Emotional Anatomy
By Stanley Keleman

Some ideas that I took away from this book:

• Really emphasized that the body is a completely integrated system, particularly the brain, nerves and muscles. Therefore, stress in one part of the body can be easily transmitted to another part of the body. Well known examples would be muscular tension from mental stress as well as organ difficulties originating in the mind.

• Always consider environmental and emotional factors in dealing with injury and illness.

• The basic premise of the book is that due to its connectivity to the brain, the voluntary and involuntary reactions of the muscles can be an insight into a person's emotional state. This is well known. The author talks about four main physical manifestations that result from certain emotional states.

• The four positions are collapsed (defeat), rigid (fear), dense (defiance) and swollen (pride).

• An interesting reminder about bones giving support and protecting life itself (due to the production of white blood cells). Bones are strengthened through weight bearing exercise.

• Because of the relationship between emotive states and physical wellbeing, the author believes that we can improve our emotive state by strengthening our physical self (working backwards through the chain).

• Incomplete breathing giving rise to fear/anxiety -- particularly relevant to athletes when swimming, hill climbing and racing.

• The Fundamentals of Stress Reduction -- mindful living -- particularly mindful breathing and mindful eating.

• Humans walking upright -- A vertical position enables a more intimate interaction with the world, exposing the soft parts of the body to the world. Threats and dangers are immediately encountered.

• When faced with any stimulus that "shocks", the Startle Reflex is encountered and this disrupts the smooth patter of uprightness. The author defines startling stimuli as "insults".

• Insults are either external or internal. The severity of an insult is determined by: (a) timing, (b) number/frequency, (c) source, (d) duration, and (e) severity. Insults create waves that move through us.

• Important to remember that many people are the source of the majority of their own stress.

• Insults evoke a pattern of reactions -- Rigid => Dense => Swollen => Collapse

• A series of insults can create stress. Stress is a state of constant startle. Basically, the body is constantly braced, a low-level startle happening all the time. This is important because the whole body is impacted by a person being constantly started.

• Startle -- an immediate response, an alarm.
• Stress -- an intensification and continuation of responses. On-going situation.

• Makes some interesting points about Fear. Fear provokes a flexion response (pulling in). However, startle is an extension reponse (back up, diaphragm down, airway open). The degree of extension and rigidity depends on the severity of shock. Can extend all the way to paralysis.

• The Startle Response is not negative in itself (examples, pre-race energy).

• Rigidity is our first line of defense (think about teenagers). Tightening is the first line of physical defense. The implication for me is that athletes need to be very comfortable in their wetsuits well in advance of the race start. Otherwise, the stress of the race can easily lead to huge muscular, airway and diaphragm tension.

• An interesting definition of an emotion -- An emotion is a feeling that is strong enough to generate a behavior pattern. Tying emotions to physical expressions, both internal and external. Feelings are generated based on our ability to sustain, organize and express excitation.

• He has a detailed discussion of a wide range of factors, manifestations, needs and interactions related to each of the four main patterns. Excellent and it had lots of neat ideas for me (I tend towards rigid).

• Maximum satisfaction lies in the ability to use all responses as appropriate.