The Benefits of
Somatics
Why do somatic practice?
Throughout our lives experiences can derail and impact us in many ways. We can feel vulnerable and depleted, overwhelmed by challenges and lacking in resources – all of these responses are experienced through the body. Talking about them is therefore only part of the solution.
Sensory movement-based approaches provide opportunities to attend to ourselves experientially, to process and build-on our ability to engage with our bodies. It is steady, nuanced work which can help us to feel more present and active.
How might this work
be useful for me?
My work offers a way to get to know ourself as a body, to attune, listen, and develop curiosity and kindness towards our bodily experiences. Sessions can be chair-based and/or include standing, lying and moving in the space.
How does movement support our health and wellbeing?
The physical benefits of moving are significant and include improved circulation, body posture and awareness, bone strength, heightening attention to breath and the senses, developing flow, agility and balance, accessing rest, ease, invigoration and much more...
Mental wellbeing is also effected by moving which can stimulate endorphins, reduce the body's stress hormones, lifting mood and vitality.
Movement and the arts are interested in subjectivity, and to know how I feel and what is going on inside me requires creativity, choice, and attention to the detail of our lives. The many approaches and methods support individual needs, enabling personal discovery and the potential for deeper meaning in our lives.
What does Soma mean?
Somatic practices are approaches and techniques which
shine awareness on our lived experiences as human beings. 'Soma' is a Greek word which means 'the living body'.
Thomas Hanna, regarded as founder of the field of somatics, describes that when the human being sees themselves
from the inside, they are aware of feelings and movements and intentions (Hanna 1988: 20). This is a first-person, subjective perspective. What the individual sees from his/her/their internalised, first-person view is always a 'soma'.
The uniqueness of human beings is that we are self-aware, self-sensing, and self-moving – we have subjective experiences. Our health and wellness depends on us developing capacity
to know ourselves and hold internal awareness
alongside living in the world.
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It's important to add, although the field of Somatics is relatively young, body-mind-spirit, practices and approaches to embodiment and consciousness have been around for millennia, honouring and valuing bodily wisdom and intuition, and capacity for healing.
