This is an introduction to the practice of Somatics, which was originated by Thomas Hanna and has been a part of many different practice traditions.

In Greek, the term “soma” refers to “the living body in its wholeness.” This living, breathing, self-sensing, self-aware, and self-moving perception from inside out differs from the concept of body.

Somatics draws from the traditions of Feldenkrais, Alexander technique, and practices observed by Elsa Gindler.

For more details on this work, please refer to Thomas Hanna’s books The Body of Life: Creating New Pathways for Sensory Awareness and Fluid Movement and his classic Somatics: Reawakening The Mind’s Control of Movement, Flexibility and Health.

Rather than “mind over matter” our new understanding is “sensory over motor.”

I describe reflex patterns that become habituated in our bodies: red light reflex, green light reflex, and trauma reflex.

Then I explain how this interconnection of our bodies and minds as inextricably linked feedback loops means that we can work with our bodies to release stuck emotions and patterns.

Another reference I mentioned in this episode is The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk.

The Somatics of Self-Confidence YouTube video (25 min recorded class) can be found at this link.

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