes etc), and my emotions are not at ease, ie i can't "think what i want to think" / life doesn't feel particularly wonderful (well it does at times, though nowhere near as often as it ought to). Im very driven to getting better, but i basically have depression. This depression has been reignited by a traumatic relationship occurrence that happened a couple months back - however i must point out that this event is actually part of a pattern of being ostracised / rejected / feeling powerless that has occurred in a cyclic nature over my life. i have periods where i feel great and form meaningful connections with people, and then they all apart and cause a deep disturbing primal sense of ostracism/ lack of belonging.

you see i 'intellectually' know all the actions i need to take in my life to make it become great, but in my body i just don't 'feel good' enough to execute them. the traumatic breakup sometimes makes me very upset and gives me an aching in my solar plexus and in my throat.

i believe an internal, bodily feeling of security and prosperity / love - is needed for success, relationships etc
-

this is why i'm looking into Riechian therapy - because of the pattern to these emotions in my life i suspect it has something to do energetically with my body / stored trauma.

over the last couple years since discovering peat i have naturally gained a broader level of introspection and have corrected many deeply maladaptive behaviours / character traits.

however its only when i smoke marijuana or when i take several drops of progesterone - do i have access to the amazing gut feeling of "being a part of things" / connection to people. Is the progesterone momentarily loosening the character armour?

can anybody vouch for Wilhelm Riech?

I have read some of his books and others from therapists that picked up his work. Like Alexander Lowen.

Definitely an interesting character and a genious in a way.

I used to think it was very legit until I realized all psychodynamic theories are mostly rubbish. Attachment theory, Psycoanalysis, etc. That doesn't mean his work has to be ditched.

I would NEVER try to do do any kind of Reich therapy on my own. It can be dangerous and with unknown consequences, as the human psyche is fragile and complex. These kind of psychotherapies are absolutely not meant to be done by oneself, as I said it is dangerous, solipsistic and in a way defeats one of the main tools of these therapies : the transfer link between therapist and patient.

If you want to do safer exercises you can check Alexander Lowen books and also TRE exercises by David Bercelli.

Don't harm yourself. If you absolutely want to go that route, at least find a good Reichian herapist.

 

[334c]

t

I have read some of his books and others from therapists that picked up his work. Like Alexander Lowen.

Definitely an interesting character and a genious in a way.

I used to think it was very legit until I realized all psychodynamic theories are mostly rubbish. Attachment theory, Psycoanalysis, etc. That doesn't mean his work has to be ditched.

I would NEVER try to do do any kind of Reich therapy on my own. It can be dangerous and with unknown consequences, as the human psyche is fragile and complex. These kind of psychotherapies are absolutely not meant to be done by oneself, as I said it is dangerous, solipsistic and in a way defeats one of the main tools of these therapies : the transfer link between therapist and patient.

If you want to do safer exercises you can check Alexander Lowen books and also TRE exercises by David Bercelli.

Don't harm yourself. If you absolutely want to go that route, at least find a good Reichian herapist.

thanks,

ill probs pass on the book then.
and yeah ill check out Alexander Lowen, ive heard of TRE and have been meaning to learn about that as well.

in what ways do you think psychodynamic therapies are inadequate compared to others?
i guess what im asking is what do you consider to be the most effective / least tedious or risky way to heal oneself from emotional burden of ones past and present?

 

[Makrosky]

you see i 'intellectually' know all the actions i need to take in my life to make it become great, but in my body i just don't 'feel good' enough to execute them.

If I understand you correctly:

Although that feeling is real and I know it, it is a trap. Unless you are severly impaired and by that I mean a real clinical condition, it is mostly an ego-driven feeling. You don't feel "as well" or "as energetic" as your imposed self-image thinks you should. It is a trap to keep you immobile. Just do it. I am not saying it is easy as learned helplesness and that stuff is real but at the end it is just a choice. If you take one thing at a time and don't aim for perfection, you are perfectly capable of taking those actions. If those actions are really going to help you feel better, of course.

The rest (supplements, diet, Peating, whatever) is just crutches. Super useful crutches don't get me wrong but you have to take the action.

 

[Makrosky]

t

thanks,

ill probs pass on the book then.
and yeah ill check out Alexander Lowen, ive heard of TRE and have been meaning to learn about that as well.

in what ways do you think psychodynamic therapies are inadequate compared to others?
i guess what im asking is what do you consider to be the most effective / least tedious or risky way to heal oneself from emotional burden of ones past and present?

By understanding that the real problem is is an idea in your mind. That is the ides that "traumatic" events that happened 30 years ago are causing a problem 30 years after. It is a complex idea that dominates our culture, and very engrained in our collective psyche to let it go easily but once you see it, it is super liberating. James Hillman (a Jungian therapist himself) writings are what literally CURED me of that jail I was into. The liberation feeling once I saw it was amazing. You can check "We have had a 100 years of therapy and the world is getting worse" book. Be careful as it is a no-way back trip, just like when you discover Peat and realize that Salt and Sugar are not detrimental for health.

On the other hand, Lowen and TRE exercises can be done and they feel good without the need of any psychological explanation (even though they wrap it around a trauma theory thing). It just feels good for the body.

Hope it helps!!

 

[334c]

By understanding that the real problem is is an idea in your mind. That is the ides that "traumatic" events that happened 30 years ago are causing a problem 30 years after. It is a complex idea that dominates our culture, and very engrained in our collective psyche to let it go easily but once you see it, it is super liberating. James Hillman (a Jungian therapist himself) writings are what literally CURED me of that jail I was into. The liberation feeling once I saw it was amazing. You can check "We have had a 100 years of therapy and the world is getting worse" book. Be careful as it is a no-way back trip, just like when you discover Peat and realize that Salt and Sugar are not detrimental for health.

On the other hand, Lowen and TRE exercises can be done and they feel good without the need of any psychological explanation (even though they wrap it around a trauma theory thing). It just feels good for the body.

Hope it helps!!

inspiring concept. i will check it all out, thank you.

 

[Cloudhands]

i used to do an exercise that i kind of concocted myself based on the character armour therapy, although i cant remember but i think i heard about reich doing something similiar. but basically me and friends would lay down and let the other person tickle us until we said stop. its an act of letting go, building trust, and doing so associated with specific areas of our bodies. youd notice that some people were more ticklish in different parts of their bodies, so in their armpits, some on their crotches, some on their back near the deltoids some on the lower back etc. everytime we did it itd get easier and easier, and wed leave the hangout feeling a certain glow and great mood.

 

[ivy]

Where are you based? I'd try a gentler approach first...

 

[Makrosky]

i used to do an exercise that i kind of concocted myself based on the character armour therapy, although i cant remember but i think i heard about reich doing something similiar. but basically me and friends would lay down and let the other person tickle us until we said stop. its an act of letting go, building trust, and doing so associated with specific areas of our bodies. youd notice that some people were more ticklish in different parts of their bodies, so in their armpits, some on their crotches, some on their back near the deltoids some on the lower back etc. everytime we did it itd get easier and easier, and wed leave the hangout feeling a certain glow and great mood.

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Makrosky]

@emac

Someone posted this in another thread a few days ago. I normally don't watch these kind of videos because they don't tend to bring anything new or that I didn't know about. Still, this one caught my eye and I liked it a lot. Maybe you find it useful.


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx3rudmWm1g&feature=emb_title

 

[Grapelander]

Order book: The Emotional Plague: The Root of Human Evil - Charles Konia

These articles are reprinted from the Journal of Orgonomy, The American College of Orgonomy.

Biological Sciences
The Biophysical Basis of Sociopolitical Thought, Vol. 35 No. 1

Orgonometry (see glossary for definition)
Applied Orgonometry II: The Origin and Function of Thought

Physical Sciences
The Application of Mechanistic Materialism in the Natural Sciences is an Expression of the Emotional Plague

Social Sciences
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION IN FUNCTIONAL ECONOMICS – The Biological Origin of Economic Debacles
An Eruption of the Emotional Plague, Vol. 38, No. 2
The Decline and Fall of Modern Phychiatry, Vol. 41, No.2
The Global Breakthrough of the Emotional Plague, Vol. 35, No. 2
The War on Drugs: America’s Second Civil War, Vol. 36, No. 2

 

[toolhead]

does anybody here have any experience or knowledge about Reichian therapy?

ive attached a book that discusses his exercises and therapy - but it all seems very intense/ risky / a tremendous task to go ahead with alone. ive only read the first 150 or so pages and some of chapter 23 (on psychology)

a large part of the book is discussing the use of hyperventilation - this seems kinda scary and potentially dangerous to me, what do you folks think??

-
my personal situation:

i find my main drive these days is to search for the various potential causes of my energetic 'blocks'. My eating, temperature and cognition is very much in check, yet i still feel tension in my body (neck, shoulders, scalp, behind knees / cant touch toes etc), and my emotions are not at ease, ie i can't "think what i want to think" / life doesn't feel particularly wonderful (well it does at times, though nowhere near as often as it ought to). Im very driven to getting better, but i basically have depression. This depression has been reignited by a traumatic relationship occurrence that happened a couple months back - however i must point out that this event is actually part of a pattern of being ostracised / rejected / feeling powerless that has occurred in a cyclic nature over my life. i have periods where i feel great and form meaningful connections with people, and then they all apart and cause a deep disturbing primal sense of ostracism/ lack of belonging.

you see i 'intellectually' know all the actions i need to take in my life to make it become great, but in my body i just don't 'feel good' enough to execute them. the traumatic breakup sometimes makes me very upset and gives me an aching in my solar plexus and in my throat.

i believe an internal, bodily feeling of security and prosperity / love - is needed for success, relationships etc
-

this is why i'm looking into Riechian therapy - because of the pattern to these emotions in my life i suspect it has something to do energetically with my body / stored trauma.

over the last couple years since discovering peat i have naturally gained a broader level of introspection and have corrected many deeply maladaptive behaviours / character traits.

however its only when i smoke marijuana or when i take several drops of progesterone - do i have access to the amazing gut feeling of "being a part of things" / connection to people. Is the progesterone momentarily loosening the character armour?

can anybody vouch for Wilhelm Riech?

Don’t know too much about Reichean therapy but I have studied Alexander Lowen, Feldenkrais and Alexander Technique. I had a few Rolfing sessions as well.

My first instinct is to tell you your first mistake is to assume that life should always be happy or “positive”. This is a distinctly Western assumption with respect to life and you should drop it. Persisting in this belief will only add to your misery.

Learn to embrace the “negative” aspects of life and I suspect you will make better gains.

 

[Makrosky]

Don’t know too much about Reichean therapy but I have studied Alexander Lowen, Feldenkrais and Alexander Technique. I had a few Rolfing sessions as well.

My first instinct is to tell you your first mistake is to assume that life should always be happy or “positive”. This is a distinctly Western assumption with respect to life and you should drop it. Persisting in this belief will only add to your misery.

Learn to embrace the “negative” aspects of life and I suspect you will make better gains.

How was the ROLFing? Do you find it worth doing it? I like the idea it is not wrapped around any psychological workframe but rather on just mechanical aspects (fascia release IIRC).

 

[ivy]

How was the ROLFing? Do you find it worth doing it? I like the idea it is not wrapped around any psychological workframe but rather on just mechanical aspects (fascia release IIRC).

Not having experimented with Rolfing, I daresay the OP would benefit from precisely the opposite, an approach with a psychological/onthological workframe. Feelings of disconnect, such as were mentioned, point in the direction of interdependency of humour, bodily discomfort and a lack of meaningful bonding opportunities. Fascia release alone can't nourish that deficit.

 

[Makrosky]

Not having experimented with Rolfing, I daresay the OP would benefit from precisely the opposite, an approach with a psychological/onthological workframe. Feelings of disconnect, such as were mentioned, point in the direction of interdependency of humour, bodily discomfort and a lack of meaningful bonding opportunities. Fascia release alone can't nourish that deficit.

My question about ROLFing had nothing to do with OPs issue. Some years ago I wanted to do it and never did. Was wondering how was it for other "Peatarians" as we share the same mythological views.

 

[Grapelander]

Institute for Orgonomic Science
The Basic Antithesis of Vegetative Life” (1934). In this article Reich postulates that energy moves from the core to the periphery of the organism in pleasure (expansion) and the withdrawal of energy from periphery to core is experienced as anxiety (contraction). These basic feelings of pleasure and anxiety correlate with the parasympathetic effects of the autonomic nervous system on the bodily organs in sexual arousal and the sympathetic effects of the autonomic nervous system on the bodily organs in anxiety. He also speculated on the possible chemical correlates of such movements.

Scholars do not agree on what first led Reich to the idea that character armor–a person’s typical way of dealing with undischarged sexual energy–was in some way related to the musculature and other aspects of a person’s neurophysiology. Otto Fenichel, an early friend of Reich’s, wrote an article in 1928 which included references to a number of different psychoanalysts’ observations of patterns of muscular rigidity in neurotic patients. Reich himself noted that Sándor Ferenczi, aware of the limitations of standard psychoanalysis, looked to the “somatic sphere” for a new approach to therapy. Others refer to Reich’s interest in the work of Elsa Gindler, who had developed a form of therapeutic movement and breath. Still others insist that Reich’s second long-term partner, Elsa Lindenberg, a dancer, influenced Reich to turn to the body as an avenue to increased therapeutic success. Whatever its sources, in Oslo Reich began using a new form of therapy, based on the assumption that character armor was identical (in one sense) to muscular armor. In The Function of the Orgasm Reich reports that he observed deep vegetative reactions in his patients as he worked on their resistance, and out of this observation came the assumed identity. The new therapy, which he called “character-analytic vegetotherapy,” had deep breathing as an integral component. He first described both the theoretical basis and the practice in Orgasmusreflex, Muskelhaltung und Körperausdruck. Zur Technik der charakteranalytischen Vegetotherapie (Orgasm Reflex, Muscular Posture, and Bodily Expression: On the Technique of Character-analytic Vegetotherapy), published in 1937. In this article Reich speaks generally of the relevance of bodily expression to understanding neuroses, the typical chronic tension in the abdominal musculature, and the goal of restoring full and natural breath, while also working on the “dead pelvis.” Reich used this form of therapy on patients and trained a handful of Norwegian colleagues to do the same. All manner of current bodily therapies, including primal scream, bio-energetics, and other so-called “somatic psychologies,” owe a continuing debt to Reich’s pioneering work; sometimes this debt is acknowledged, but often it goes unmentioned.

Finally, before leaving Oslo for the United States, Reich wrote a second pamphlet meant for limited circulation among friends and colleagues, Die natürliche Organisation der Arbeit in der Arbeitsdemokratie (The Natural Organization of Work in Work-Democracy) (1939). That is to say, in the midst of his ground breaking laboratory work and his newly formed therapeutic modality, Reich was still interested in the social dimension that undergirds the sexual dysfunction of society.

 

[BRMarshall]

Relative to the work of Ray Peat, Wilhelm Reich's work is perhaps an important adjunct by which one might realize why William Blake's work is so important to Peat, as "energy is eternal delight" speaks to Reich's observation that such delightful energy, our love energy, can well become a poison in our system when we seek to suppress feelings, or rather do not have the flexibility in our system, our bodies, such that energy no longer moves, gets stuck, surrenders and shrinks.

The link of the book is a relevant way to approach the work as it does follow a classical Reichian approach, of working with the armoring from the head downwards, staring with of our eyes, face, and throat with breathing...yeah go slow and there are a few classically trained orgonomist on the east coast usa.

It should be remembered that Reich understood that we all have a natural living pulse of health, and that if we look at say the work of Peter Levine regarding observations of animals in relationship to trauma, how trauma creates a shut down, a stiffness that then body might start to shake and breath and reboot from, then we can note that what Reich was exploring were approaches that help to revive health and energy.

The so called dangers, and sure the work can be hell, but it is a living process, and no Lowen's Bioenergetics is not necessarily 'safer', but does work.

It should be noted what Wim Hoff is doing, breathing without holding, then breath holds, then breathing, etc then exposure to the cold...an approach that prepares one for a stress a shock, and addresses the whole being through a process that is very Reichian in a way...

This is sort of the same with the Russian martial art, Systema, where muscular armoring, breath and fear are explored...some of that basic work is going to go into the same areas as Reich and others...

As regards marijuana, the Reichians see that as temporarily opening up the armoring of the head, and that the danger is that then the armor comes back with a revenge can prompt people to seek the expansion effect through such means, and thus serves to pronounce the armoring into a chronic state. This serves to understand the "dangers" of such therapy for loosening armor can result in a rearmoring, which is why Reich was against working on pelvic armoring first as there would be too much energy in the system and the system would be more prone to protect itself.

The issue is not to get rid of our need to armor and protect ourselves, but to be flexible, which includes the capacity to rest and repair, to participate in life and one's perceptions..

yes progesterone is protective

 

[BRMarshall]

Institute for Orgonomic Science
The Basic Antithesis of Vegetative Life” (1934). In this article Reich postulates that energy moves from the core to the periphery of the organism in pleasure (expansion) and the withdrawal of energy from periphery to core is experienced as anxiety (contraction). These basic feelings of pleasure and anxiety correlate with the parasympathetic effects of the autonomic nervous system on the bodily organs in sexual arousal and the sympathetic effects of the autonomic nervous system on the bodily organs in anxiety. He also speculated on the possible chemical correlates of such movements.

Scholars do not agree on what first led Reich to the idea that character armor–a person’s typical way of dealing with undischarged sexual energy–was in some way related to the musculature and other aspects of a person’s neurophysiology. Otto Fenichel, an early friend of Reich’s, wrote an article in 1928 which included references to a number of different psychoanalysts’ observations of patterns of muscular rigidity in neurotic patients. Reich himself noted that Sándor Ferenczi, aware of the limitations of standard psychoanalysis, looked to the “somatic sphere” for a new approach to therapy. Others refer to Reich’s interest in the work of Elsa Gindler, who had developed a form of therapeutic movement and breath. Still others insist that Reich’s second long-term partner, Elsa Lindenberg, a dancer, influenced Reich to turn to the body as an avenue to increased therapeutic success. Whatever its sources, in Oslo Reich began using a new form of therapy, based on the assumption that character armor was identical (in one sense) to muscular armor. In The Function of the Orgasm Reich reports that he observed deep vegetative reactions in his patients as he worked on their resistance, and out of this observation came the assumed identity. The new therapy, which he called “character-analytic vegetotherapy,” had deep breathing as an integral component. He first described both the theoretical basis and the practice in Orgasmusreflex, Muskelhaltung und Körperausdruck. Zur Technik der charakteranalytischen Vegetotherapie (Orgasm Reflex, Muscular Posture, and Bodily Expression: On the Technique of Character-analytic Vegetotherapy), published in 1937. In this article Reich speaks generally of the relevance of bodily expression to understanding neuroses, the typical chronic tension in the abdominal musculature, and the goal of restoring full and natural breath, while also working on the “dead pelvis.” Reich used this form of therapy on patients and trained a handful of Norwegian colleagues to do the same. All manner of current bodily therapies, including primal scream, bio-energetics, and other so-called “somatic psychologies,” owe a continuing debt to Reich’s pioneering work; sometimes this debt is acknowledged, but often it goes unmentioned.

Finally, before leaving Oslo for the United States, Reich wrote a second pamphlet meant for limited circulation among friends and colleagues, Die natürliche Organisation der Arbeit in der Arbeitsdemokratie (The Natural Organization of Work in Work-Democracy) (1939). That is to say, in the midst of his ground breaking laboratory work and his newly formed therapeutic modality, Reich was still interested in the social dimension that undergirds the sexual dysfunction of society.

Thanks

 

[LUH 3417]

does anybody here have any experience or knowledge about Reichian therapy?

ive attached a book that discusses his exercises and therapy - but it all seems very intense/ risky / a tremendous task to go ahead with alone. ive only read the first 150 or so pages and some of chapter 23 (on psychology)

a large part of the book is discussing the use of hyperventilation - this seems kinda scary and potentially dangerous to me, what do you folks think??

-
my personal situation:

i find my main drive these days is to search for the various potential causes of my energetic 'blocks'. My eating, temperature and cognition is very much in check, yet i still feel tension in my body (neck, shoulders, scalp, behind knees / cant touch toes etc), and my emotions are not at ease, ie i can't "think what i want to think" / life doesn't feel particularly wonderful (well it does at times, though nowhere near as often as it ought to). Im very driven to getting better, but i basically have depression. This depression has been reignited by a traumatic relationship occurrence that happened a couple months back - however i must point out that this event is actually part of a pattern of being ostracised / rejected / feeling powerless that has occurred in a cyclic nature over my life. i have periods where i feel great and form meaningful connections with people, and then they all apart and cause a deep disturbing primal sense of ostracism/ lack of belonging.

you see i 'intellectually' know all the actions i need to take in my life to make it become great, but in my body i just don't 'feel good' enough to execute them. the traumatic breakup sometimes makes me very upset and gives me an aching in my solar plexus and in my throat.

i believe an internal, bodily feeling of security and prosperity / love - is needed for success, relationships etc
-

this is why i'm looking into Riechian therapy - because of the pattern to these emotions in my life i suspect it has something to do energetically with my body / stored trauma.

over the last couple years since discovering peat i have naturally gained a broader level of introspection and have corrected many deeply maladaptive behaviours / character traits.

however its only when i smoke marijuana or when i take several drops of progesterone - do i have access to the amazing gut feeling of "being a part of things" / connection to people. Is the progesterone momentarily loosening the character armour?

can anybody vouch for Wilhelm Riech?

I spoke to a reichian for a while. He does body work but won’t see me in person because of vaccination.

His main point would be that I don’t have an intellectual problem so the issue couldn’t be addressed intellectually. He would point out my willfulness to get better and fix things only really backfiring. He seemed to believe I had to actually feel the original heart break and mourn it. He often used the metaphor of death and grieving and how people had a funeral and visited graves of the dead in order to deal with their grief physically and in reality. He suggested I do something similar with my original heart break. To be honest my neck feels worse than it’s ever felt.

I did get a myofascial release massage with someone who is aware of the concept of armoring but not in the reichian sense. When she started massaging by my liver it felt like a rock and all of a sudden it felt like it was unraveling. I would say if you can’t find a reichian to do body work with you might want to find a somatic experiencing therapist or a massage therapist who is aware of emotional aspects of massage.

 

[LUH 3417]

Don’t want to spam the thread but apparently Reich was into milk?


Readers of Wilhelm Reich’s book, The Cancer Biopathy, (pages 63-64) may recall that Reich examined many fluids fluorophotometrically as an indicator of their “orgonotic potency,” i.e., their energetic charge. On a scale of 1 to 100, distilled water was set at 1. When comparing milks on this scale, pasteurized had a value of 55 and milk that was not pasteurized had a value of 100+. Among all fluids, milk that was not pasteurized measured well above all others. Except for reporting of this data in a table, Reich did not discuss the specific findings as related to milk. But it is not unreasonable to assume that, concerned as he was with natural energy, he valued highly charged foods. As an interesting side note, Reich’s son Peter wrote a book entitled A Brief History of Milk (published at Smashwords) in which he recalls drinking Certified Milk — unpasteurized milk produced under supervision of a Medical Milk Commission.