🌙 Somatics Afterdark Replay 🌙

Somatics is a method for reawakening the mind's control of movement, flexibility, and health. The most important thing for you to remember is that Somatic Movement changes your muscular system by changing your central nervous system. You will receive the maximum benefit from the Somatic Exercise movement/yoga patterns if you do the following:

• While doing the Somatic Exercises, your primary task is to focus your attention on the internal sensations of movement. These movement patterns highlight those areas of the body most commonly affected by sensory-motor amnesia. As you perform the exercises, concentrate on developing a careful sensory awareness of the movements in these body areas as a direct way to regain and maintain control over them.

• Ideally, you should do your Somatic Exercises while lying on a rug or mat allows comfort while providing firm support for your body. This allows you to be more precise in performing the movement and more precise in perceiving it. People whose movement or strength is extremely limited may do their Somatic Exercises in bed.

• Wear loose comfortable clothing that is easy to move in. The object of Somatic Exercises is to loosen your body from constricted muscles, so it makes no sense to wear constricting clothing while you do them. On the other hand, there's no need for athletic gear. You're not supposed to work up a sweat doing Somatic Exercises. 

• Always move slowly. Moving slowly, you give your brain the chance to notice all that is happening in your body as you move. Slow-motion films are essential in sports training because they allow athletes to study the details of a movement or play. The same goes for focusing attention on the internal sensations of your movements: The slower you go, the more you perceive. 

• Always move gently and with the least possible effort: DO NOT FORCE MOVEMENT. This again is so that your brain can receive precise and uncluttered sensory feedback from the exercises. When you experience excessive effort and strain—as is usually the case in doing exercise— then your brain is cluttered by sensory feedback that is irrelevant to what you are relearning to control. It is better for you to feel that you are doing “too little” than to risk doing too much and undermining the somatic learning process.

• Somatic Exercises are not painful. The movement patterns of these exercises are the normal movements of the musculoskeletal system. If you perform them slowly and gently, they are completely harmless. Hurting yourself while exercising is unnecessary, harmful, and, of course, no fun at all. People who are already suffering from sensory-motor amnesia especially those with severely contracted lower back muscles, will sometimes feel soreness when these muscles first begin to lengthen. This is to be expected; and once their muscles lengthen, the soreness will disappear. if you feel some pain doing the exercises, do less, move slower, never force your movements, and keep in mind that this is the normal direction of movement that you are trying to re-establish. 

• Practice with your eyes closed (if you feel comfortable). Somatic Movement is a process of neuromuscular re-education that refines your body awareness from the inside out. Think of it as a moving meditation. During your movement practice, it is optimal to keep your eyes closed and focus on the sensations within your body. If your eyes remain open, you may be distracted and miss the subtleties of sensation. However, if you do not feel comfortable closing your eyes - Honor your experience and instead, allow your eyes to be soft and internally focused.

• Be persistent, patient, and positive. Somatic Exercises change your body by teaching your brain. Your learning grows steadily and solidly. You must be persistent—determined in your practice of these movement patterns. You must be patient— looking not for a “quick fix” on your body, but for a genuine, lasting change in your comfort, range of movement, posture, and general functioning. Most importantly, you must be positive in your expectations, envisioning and aiming for the improvement you know your somatic system is capable of. 

• Finally, learning more about Somatics will help your personal development unfold. The purpose of Somatic Movement Education is to learn how to unwind your specific patterns. To learn more about Somatics and the nature of sensory-motor amnesia, how it occurs in your brain, and where it occurs in your body: read Somatics: Reawakening the Mind's Control of Movement, Flexibility, and Health by Thomas Hanna, Ph.D.

• Questions about the practice or personal patterns happening in your body? Reach out at any time at nicole@nicolelindauer.com.

If you enjoyed this class, be sure to sign up for my mailing list to receive weekly reminders and updates. The link to sign up for the next class is below. While this class is free, optional donations are gratefully accepted on my donations page.