Biodynamic Terminology Part 6

Neuroception. A term coined by Stephen Porges. It is the innate capacity of the human central nervous system to sense safety and respond to its lack with the autonomic nervous system. Its foundation is based on what Porges calls the “social nervous system. “The social nervous system is related to a high level of function in a branch of the autonomic nervous system called the parasympathetic nervous system specifically the ventral vagus nerve. It is focused on the structures of the human face that detect the state of being of another person.

Relaxation cannot begin until the defensive systems of the client can be down regulated generating a neutral that ignites the biodynamic therapeutic process automatically. It elegantly happens as a gradual process the practitioner can observe. See also compassion, self-regulation, intersubjectivity and biodynamic therapeutic process.

Neutral. See holistic shift.

Normal. A broad spectrum of appropriate and optimal body-mind experiences from movement to behavior. Indicates a trend away from interpreting some body-mind experiences and responses as pathological. Thus, terms like stress and trauma are no longer adequate descriptions of what are actually highly personal and unique body-mind experience. Everyone is normal in their own way.

Phenomenology of the Body. A philosophical tradition started by Edmund Husserl in Germany in the early 20th century. It was brought to the United States by numerous practitioners especially Charlotte Selver and Wilhelm Reich and applied in a variety of body centered therapies. Gradually became the basis of the field of Somatics named by Thomas Hanna, then Somatic Psychology and more recently Body Centered Psychotherapy.

Phenomenology of the body relates directly to the lived experience of the body in which the language used to describe one’s experience is unique to that person and their experience at that moment in time. The expression of lived experience is subjective influenced by the immediate environment on the senses of the perceiver filtered through the entire history of one’s unique inner biology to arrive at the present moment of sensation. It is the starting point for embodiment and intersubjective experience and thus important in understanding and feeling the effects of the therapeutic relationship on and in the bodies of both the practitioner and the client. See interoceptive awareness and cardioception.

Potency. A reflection of the amplitude, strength or power of Primary Respiration. It is sometimes used as an indicator of the health of the client or the progression of a session. In the midtide model of work, the term potency is associated with what Sills call “fluid drive” only indirectly related to the potency of Primary Respiration. Some teachers perceive that the potency of Primary Respiration is the Long Tide whereas Primary Respiration is of the wind element. See health and Primary Respiration.

Primary Respiration. The movement of wholeness. Generally consists of two phases each lasting approximately 50 seconds. The expansion phase sometimes called Primary inhalation and the reverse phase sometimes called Primary exhalation. It’s perception can be local as if having a point of origin (inside or outside the body), co-mingled with existing structures in the body or global with no distinct point of origin or cause. Historically, the term Primary Respiration has several synonyms associated with it such as the “tide” or the “long tide” because of an important metaphor of the slow activity of the ocean.

See also three activities of Primary Respiration, three locations of Primary Respiration rhythmic balanced interchange, six embodiments, three embryonic fulcrums, wholeness, zones of awareness, automatic shifting, biodynamic therapeutic process, five stages of biodynamic perception, breath of life, cardioception, fluid body, health, holistic shift, stillpoint, five ignitions and center.

Quiescence. See three categories of biological stillness and stillness.

Rhythmic Balanced Interchange. A term coined by Dr. Becker. The perception of Primary Respiration receding to the background and stillness coming to the foreground or the reverse of such. Primary Respiration and stillness are synchronized in this way. The stillness could be said to be like the ocean. The human body could be said to be like the water in the ocean. Primary Respiration could be said to be the “tide” that moves through it all. See biodynamic therapeutic process, Primary Respiration and stillness.