Welcome to my first blog post. Let’s begin at the beginning. So you are here, looking at a website about Somatic Work, Somatic Experiencing, Somatic Movement and Bodywork. It’s everywhere, this word “somatic” ( when I used to talk about Somatic work in 2018, no one had a clue what we were talking about!), but what does SOMATIC actually mean?! …….
….In other words: What is it actually like to have a body, to inhabit this body, to live my life through the experience of MY body? This could be as simple as noticing the heat of a hot drink as it travels down your throat. Or, acknowledging that you feel tight-chested and a bit sad when you wave goodbye to your best friend at the airport. Or, sensing that you feel less tension in your shoulders and have more room to breathe now that you’ve moved places on the train and are sitting next to the window.
Being in tune with and consciously noticing ourselves; this is called Interoception.. (More on this to come….) This can help us to notice our likes or dislikes and assist us to take care of our own needs, as best we can, in any given moment. This is not to say that we can ALWAYS respond with such attunement ( sometimes, overriding is an adult necessity, but being conscious that we are doing so, can really help us bounce back to a comfortable base-line).
SOMA is the Greek word for the living body. Not the anatomical one that gets treated at the Doctors or in anatomy books. When you are somatic, you are experiencing what it’s like to be you from the inside out. Being somatic – is about being fully present to yourself in the moment.
Consider how our language separates us from ourselves. How often do you refer to yourself in the 3rd person? The English language enables us to talk about the body, as a separate entity.
“My leg hurts, IT hurts”.
“ One feels nervous about speaking in public”
“You know how you can feel really sad when you have to say goodbye..”
What is it like to reclaim your experience and express yourself in the first person? Using ‘me’ or ’ I ‘
“I am hurt, I bashed my leg”
“ I feel nervous when I speak in front of others”
“I feel sad when we say goodbye”
If you like, let’s try something now. It’ll take 1-3 minutes. Slow down. Let’s invite ourselves to take some time.
What happens when you really pay attention to the small details of being in THIS moment in time? Give attention to the world through all of your senses: What can you hear? What sound is the closest to you and then the furthest sound audible? What do you notice happening when you listen? Let your fingers stray and find something they like to touch, what happens in your body when you touch this? Give your head, neck and eyes permission to move ~ and follow them as if following a curious child. See what your body sees? Does anything change inside your body? How does this make you feel?
Then notice yourself. See yourself here. Look at your hands, your arms, your legs, your feet. Feel where your body contacts the support of the ground or chair or wall around you.
What happens when you slow down & follow the weight of your body?
To finish: move your hands and feet, stretch your mouth, swallow, maybe get up and walk around. How do you feel overall?
