Frequently Asked Questions
18. What is Somatics?
Somatics is a further development on the body-mind techniques such as those developed by Feldenkrais, Alexander, and recently, Eric Franklin, based on the premise that physiological diseases and disfunctions can arise from psychological causes, such as stress. "Everything we experience in our lives is a bodily experience." - Thomas Hanna.
19. So, stress manifests in my body?
During our daily lives stresses and traumas stimulate reflexes in our sensory-motor systems causing us to contract muscles, eventually becoming an involuntary habit. These tight muscles remain constantly contracted - we are unable to relax them voluntarily - the muscles have forgotten how to move freely - this may be referred to as sensory-motor amnesia (SMA).
1. Effects of sensory-motor amnesia can begin at any age, but usually become apparent in our thirties and forties.
2. SMA is an adaptive response of the nervous system.
3. because SMA is a learned adaptive response, it can be unlearned.
20. How does Somatics address stress?
Somatics teaches us to re-connect with our bodies, understanding how the mind and body interrelate. Life, in general, and technological societies in particular, tend to wear down our well-being. Somatics provides a way to live with the stressful demands of an urban-industrial-digital environment and remain healthy - physically and mentally.
Applying Somatics to our daily movement enables us to 'age successfully', as gerontologists apparently call this 'phenomena'.
21. How does Somatics relate to Yoga and Pilates?
Somatic mind-body techniques are already present in both Yoga and Pilates.
Now Breathe group classes often incorporate some specific Somatic exercises. All Now Breathe teaching incorporates a respect for the body as having its own intelligence. Students are encouraged to develop the ability to focus on the internal sensations of movement, refining the ability to isolate specific muscles (even organs), which eventually results in more integrated fluid movement in our everyday life, sport, and physical activity.
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