DIAPHRAGMATIC: The upper four segments must be loosened to some extent for diaphragm work to be useful. Repeated gag reflexes help loosen this segment. Also massage in the diaphragm triangle working on any tight spots, especially at the bottom of the ribs, but be careful as there are plenty of sensitive organs in this area. Watching the breathing is important as the diaphragm should go with the chest if both are loose. This segment connects the upper and lower parts of the body and I see it as the gateway to the lower regions, a gateway that will be closed in an armoured person.

It holds a lot of fear, panic, anxiety, hysterical laughter and also murderous rage.

ABDOMINAL: "The dissolution of the sixth segment is easier than that of the others." - Reich, Character Analysis. "There is no neurotic individual who does not show a tension in the abdomen" - Reich, Function of the Orgasm. Explore the abdominal region for tight spots, especially around the belly button, press down on the outbreath. Also work on the flanks which are often ticklish and hold back spite—both front and back. The abdominal area according to Reich holds a fear of attack. I wonder if this could be due to the premature cutting of the umbilical cord which is a widespread practise. If the pelvis is to move freely this area needs to be relaxed. Note that most people see their centre as being in this area -gut feelings, gut wrenching.

PELVIC: Reich says we can't truly love until we have discharged the rage held in our pelvises. Its expression takes the form of either a piercing movement whilst lying on your front, or a squashing movement lying on your back and it may well tie in with sadism connected with harsh toilet training. Explore these by encouraging pelvic thrusts or pelvic 'bouncing'. These movements should involve the whole body and will indicate whether there is a holding elsewhere in the body.

The 'jellyfish' movement also helps free the pelvis and it is again a useful test of how loose the person is. Also massage on any tightness found in the pelvic muscles, especially the buttocks. There is also anxiety to be found in the pelvis, a fear of letting go, orgasm anxiety—in the sense of total body surrender rather than armoured orgasm. Also work on the legs which Reich ties in with the pelvic segment. Fear is often held in the legs, often associated with the neck, and there may be a desire to run away—you could get your client to run on the spot if this happens. Work on any tight spots, particularly the thigh muscles, the calf muscles, the knee and ankle joint. Encourage any kicking movements that develop. You can help the lower legs relax by taking their weight in turn.

Lowen gives us some good insight into leg armouring and how it effects our grounding or energetic contact with mother earth. We tighten our legs against letting go, through fear and we also hold back on expressing anger or letting sadness ripple up our legs. Some of Lowen's bioenergetic positions are particularly good for leg work the upper segments are sufficiently loose.

Baker warns us against premature mobilisation of the pelvic segment which he says can result in much confusion and distress, perhaps resulting in flight from therapy. So work directly on the pelvis only when the other segments are relatively loose. Of course spontaneous work on the pelvis, and especially on the legs will occur during the therapy, and gentle massage at any time will do no harm.

The energy disturbance of the orgone energy and its flow in our body due to armouring is a basic element in illnesses of all kinds. It is possible to tie in various illnesses with the seven segments, with specific tightness in these areas. This does not necessarily mean that Reichian therapy can cure these illnesses, though it certainly can in some cases. What it does mean is that Reichian therapy is an excellent preventative method, with regular use of an orgone accumulator (see Appendix A) as a second best—best of all, use both. However, the ultimate solution lies in changing our way of life, changing ourselves and our society so that armouring does not arise. That's a whole area in itself.

As an example of diseases associated with a particular segment and with armouring in that segment, Baker tells us that:

"Symptoms from pelvic armouring are constipation, lumbago, growth in the rectum, ovarian cysts, polyps of the uterus, benign and malignant tumours vaginal conditions, irritability of the bladder, irritation of the urethra, vaginal and penile anesthesia. In a male low energy in the pelvis (anorgonia) leads to erective impotence, or premature ejaculation, and in the female to anesthesia or vaginismus. The feet may be cold and swollen, with numbness, tingling sensations and varicosities."

Both Reich and Baker's chapters on the segments, mentioned earlier, cover associated illnesses and Reich's "Function of the Orgasm" has a subchapter which covers typical psychosomatic illnesses.

Often when a segment first starts to give, a person may not be able to handle the free energy and will gradually tighten up during the week after the session, or sometimes even during the session itself. So although quite spectacular things occur during the session, some of the gains will be shortlived. It is almost as though your client was trying out a looser position to see how it felt for a while. However, loosening the segment a second time is usually easier and gradually your client will be able to live out their new looseness. The message is—therapy takes time if real progress is to be made, and your client will need encouragement and support along the road to genitality/ end of therapy. At each stage anxiety will arise and old defences will be reactivated and the final anxiety -orgasm anxiety will likely be the heaviest. Likewise during the therapy the overall strength of the emotional expressions will get stronger and this includes pleasure, the capacity to enjoy ones self, and the ability to be creative. From these positive benefits strength should be found by your client to face the anxieties involved in the therapy. And just as there's a pattern to armouring, so there's one to unarmouring. Find that of your clients and respect it.

"At times you have to take some pain and some restriction of happiness. Only you should feel, as you do, that happiness is so very important in life. It grows best if you know how to keep yourself clean inside. Then you never lose your ability to be happy, even if things are very sad and lonely at times."

Letter from Reich to his son Peter, January 1956.