What is Somatic Movement? (Hear an excerpt from my book!)

Moved To Meditate Podcast

Have you heard of Somatic Movement and wondered “what exactly is that?”

In this episode of the podcast, I’m sharing a brief excerpt from my work-in-progress book, where I give an overview of the field of Somatics and describe how I use these movement practices.

The working title of my book is Teaching Mindful Movement, and you’ll be hearing a brief section I’ve written about Somatics. This is part of a longer chapter that covers a few different movement modalities I like to include in my practice and teaching.

Somatic Movement seems to be kind of a buzzword lately, and I’ve had a few people reach out to ask what “somatic” actually means. While some may just be using the term for marketing purposes, Somatics actually refers to a whole field of body-based practices that emphasize the awareness of internal sensations.

This broad term can refer to styles of movement (like Feldenkrais and Hanna Somatics), somatic psychotherapies, somatic approaches to dance, and hand-on bodywork methods (like Rolfing and Craniosacral Therapy) that grew out of the Somatics movement.

In this excerpt I will offer a succinct background on the field of Somatics, where and when it originated, and who the major figures are. You’ll hear a few tidbits about how the Somatics field was developing amidst the mid-twentieth century’s cultural shifts, including the introduction of Eastern practices like Yoga and Buddhism to the West. I also note that there is an effort nowadays to decolonize Somatic practices and investigate where Euro-Centric biases may have been imbedded in their development.

After this history and background, I also share how I use Somatics as part of my Mindful Movement teaching and practice:

• To increase embodiment and awareness of subtle sensations
• Refine “building-block” movements, leading to greater ease in complex movement patterns
• Release deeply-held tension and down-regulate the nervous system
• Gently engage the body when there’s pain, through these gradual and non-threatening movements

I hope you will enjoy this preview of my book, Teaching Mindful Movement! If you have feedback to share after hearing this section of the book, please contact me. I would love to know what you find intriguing or confusing, or if you think of something related to Somatics that I should consider including in this section.

And, if you'd like to be notified when my book Teaching Mindful Movement is ready, sign up for updates here!

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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

Find more info about the donation-based Teacher Masterclasses at movedtomeditate.yoga/teacher-masterclasses.

Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).