You are embarking on an exploration of how your brain and body neurophysiologically relate to each other. 

Right now, you are tight in areas of your body that are pulling you into contractions that cause disfunction (pain, misalignment, etc). With your somatic moves, you can learn how to sense those tight areas, and learn to release that tension. This all puts you and your brain in control of your muscles and gives you DIY tools to fix your pain! Somatics are different from other modalities to help people get out of pain/function better because it goes to the root of all movement, your brain! For best results please follow these tips:

• Start with a scan of what you are doing before you start your practice. How do you walk, stand, sit? How does your body feel lying on the floor at rest? If you were on a perfectly flat beach and levitated off the sand, what would your imprint look like?

• Practice in a quiet space with no distractions. 

• For best results practice your routine at least 15 minutes, twice a day.

• Do a minimum of 3-5 repetitions of each exercise you’re given. But they feel so good you can always do more!

• Go slowly and take time to sense your muscles contract and release.

• Somatic Educators encourage clients to do Somatic exercises for 3 weeks without any other modalities. We ask this of you because if you are exploring multiple variables you can’t determine which is helping or hindering your progress. 

  • Through Somatics your brain is trying to learn how to lengthen and release muscles not stretch them, which triggers the stretch reflex and results is more tightness.

  • Nor are you trying to strengthen muscles, which is the opposite of a muscle that is relaxed and released to it’s natural resting length.

• This is not to say you can’t do what you enjoy. Walking is a great way to integrate your practice into your body. And once you have better neurophysiological (sensory-motor) control over your muscles (how to contract them and release them) you will likely find that your other modalities, exercise routines, etc become easier and more enjoyable!

• Bring awareness into your daily tasks. Do you find you slump to your side when you sit? Do you hike a hip while standing doing the dishes? Is there an emotional connection to your shoulders rising when you talk to your boss? What are you doing and why? Can you sense how to release that tension? Move with intention and attention to your movements. If you can sense it you can change it.

• Lastly, look for freedom of movement in your body. When you finish your practice walk around and sense how your shoulders move, your hips swing, your feet interact with the floor. Often we think our pain will still be there when we finish our practice. Don’t go looking for the pain, look for your freedom of movement from the center out to your periphery!