What Character Structures Are and How they Influenced Your Body’s Development
Character structures are traits we all developed from about three months of pregnancy to around seven years of age.
What we go through in our most foundational years of life determines which of the five structures we will fall into.
What happens to us before we are born and into childhood becomes wired into who we are.
Why is understanding your character structure important?
Because when you understand who you are and why you became that way, you can understand your strengths and weaknesses. You can free yourself from limitations. And you can heal.
In this post, I briefly explore each of the five character structures:
- Schizoid
- Orality
- Masochism
- Psychopathy
- Rigidity
Most people have one primary character structure that dominates their identity. But they also have traces of the remaining four characters as well.
For example, you can have a primarily masochistic structure and then have traces of psychopathy or rigidity as well.
Each character structure has specific traits. This means, when you understand which character structure you developed as a child, you know what your major strengths and weaknesses are… and then take action to strengthen both.
In a Core Energetics session, I use character structures to create a sort of “Therapeutic Roadmap.”
The most interesting part about character structures to me is that they influence the development of our physical appearance.
You can actually tell what someone’s character structure is based on their body… how they hold themselves… and how they move.
Now you know what character structures are…
Here is how each character structure influences how the body develops physically:
Schizoid
When a person is Schizoid dominant, their body is long and lean.
They’re often very thin. Their wrists and bone structure are thin. They actually look almost like they could levitate if you didn’t know better.
They can very often have sort of a flighty personality, kind of airy in their approach. This flightiness may lead to a feeling disconnected from life on the physical plane. (Or the “3D world” as many people call it.)
Orality
The second character structure is Orality. Orality is still a sense of long and lean, but not quite as tall. It’s more the skin can look transparent almost. The chest plate can look sunken in.
There’s a certain “pleading look” in the eyes. Almost as if someone is crying for help with their eyes.
It usually has to do with bigger lips like the mouth is more developed.
Masochism
The third character structure is masochism. It usually has to do with excess weight.
True masochism, it’s mostly in the middle of the body so it’s more like an apple-shaped figure.
Psychopathy
The fourth is psychopathy.
What you’re primarily looking at is the Superman configuration. It’s broad shoulders, strong, upper arms, thin waists, strong legs. It’s kind of like the Superman or GI Joe structure.
Rigidity
And for rigidity, again, they are often very harmonious looking. Most people with rigid character structures are considered “pretty people.”
They’re very well balanced. They’re harmonious in their configuration. Most, for example, models, dancers, performance, particularly when it has to do with body-conscious performance, very often fall into rigidity.
How to Use Character Structures to Balance and Heal
Each character structure has something it struggles with and something that it’s brilliant at.
So, in a Core Energetics session, it’s my job to figure out which character structure my client is dominant in… and then create a unique therapeutic plan for that person. Based on their character structure, I can chart a path for them to overcome their weaknesses, balance, heal, and express their unique genius.
Character structures form the bedrock of my therapeutic approach.
What’s Your Character Structure?
You might already know what your character structure is from reading this post… or you might not.
Either way, that’s fine.
If you’d like to learn what your character structure is, what your unique strengths and weaknesses are based on your character structure…
Click this link to schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation with me.
I’ll help you discover what your character structure is and share a bit more about what your unique strengths and weaknesses are based on your structure.
To schedule your appointment, click the link below and find a time that works best for you:
https://nicolaigrosell.com/contact/
I look forward to working with you,
Nicolai Grosell
Somatic Therapist and Certified Core Energetics Practitioner (CCEP; EMM)
Online & New York’s Hudson Valley