"Somatics is like having a hot bath coupled with a physio massage and some deep relaxation for the mind." Manasi
Fascination with the body-mind-connection leads me to be increasingly inspired by the field of somatic movement and bodywork. The term Somatic, from the Greek root Soma, means 'the living experience of the physical body from within' or 'the way in which consciousness inhabits the living body.'
In contrast to the ancient heritage of Yoga, Somatic practices have grown out of the investigations of body awareness pioneers of the 20th Century - notably Moshe Feldenkrais, F.M Alexander, Ida Rolf, Thomas Hanna and Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, among others. You may have heard of Feldenkrais work, The Alexander Technique, Rolfing, Hanna Somatics or Body Mind Centering; all examples of the ongoing legacy of these individuals. They have demonstrated great success in bringing first person conscious awareness to movement habits, postural tendencies and holding patterns in the body-mind, thus opening us up to greater choice and new ways of being in the world. In other words promoting growth on many levels and stimulating us to reach our full potential as human beings.
As this field continues to evolve, I am currently particularly inspired by the work of Donna Martin (Psoma Yoga Therapy), Anat Baniel (The Anat Baniel Method), and Risa Kaparo (Awakening Somatic Intelligence). All of this dovetails very well with the ancient wisdom of yoga, and also with the specific work of Vanda Scaravelli, whose personal approach to yoga inspired the Yoga Teacher Training that I undertook in 2009-2011.
In contrast to the ancient heritage of Yoga, Somatic practices have grown out of the investigations of body awareness pioneers of the 20th Century - notably Moshe Feldenkrais, F.M Alexander, Ida Rolf, Thomas Hanna and Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, among others. You may have heard of Feldenkrais work, The Alexander Technique, Rolfing, Hanna Somatics or Body Mind Centering; all examples of the ongoing legacy of these individuals. They have demonstrated great success in bringing first person conscious awareness to movement habits, postural tendencies and holding patterns in the body-mind, thus opening us up to greater choice and new ways of being in the world. In other words promoting growth on many levels and stimulating us to reach our full potential as human beings.
As this field continues to evolve, I am currently particularly inspired by the work of Donna Martin (Psoma Yoga Therapy), Anat Baniel (The Anat Baniel Method), and Risa Kaparo (Awakening Somatic Intelligence). All of this dovetails very well with the ancient wisdom of yoga, and also with the specific work of Vanda Scaravelli, whose personal approach to yoga inspired the Yoga Teacher Training that I undertook in 2009-2011.