In these troubled times, when values are in crisis, people have ever more need to improve their global awareness, not only of themselves, but also of all that surrounds them, following a path that, through deeper understanding, leads to true physical, mental and spiritual well-being. The guiding philosophy of the Bodycode System, distances itself from Western thought, with its conception of the individual as prey to the dichotomy of mind versus body, seeing the body as a mere instrument we are aware of only when it goes wrong, when we are ill. Our philosophy is closely aligned with more holistic Oriental thinking, in which the person is a complex system, a meeting place for the various dimensions of body, mind, emotion and spirituality. This is a multidimensional view of a single, indivisible unity, a means of transformation and of growth. Each human being is moreover, different from any other, the result of a genetic imprint and a social environment, the sum of both a micro and a macro-world Understanding the human being means paying attention to the complexity of this reality and to the individual as a multidimensional being, shaped by a multiplicity of factors that may be physical, biological, psychological or social in nature. According to the Bodycode System , the body is a complex system formed on many levels, including skin, muscles and tendons. The more external of these are where the sensors, or proprioceptors, are located, the sensors that, together with such other specialised organs as the eyes, the inner ears and the internal organs that are sensitive to well-being and discomfort, all send messages to the central nervous system. Proprioception, the action of sending those messages, is the fundamental system of self-awareness, not merely as a body, but above all, as a psycho-physical unity. These sensations melded together and coordinated, are the origin of the concept of corporeal consciousness, by which we learn to know our own body and are able to distinguish it from others. Corporeal consciousness therefore, represents the physiological basis of the conscious mind and the personality. On more internal levels, the stimuli arriving from our environment are recorded and processed and only the individual's own sensitivity can decode and classify an impulse as, for example, violent and negative, a response that causes an emotional block and, thus blocks our energy. As children, information passes rapidly and easily because its passage is not hindered by the defence mechanisms and conditioning that individuals build up as the years go by, causing tension in our muscles and joints, loss of symmetry and a general, overwhelming feeling of malaise. Proprioceptive exercises, like those in the Bodycode system, that are conscious and constant over time, stimulate us to become familiar with our own body, allow us to receive clear warning of the site of energy imbalances, direct our attention to particular areas of the body, helping us to rediscover harmony and, consequently, well-being. It is movement that allows each of us to revisit that experiential baggage, imprinted on us at various levels, showing us a route to deeper self-awareness as we experience sensations of a different nature. Sometimes training can be performed almost unconsciously, without regard for its internal effects, but when training is more responsible, and responsive, it can re-awake in us something, that be it positive or negative, was once part of our being and can become so again. By really listening, keeping our motor and proprioceptor functions active, as we perform well-structured movements, rather than physically stressful activities, it is possible to maintain our psycho-physical integrity. The Bodycode System focuses on those mechanisms and thus helps the leaner attain a greater critical awareness of corporeal consciousness, preventing physical exercise becoming a mere momentary and ultimately debilitating release which, while it may give us some pleasurable sensations, these are only transitory.

The Bodycode System's holistic approach, acts on the person globally, in the belief that well-being is an essential part of being, rather that merely appearing, and that a person capable of restoring his or her own harmony, lighting up again that inner smile, is an individual who rediscovers her/his own beauty. These days, in times of ever increasing instability and confusion at the collective level, “retuning” our every dimension has never been so necessary. We are convinced of the need to change and that every change begins with a choice. Each and every one of us is unique and different from all the others. In seeking profound self-knowledge to restore our equilibrium we embark on a journey that cannot be interrupted if we wish to arrive at our desired destination, this is a strictly individual choice that requires effort, consistency and total commitment. Just like Tai Chi or Yoga, the main aim of the Bodycode System is to raise the consciousness and psycho-physical well-being of the person, improving the quality of life by means of a specific mental model and exercise programme, leading to the acquisition of greater sensitivity, the correction and perfection of movement and an improvement in the entire functioning of the body. When you go to work on the body, that most complex of all systems, the first questions you have to ask are: What are its needs? How can you satisfy them? What is the best way to deal with this complexity and help it to work efficiently and in equilibrium? The answer is that there are no single, simple, long term answers, because the body is a living being. In a single physical body there also exists another four energy bodies whose frequencies of vibration become greater at times. These are: the etheric body, very similar to the physical body, the astral body which the seat of the emotions and traits of character, the mental body which houses ideas and reason and the spiritual body with highest frequency of vibration, that connects us to God and all other life forms, as we recognise the nature of our being and our finite existence. Choosing the Bodycode System means feeling the body with the mind, getting back in contact with our self, understanding our own personality, starting with the physical, and freeing the body of all the weight and all the tensions that imprison us, in order to liberate the spirit. Thus, training becomes almost a ritual, as the fulcrum for concentration during exercise is directed inwards, oriented towards the form and shape of the movements rather than the amount of work to get through or weight to lift. Over and above its function as a medium for self-regulating the body's energy, exercise also becomes an access door to transcendent experience, allowing us to emerge from our daily routine and habits and reach a more profound reality, that goes beyond the limits of the mind. This is where the real inner change can be felt. It is here that, when we are able to integrate all that we are, the body unfolds much broader dimensions of being, becoming a true instrument of growth, personal renewal, a temple for the soul.  

Our inner bodies are indivisible, therefore acting on the mind also means acting on the physical body, and vice versa: physical exercise is the means by which we can act indirectly on the mind, unblocking its energy and restoring mental, spiritual and physical balance. The body's energetic processes determine what happens in the mind, just as they determine what happens in the body. Energy is part of every living process, in movement, in breathing, in feeling just as in thinking. There is a close relationship between personality and energy potential in that the amount of energy an individual employs, and the way in which this is employed, determines the personality. For example, if the individual is depressed so is her/his energy level, there is a lack of active movement, in any sense. This is how, taking the time to be with yourself, to listen to your own body as you perform psycho-physical exercises of the Bodycode System type, can help to restore a better quality of life. It is now widely accepted that appropriate physical exercise has a positive effect, not only on the physical body, helping to combat such pathological conditions as hypertension, diabetes and obesity, but also on the mind. In particular, it has been found that regular physical activity can alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and depression and prevent relapses. According to Professor Kristin Vicker-Douglas, a psychologist at the Mayo Clinic, the psychological benefits of physical exercise can manifest themselves in a number of ways:

•  In an improved sense of efficiency and self-confidence.

•  In offering a positive distraction.

•  In increased self-esteem.

•  In allowing us to face things in a positive way.

•  In providing support from the environment.

•  In helping us to try out new ways of combating our negative states of mind.

The aims of the BodyCode System are to attain a healthy state of mind, to improve specific motor skills and it is also an excellent means of promoting personal growth over our entire lifespan. From the cognitive point of view, it allows us to acquire or improve on our own performance skills, it stimulates our learning capacity, develops our attention span and concentration, thus improving memory. Moreover, practising a psycho-physical technique, in addition to achieving the above goals, in time leads us to a better bodily self-perception (proprioception). We achieve heightened levels of control, both conscious and autonomic, enabling us to perform every single simple or complex and demanding movement, from which we receive an intense feeling of gratification, boosting our self-esteem. Constant attempts to improve our own performance, in areas where development is possible, inevitably involves long term effort and much fatigue, not always crowned with success. However the philosophical approach of the Bodycode System allows us to tolerate our unsuccessful attempts which are transformed into opportunities for improvement. Finally, the Bodycode System has striking effects in balancing our state of mind and mood. In fact, the physical activity of certain movements does not only liberate us from our own underlying anxiety and aggression, it also relieves the stress caused by the inevitable behaviours and rhythms that life imposes on us.