What is the Body Pattern of Anxiety?

Anxiety is more than a state of mind; it's a physical experience deeply rooted in our nervous system and musculature.

"Anxiety appears when deep in ourselves we know that we have no other choice - no alternative way of acting," Feldenkrais observes, laying the groundwork for a profound exploration of this subject in the "Body Pattern of Anxiety" chapter from his book "The Elusive Obvious."

He opens a window into how anxiety is not merely an emotional or mental state but a complex, embodied experience that intertwines with our neuromuscular system.

Our nervous system is like the command center of our entire self. Largely concerned with movement, it sends and receives messages that control almost everything we do, including how we respond to stress and anxiety. When we're anxious, our nervous system goes into a state of high alert, preparing our body to face a perceived threat – even if that threat isn't actually dangerous.

This state of high alert triggers specific patterns in our musculature. You might notice your shoulders tensing up, your ribcage becoming stiff, your spine flexing forward, your breathing becoming shallow, a feeling of tightness in your stomach, tension in your face, jaw, hands and feet, your eyes narrowing, or any combination of these actions. There are a whole myriad of ways in which your nervous and muscular systems prepare to respond to stress, but there is one thing in common. 

The main pattern common to all anxiety responses is that the flexor muscles contract, while the extensor muscles are inhibited. Flexor muscles are in charge of shortening, while extensor muscles are in charge of lengthening. Thus, in general, anxiety shortens and tightens you while calm lengthens and loosens you. 

Feldenkrais points out that these patterns in our musculature aren't just a reaction to anxiety but can also perpetuate it. It's a two-way street: our anxious mind affects our movement, and our movement, in turn, influences our mind.

One powerful key to disrupting this cycle lies in awareness and movement – central tenets of the Feldenkrais Method. Feldenkrais asserts the importance of self-knowledge and understanding these muscle patterns through your own experience. In order to break free from the grip of anxiety, you must cultivate choices in how you respond to yourself and your environment.

All Feldnekrais lessons have the effect of equalizing the tonus of the flexors and extensors, which is why you always leave a lesson feeling longer and lighter. At the same time, you are increasing your sensitivy and awareness, rewiring your nervous system for calm and ease while learning about yourself. He also contends that movement is simply easier, and we have a richer sense of movement to be able to distinguish differences. 

"Without learning to know ourselves as intimately as we possibly can, we limit our choice," he states, suggesting that self-awareness opens doors to new possibilities of responding to anxiety.

Awareness with the Feldenkrais Method is as much cognitive as it is physical, noticing your patterns of muscular effort while learning new ones. It involves a heightened sensitivity to our rich sensory world in a very detailed way, in particular our kinesthetic sense of movement. This includes our proprioceptive sense of where we are in space, our sense of gravity, our sense of heaviness or lightness, our sense of muscular effort, of  ease or dis-ease, and our sense of organization of movement.

By tuning into these responses, we can begin to alter them, sending signals back to the brain that the perceived threat is no longer present. This process of using our own awareness to sense ourselves, let go, and reorganize on a microscopic level, helps to reduce the physiological symptoms of anxiety and calm anxious thoughts. 

Feldenkrais delves into the role of conditioning and instinct in shaping our responses to anxiety. He discusses the various instincts identified by psychologists, like William McDougall, and physiologists, like Ivan Pavlov, highlighting how these instincts, whether parental, sexual, or related to fear, shape our reactions. Particularly, he points out that fear is the only instinct that inhibits motion, leading to a momentary halt in our actions.

Feldenkrais' exploration extends to the journey from fear to anxiety, seen through a neurophysiological lens. He explains how the initial reaction to fear, a violent stimulus, leads to a general contraction of the flexors. Think of a baby crying and folding or curling inwards. This response enables an animal to either freeze or prepare for a potential escape. In humans, these responses manifest as various anxiety symptoms – the tightening of muscles, changes in breathing, and other physiological reactions.

Feldenkrais' insights have profound implications for therapy and self-understanding. By recognizing that anxiety is strongly rooted in the physical self, therapists and individuals can approach its management in a more holistic way. Techniques that focus on awareness of movement and sensations can be particularly effective in addressing anxiety, as they directly engage with the patterns of muscular contraction and relaxation that are involved in anxious responses.

Moshe Feldenkrais' exploration of the "Body Pattern of Anxiety" offers a rich and multi-dimensional understanding of this common emotional experience. By highlighting the intricate connection between our nervous system, muscular responses, and emotional states, he provides a framework for understanding anxiety that is both deeply rooted in physiology and accessible through self-awareness, movement and sensation. His insights remind us that to effectively manage anxiety, we must engage with our whole being – mind, body, and spirit – recognizing the complex interplay of these elements in our embodied experience of the world.

"Life is not very sweet without freedom of choice," Feldenkrais concludes, emphasizing the empowering role of self-knowledge and choice in our journey towards overcoming anxiety. By understanding the deep-rooted muscular patterns associated with anxiety and learning to modulate them through awareness and movement, we open up new pathways to well-being and a more free, easy, harmonious existence.