Let the soft animal of your body love what it lovesMary Oliver
Somatic movement practices are about giving our bodies the time, attention and love that we need, listening to what is happening for us in any given moment and responding. Seeking out moments of embodiment and extending them.
There are many approaches to working somatically. The terms soma and embodiment are used increasingly in many fields, from yoga to psychological therapies. Soma, a term coined by Thomas Hanna, refers to our lived, subjective, experience of our own bodies. Somatic movement practices use a range of methods and tools to develop our awareness and confidence in our experience of our own embodied selves. Tools such as deep body rest, experiential anatomy, witnessing, inner tracking, touch and guided self-touch, as well as creative integration through writing or mark making.
These practices can help us tune in to our own innate bodily wisdom, to hear what our embodied selves are wanting, needing, telling us….
It helped me think of things I never would have realised on my own, and gave a new practice to take away
My experience of receiving touch from you was beautiful and holding, something I very much needed
