Have you every felt such an intense emotion that you just had to let it out in a physical way? Maybe you had to shake, punch, stretch, or fold yourself. These are examples of somatic movement that help to heal the body. If you’re on your wellness journey, this realm is one that can help you towards a more vibrant, harmonious you. Somatic movement has been incorporated into yoga as well. Somatic yoga takes the mindfulness that the practice is known for, and infuses it with a healing approach to your emotions.
But what is somatic movement? It’s not another form of workout. Instead, it’s a form of self-discovery through intentional bodily expressions. This primer will acquaint you with the reasoning behind somatic movement so you can incorporate it into your own practice. We will also discuss utilizing these movements in a yoga practice for deeper connection with yourself.
Somatic practices and therapy started as a way to help trauma survivors experience relief from their symptoms. These symptoms tend to be held in the body and manifest in the form of pain, GI symptoms, lethargy, etc. Somatic therapies engage body awareness as a form of mindfulness so that it becomes an intervention in and of itself. Somatic work is a way to revisit and renegotiate events based on the way they feel within the body. Based upon the practitioner, methods will vary based upon preferences and needs. First discovering how emotions and events sit in your body through mindfulness is something beneficial on any wellness journey. Then, learning different techniques to work with these sensations will feel more natural and meaningful.
Every movement is a conversation and each breath is a bridge between the physical and the emotional
The effects of trauma on our health are profound and far-reaching. When you experience trauma, whether it’s emotional, physical, or psychological, the impact can be significant and enduring. Understanding and acknowledging these effects is a crucial first step towards healing and recovery. It’s important to recognize that trauma can manifest in various ways, including through physical symptoms, emotional distress, and behavioral patterns.
In this context, somatic movements play a vital role in the healing process. Somatic movement practices involve exploring the ways in which the body can release held trauma and tension. By engaging in intentional, mindful movements, you can begin to unlock and process the somatic imprints of their experiences. These movements can help foster a deeper connection between the body and mind. Thus allowing for a more holistic approach to healing from trauma.
By bringing awareness to the body and its responses, somatic movements offer a valuable resource if you’re seeking to address the effects of trauma on your health. These practices can empower you to reclaim a sense of agency over your body and your well-being. They provide a supportive pathway for navigating the complexities of trauma and its aftermath.
We already know that yoga is amazing modality for healing your body and spirit. Incorporating small movements can help to release things that are being held in your body. While we usually focus on making that mind-body connection, what emotions we’re holding sometimes get pushed to the wayside. If nothing else, the sensations can be ignored for the what they really are and just get attributed to muscles, nerves, etc.
Different modalities offer a holistic approach to movement, focusing on enhancing bodily awareness and connection to yourself. The Feldenkrais Method, for instance, utilizes gentle movements and mindfulness to promote flexibility and alleviate muscular tension. These modalities provide valuable insights into the intricate connections between body and mind, fostering a deeper understanding of how we move and inhabit our physical selves. Through dedicated exploration of these somatic practices, individuals may discover newfound freedom and fluidity in their movements, ultimately enhancing their overall well-being.
The Feldenkrais technique is all about doing gentle movements and exercises to help you stand, sit, and move better. It’s like paying extra attention to how your body feels and moves. For example, you might do slow, careful movements with your arms or legs while lying down, really focusing on how it feels and how it affects your body.
This is a great method to utilize in poses like Tadasana or Savasana where you stand or lay without having to focus on balance, strength, or flexibility. Then, paying attention to the most minute sensations and how they relate to your emotions, you can make small movements. These might be clenching and unclenching fingers and toes, turning your palms up and down, or even reaching across yourself and back.
The technique also involves breaking down big movements into smaller parts so you can understand what your body can and can’t do. By working on how you move and being more aware of yourself, the Feldenkrais technique aims to help you move more smoothly and learn where your pain points are.
EFT tapping can really level up your yoga game! It’s like a cool fusion of ancient Chinese medicine vibes and modern psych tricks. When you tap on specific points while doing yoga, it’s like unlocking a deeper mind-body connection and letting go of all that emotional and energetic gunk.
Imagine you’re doing your yoga flow and suddenly, bam! Anxiety or stress hits you. That’s where EFT tapping swoops in to save the day, helping you address and release those emotions right then and there. It’s like giving your yoga practice an emotional tune-up for an even better sense of balance and well-being. This can really make your yoga practice truly unique. By pausing to explore and release emotions as you feel them without judgement, you can really embody what yoga is all about.
Yoga is more than just physical exercise – it’s a practice aimed at promoting overall well-being. With a focus on physical, mental, and emotional health, yoga practitioners employ a variety of techniques and concepts to deepen their understanding of the mind-body connection. Three of these techniques – somatic pendulation, titration, and awareness – are particularly essential to the practice.
Somatic pendulation involves taking yourself from a state of relaxation to the feelings your body experiences when reminded of a trauma and consciously returning to relaxation. This technique is utilized to release physical tension and emotional stress stored in the body, allowing the you to experience a greater sense of relaxation and embodiment. It also helps make you aware of your inner strength and ability to control your responses. By engaging in somatic pendulation, you can explore the interconnectedness of your physical sensations and emotional states, and foster a more holistic approach to self-care and wellness within the practice of yoga.
Titration, in the context of yoga, refers to the gradual and mindful exploration of physical or emotional sensations that arise during the practice. Approach your experiences with sensitivity and patience, allowing for the gentle processing and integration of any arising discomfort or tension. Through titration, you can cultivate a heightened sense of self-awareness and resilience, learning to navigate your inner landscapes with compassion and equanimity. This gradual and deliberate approach to self-exploration can lead to profound insights and personal growth, enriching your overall yoga practice.
This is practiced a lot in Yoga Nidra but also as stand alone meditations. You progressively focus all your attention on parts of your body, starting with the soles of the feet and working up. Pausing to take note of sensations in each area, you can get a feel for where you are holding tension. This is usually done in a resting pose so that you don’t have to focus on holding yourself up, stretching, balancing, etc. Body scanning allows you to take the time to see where your body holds tension and other sensations. You can then incorporate other somatic movement like pendulation into the scan.
Awareness, as a fundamental element of yoga, encompasses the intentional and non-judgmental observation of one’s thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations. By cultivating awareness, you can develop a deepened understanding of the interconnectedness between the mind and body, promoting a sense of inner balance and clarity. Integrating awareness into the practice of yoga empowers you to embrace the present moment fully, fostering a greater sense of mindfulness and appreciation for the richness of your internal experiences.
Somatic movements are a form of exercise that focus on the neuromuscular system. These movements involve slow and controlled muscle contractions, which help to retrain the brain and body to work together more effectively. The science behind somatic movements is rooted in the principles of neuroscience and neuroplasticity.
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt over time. Somatic movements help to stimulate this process by activating the sensory-motor cortex in the brain. This part of the brain is responsible for controlling movement and proprioception, which is the sense of where our body is in space.
Through somatic movements, we can improve our proprioception and become more aware of our body’s movements and limitations. This increased awareness can help to prevent injuries and improve overall movement patterns.
Additionally, somatic movements can help to release tension and reduce pain in the body. By engaging in slow and controlled movements, we can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest and relaxation. This can help to reduce stress and tension in the body, leading to improved overall health and well-being.
Overall, the science behind somatic movements highlights the importance of integrating the brain and body to improve movement, reduce pain, and enhance overall health.
Somatic movements are gentle and mindful movements that can help improve your posture, flexibility, and overall sense of well-being. They involve tuning in to your body and moving in a way that feels good and natural to you.
Incorporating somatic movements into your daily life is easy and can be done anywhere, anytime. You can start by taking a few minutes every day to focus on your breath and connect with your body. Then, try adding some simple somatic movements to your routine, such as gentle stretches, twists, and bends.
You can also incorporate somatic movements into your daily activities, such as walking, standing, and sitting. For example, you can practice walking mindfully and paying attention to the sensations in your feet and legs. Or, you can practice sitting with a straight spine and breathing deeply into your belly.
By incorporating somatic movements into your daily life, you can improve your overall health and well-being, reduce stress and tension in your body, and feel more grounded and present in the moment. So why not give it a try and see how it can benefit you?
Somatic movements are small but impactful things we can incorporate into our lives. They help to pinpoint and heal trauma that is held in our bodies and can promote neuroplasticity in our brains. There are many different forms of somatic movements taught and practiced by a variety of people including many not covered in this article. Incorporating somatic movement into your yoga practice is a great place to start through body scanning and titration!