Bottom:Bum:Backside:
Derrière:
Arse.
Samuel Johnson,
writing in 1781,
sets the scene for us…
“The woman had a bottom of good sense.”
The word bottom thus introduced, was
so ludicrous that most of us could not forbear tittering.
“Where’s the merriment? I
say the woman was fundamentally
sensible.”
And thus, it
seems, it has always been. And judging
by the reaction of many, from the smallest child to the ubiquitous television
studio audience, it will always be so. Just
mention bottoms, bums, ‘poos’ – and almost everyone falls about in sniggers,
titters and giggles.
However,
go one step further, and ask someone “How do you wipe your bottom?”, and
embarrassment replaces the humour. Yet much
can be learned from this simple act, and it can demonstrate something that is
most fundamental (pace Dr. Johnson) in the shape and function of the
human body.
Bottom wipers divide into two camps –
those who ‘reach through’, i.e. between the thighs, and those who ‘reach
around’. There are yet two further sub-divisions
established by the further question “Which hand do you use?” And here we really get to the very basis and
core of certain human values, behaviour and social interaction.
Before the use of suitably designed
stools, water closets and other toilet furniture, everyone adopted the
crouching posture for defecation – indeed, many of the population of the world
still do. And it was in this crouched
posture that the subsequent anal cleansing would be performed. Whatever cleansing method was used, a hand
would reach between the thighs to perform it.
The question is – which hand?
“It is important to consider one aspect
of handedness about which writers have been guarded and polite, referring in
general terms to ‘hygiene’ and ‘uncleanness’.
The epithet ‘cack-handed’ is often used but its meaning is rarely understood. The time has come for us to realise that one
hygienic action is done with the left hand by nine-tenths or more of the World
population, because they are right-handed.
In
civilised countries today this distinction no longer matters: but through the
centuries it has mattered very much, and it is in many ways responsible, not
only for the taboo and physical prejudice against the left-hander, whose
allegedly ‘unclean’ hand is his preferred hand, but in reinforcing the social
prejudice against the physical minority.”
Michael Barsley opened the first chapter
of The Left-handed Book in
this way, and in confronting the issue that I have raised, has given me my
statistic – namely 90% or more of the World population is right handed. But why?
And
another ‘why?’ Since most individuals
are right-handed, why do they not use for this function the hand with which
they have the greatest facility– namely the right hand?
+++
As you read, you may wonder
just what on earth has all this to do with mental health, and particularly
“Hearing Voices” and similar conditions.
Only this – anything that
undermines the natural functioning of the human body can have direct
implication upon the function of the human mind. Furthermore, mal-functions of the body and
mind are easily exploited by the intruding entities that in most instances are
the origins of ‘voices in the mind’,
Yes. Intruding
Entities. All of my writing is
dedicated to spreading this knowledge.
All of the considerable feedback that I receive from individuals World Wide
is 100% in agreement with what I write.
So please read on, and then read my book, and see whether you will
agree.
+++
Yes. Why don’t
most individuals use the right hand?
The concept of the ‘unclean’ hand no
longer governs the issue – at least not in most ‘Western’ societies, and so
there must be a reason, and an answer that lies in something that is basic to
humans no matter where in the world they may live. Basic to humans, for we appear to be the only
creatures that behave in this way – no other mammals engage in any acts of anal
cleansing. Nevertheless, and in spite of
that, the answer lies in the fact that humans are mammals, and follow the
essential structures and configurations of all mammals.
I first became aware of a particular
aspect of human ‘construction’ when I began to train young horses. After ‘mouthing’ and ‘bitting’ – the process
of preparing a horse for having a bit in its mouth – and being led and handled,
the next phase involves working it on a ‘lunge’ rein. The trainer stands still while the horse
moves around a circle at the extent of the rein, which itself is fastened to a
point on the front of the horse’s nose.
Initially led on the circle, the horse begins to follow commands, and is
then worked on its own. What soon
becomes apparent is that it moves happily circling in one direction, but is
completely unhappy in the opposite one, and breaks away from the track.
FIGURE ONE
This
illustration shows why. All horses have
a longitudinal curve in their bodies.
One of the principal objectives of continued work on the lunge is to try
to develop sufficient flexion in the horse’s spine to a degree that it will
circle in both directions willingly. The
curvature is never completely eradicated, and its presence can be noticed when
watching horse racing on television.
When viewing shots seen from directly ahead, it can be observed that the
hind legs do not follow completely behind the front ones, but are tracking to
one side. To run in a straight line is unnatural for a horse in the wild – they
circle naturally and all on the same curve and in the same direction. This is particularly so with foals, as they
soon begin to canter around after birth, but always in a manner that brings
them back to their mother naturally by virtue of the body curve.
Where red deer
As I wrote earlier, my observations apply
to all mammals that can be observed regularly. Look carefully at a dog as it comes toward you
along a straight path. Inevitably, you
will see that the hind legs do not follow immediately behind the front
ones. Instead, the hind-quarters are
carried to one side, as was the case with the horses.
I
have friends who are dairy farmers.
Their cows by regulation have to have an identifying number tattooed on
the body. The location for the number is
high on the right quarter above the hip bone.
One of my friends finds this placement of the number to be a source of
continual annoyance, for when she has to locate a particular cow in the herd, inevitably
it is lying on its right side with the number obscured. The cow lies that way because it is curved
longitudinally, and, inside it, a foetal calf, lying with its head to its
mother’s rear, inevitably develops the identical curve.
And humans also. Where individuals sleep without the
constraints of a modern bed and a sleeping partner, it will be found that the
preferred mode of lying is in what is described as ‘the recovery
position’. This, for a right-hander, is
semi-prone, on the right side with the left knee drawn up. The body lies in a natural curve, as does a
foetus inside its mother. But, somewhere
along the line of human development, some mothers must have slept on their left
sides, and produced offspring with a different lateral curve.
Examine yourself and others for physical
features that may be observed easily.
Likewise, examine the photographs of the models below. The seated female has taken great care (front
view) to place her feet and hands symmetrically, assuming that the body will
likewise show symmetry. But it doesn’t. Left shoulder and left breast are higher than
the right. The centre line of the body
shows a long curve from fork to the base of the throat, and so on.
From the rear, the spine has developed
through a series of short disjointed arcs, but all showing the trend of a long
curve. The asymmetry of the shoulders is
very obvious. Many individuals will say,
“My left (right) shoulder is higher because I carried my school bag
there.” The converse is true – the bag
was carried on the higher shoulder because the shoulder strap was less likely
to slip off when walking.
Ever since I became aware of these phenomena,
I have observed people, especially if I see someone carrying a shoulder bag on
the right shoulder, and try then to see whether an individual is left
handed. Try it yourself – you will be
surprised that you will be correct virtually every time.
Additionally, examine the other male and
female poses and study particularly the locations of the spinal ‘discontinuities’.
Some might argue that these are
‘occupational’ irregularities, acquired as the result of a regular posture when
at work or through long hours of sitting when at school. However, I have yet to hear any rational
argument, or see any evidence that justifies that assertion.
There is much to observe, and much to
study, although, from here onward, the observation and study must be in your
hands. I have drawn attention to the
curves and irregularities that you will find occurring naturally in the spines
of most individuals. It is now up to you
to relate them to the potential organic, physical and mental ailments that may
result.
The
discontinuity between the sacrum and lumbar spines – possibility of
genital/urinary/fertility problems?
At
the base of the neck and at the top, at the atlas/axis joint – might there be
interference with blood flow – say between left and right sides of the brain?
I
do not regard myself as sufficiently competent to make this analysis, except on
my own behalf, and this is why I say that from here the analysis is up to you. However, returning to my earlier statement
concerning ‘intruding entities’ – the subject of much of my writing in the
whole field of ‘hearing voices. Anything
that interferes with the harmonious function of ones body may also affect one’s
mind and mental function – and might, ultimately, be the source of pain of
possibly unknown origin.
As
I describe in my book and general writing, ‘intruding entities’ can and do
exploit these situations – possibly even claiming that ‘they’ are causing the
pain – adding to the distress of an already distressed individual.
The
book is titled “Listening to the Silences, in a world of hearing voices”, and
is free to download at www.royvincent.org
Various
relevant articles and essays are placed on
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