Somatics – Thomas Hanna – SE For Legs & Hip Joints

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Somatics – Thomas Hanna – SE For Legs & Hip Joints

Thomas Hanna refers to their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health and well being as their SOMA.  The word Soma comes from the Greek word meaning the body, which is inclusive of the soul, mind and psyche.

The purpose of Somatics is to create movement integration back into the body.  Due to muscle tension and tightness, we have lost our natural movement patterns and find we are trapped in a very tight body.  This impacts on our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health (Soma).  If we feel stress, pain or discomfort in our body, it affects our emotional and mental health.  Likewise if we are suffering with emotional or mental stress, our body will hold that trauma.  Move forward several years, add the stresses of life and we find that we hold and move in a very restrictive way.

This is where the Total Somatics program comes into play.  By developing mindfulness techniques whilst slowly moving through the somatic movements, we are changing our neuroplasticity and creating new neural movement pattern pathways in the brain.  The more we develop mindfulness with Total Somatics, the deeper the neural pathways will be.  We are training the brain , which is in charge of all movement, coordination, muscle contraction and relaxation; to allow the body to move freely.  The mindfulness skills you develop help to thicken the activity in the prefrontal cortex.  This area is crucial for concentration, focus and awareness.  At the same time, you are shrinking the actions of the stress regions of the brain.

I have read a really interesting book entitled, The body keeps the score written by Bessel van der Kolk.  He is a leading expert and researcher in the field of Post traumatic stress.  Bessel commented on the way the mind and body (soma) are affected by trauma or stress.  He said, “people become living testimonials for things that no longer exist, but they need to hold it in their hearts, minds, bodies and brains….the loyalty to WHAT WAS just blew me away.”  He was referring to Vietnam veterans he treated and how their trauma would leave an imprint on their mind, body, immune system and relationships with others.

We may find the word “trauma” to be a heavy expression for how we feel.  But any stress, fear or anxiety will create similar feelings.  When we become anxious, we disconnect from our body, start to feel overwhelmed and anxious.  Our subconscious creates reflexes from the brainstem such as the startle reflex or withdrawal reflex.  If we live in this cycle for too long, it creates chronically tight muscles which alter our posture and impact on our overall health and well being.

In order to deal with anxiety, stress, trauma and fear, the body needs to know that it is safe.  This is where Somatics plays a crucial role and complements other modalities helping to release and cope with stress, anxiety, trauma and fear.  When we practice Somatics, we are moving in a slow, mindful manner.  We are sensing and feeling the the feedback from our body.  It is an important area of mindfulness.  Often a person suffering with stress, trauma or anxiety will keep busy or find other ways to keep themselves occupied, so they don’t have to stop and have time to think about “things.”   Taking time out to recharge, recuperate and rest is an important part of working through stress, anxiety or trauma.

Somatics – Thomas Hanna – SE For Legs & Hip Joints on sensecourse.info