In this statement, we find Feldenkrais pointing to the “nonverbal” aspects of speech—which have received more attention in recent years [notably through the writings of Albert Mehrabian (2007)]. Once again, we find an element of human behavior (how we speak) that is rarely conscious—but is often telling (especially to other people) regarding our attitudes about not only ourselves but also the person with whom we are relating. It is not only touch that can rarely hide. It is also how we convey words. We can point to numerous analysts of nonverbal communication over the years who have identified many other ways in which deep-seated attitudes, emotions and interpersonal concerns “leak out” through our facial expressions and spatial distance from other people—as well as Feldenkrais’ posture and tone of voice. (e.g. Sommer,1969; Hall, 1990)

Habits of thought

With the assessment by Feldenkrais of the power inherent in many bodily functions—I have only mentioned three (posture, touch, tone of speech)—are we likely to find that this power extends to the very way in which we think. While it is clear from Damasio’s analysis, that the somatic template can at times disrupt and distract our thought processes, it is another matter to suggest that our body influences the very way in which we think about our own internal psychic processes and about the world in which we operate. We know that non-verbal movements (such as touch) and tone of voice can impact our relationships with other people—do changes in these relationships change the way in which we think: We know that our gut has more neural links to our brain than any other system in our body—but does this mean that our thinking is influenced by what is happening in our Gut.

The most obvious way in which to make a connection between physical functions and bodily movements as they might influence thought is to consider their impact not on the slow, deliberative thinking that is based primarily in the pre-frontal cortex, but in the fast, often habitual thinking that is based primarily in our limbic system (particularly the amygdala). Given that the limbic system is more closely tied in with the reptilian brain, it is easier to speculate that the fast thinking (portrayed by Daniel Kahneman, 2013) is more vulnerable to “bodily” influences than is slow thinking.  Kahneman focuses in particular on the heuristics that form the base for fast thinking.

Heuristics, such as relying on the latest information we have received or looking at the world in the same way as most other people, will mostly play a central role if we are tired, distracted or anxious. These conditions are all related to bodily functions. We might push it even further. Are there “bodily heuristics.”  Do we move beyond the knee jerk reaction when we respond automatically (and autonomically) to a particular state of body? Are there some fundamental heuristics associated with our posture.

Just as character armor may influence the way in which we think and feel about ourself and our world, so our posture (viewed from Feldenkrais’ holistic perspective) might help to determine or at least frame the way in which we think about ourself and our world. Perhaps there is a heuristic associated with feeling in or out of “alignment” or a heuristic associated with being “in touch” or “out of touch” with an idea or feeling.