What is Somatics?

‘Soma’ is a term attributed to philosopher Thomas Hanna,  who says 

“A ‘soma’ isn’t a body and it isn’t a mind; it’s the living process…The soma indicates both mental and physiological events, all functions of the body – as a single process, a process that is called soma.” (read more)

Somatic movement practices use movement as a means of experiencing our own soma, heightening body awareness and providing tools to listen to the wisdom of the body. Most somatic practices believe that YOU are the expert of your own body and mind, and that your experience of yourself is most important in your life. Somatic movement practices facilitate your ability to listen to your own body and teach you tools for ‘tuning in’ as well as engaging with the world from an embodied perspective. 

What is Body-Mind Centering®?

Body-Mind Centering® (BMC) is a Somatic practice begun in the 1970s by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, and developed over subsequent decades by her work with many students. BMC grounds its work in the understanding of cellular intelligence, that is, a knowing of truth that exists on a cellular level, an intelligence that exists in the cells. In BMC, we work with the cells and the community of cells that we call tissues — these have familiar names such as bone, muscle, organ, gland — and communities of these tissues we call systems — the skeletal system, the muscular system, the endocrine system, the organ systems, etc. 

Often in our culture, we talk about intelligence as if it lives solely in the brain. We imagine our brain as a big boss telling the rest of our body what to do. When we have pain in our bodies, often we use our brains to help us figure out how to ‘fix’ the problem. We encounter, as well, a common difficulty in our brain also acting as a dictator, running us over as we over-think. You may be familiar with meditation or other mindfulness practices that support a calming of the mind and bringing awareness and attention to the present moment.

Body-Mind Centering® brings the attention of a mindfulness practice to focus on our own bodies, and offers methods and tools to help us sense our bodies and perceive their inherent intelligence. BMC offers ‘ways in’ to the body, inviting an ever-deepening sense of embodiment.

When we are fully-embodied, we are aware of our sensations and perceptions in the moment, and meet the challenges and joys of the present. When we are able to listen to the wisdom of the body, we can adapt and adjust our movements and behaviors to bring more ease and less pain. Adjusting our movements and behaviors for long-term ease is a process we call ‘re-patterning’.  As a certified Somatic Movement Educator, I can offer support for your re-patterning, in group classes and in private sessions.