Pulsation
An amoeba expands and contracts easily with natural pulsation. It pulsates slowly out-in-out-in-out, just as our hearts beat (pulsate) or our lungs expand and contract (pulsate) as we breathe. Reich determined that biological pulsation always follows the four-step Life Formula: Initial tension leads to a charge, then to discharge, which leads to relaxation.
Sexual Health
The orgasm formula is a special instance of biological pulsation: In health, sexual tension leads to a sexual charge, then a sexual discharge, and then to relaxation. However, this function is rarely unobstructed among humans.
Disruption
Almost all people have some psychosexual disturbance, so undischarged energy continues to build up in the organism until it produces a stasis that eventually overflows in symptoms. A symptom-free person will reach a point in life when stasis and symptoms develop. The underlying psychosexual disruption is rarely recognized or treated.
Armor
Armor blocks pulsation in most humans and leads to destructive behavior. With neurosis we are at the mercy of our armor and unable to see with emotional understanding.
The Life Process
Reich determined that pulsation is more than just one important quality of life among others. It’s the basic function of the life process, the common functioning principle of all life, the fundamental process of nature. He found that all life follows the basic energetic principles of the Life Formula. It is the very life function, the central, primordial quality of life.
Healing
Pulsation between expansion and contraction is basic to human health, as to all life, and when it’s blocked (as it usually is) we get destructive. Therapy aims at healing this damaged central life function. Free biological motion is the essential sign of health for all life. Life is energetic functioning, and life energy connects us with the cosmos. Healing this central life function liberated free flowing life energy for love, work, and learning.