Somatic Movement // explained
STUDIO SOMA offers a range of somatic movement classes in which we bring our attention to the sensations & experience of moving, & explore how this informs our sense of self. Different practical explorations of the body in movement are used as a gateway to a wider understanding of yourself, others, & the world around you.
Solely athletic movement practices tend to focus more on getting fit, or being able to achieve certain physical goals. Somatic movement practices are about consciously experiencing the present moment, & becoming fully alive in your whole self - which can lead to new insights into how to improve towards specialised physical skills & greater wellbeing. Somatic movement practices focus on a holistic integration of body & mind, & often share elements with mindfulness or meditation practice. In somatic movement classes you can learn at your own pace, take the time to explore the world of your internal sensation, & engage your curiosity to create new possibilities for yourself.
This learning can help you discover ways to lessen chronic stress, anxiety, & pain. It can also help you to increase your ability to carry out everyday actions with ease & comfort; or use new insights to become better at specialised disciplines such as sports, performance, or team leadership & communication skills.
© International Feldenkrais® Federation. Produced by Marcela Bretschneider. All rights reserved.
What is the Feldenkrais method?
Feldenkrais is taught through group classes and individual one-to-one lessons. In each group class the teacher will guide you through different sequences of movement using simple, easy-to-follow, verbal instructions. Many of the lessons take place lying down on the floor, but some involve exploring movement in sitting or standing. It is the perfect movement method for studying online because all you need is yourself & the space to lie down. You will be invited to do a certain movement, & then play in different ways with how you are doing it. You are asked to bring your attention to each movement & discover how you could do it slowly & gently with less effort & more ease. You are guided to discover different ways in which the movement could become easier for you. This gives you a chance to find out surprising things about the way in which you are moving – your physical habits. Often when we bring our awareness to our movement in this way, we discover that movements which we believed to be uncomfortable or impossible are in fact available to us, if we just move in a slightly different way. We are able to discover which physical habits are not helping us, & create new ones that allow us to move more freely, or develop and fine-tune particular physical skills. This method was first created by Moshe Feldenkrais & is now taught around the world, helping millions of people from all walks of life.
What is Body-Mind Centering (BMC®)?
Body Mind Centering (BMC®) is a creative movement practice through which you can understand more deeply your own experience of the living body, & how this relates to your sense of self. In each group class anatomical images & information are shared that allow you to learn different things about how the body works. From this starting point, you will be guided through open explorations that use movement, imagination, sensing, & touch. In different classes you learn about various structures & systems in the body, such as bones, nerves, organs, muscles, & fluids. You also learn about how human beings develop & grow, from the earliest stages of conception through to adulthood. By using your own felt experience as a basis for practical research, you gain insight into the universal movement experience of all human beings. This is a liberating & enjoyable process in which you can find a sense of release, surprise, & delight through exploring your own amazing movement potential. Created by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Body-Mind Centering (BMC®) is now taught around the world & applied in many different fields (including dance, bodywork, and psychotherapy).
What is Restorative Yoga?
Practising restorative yoga allows you to enter into a deep state of rest & relaxation. Unlike in more active forms of yoga, you will be guided into physical positions & postures that allow you to let go of tension over time. You are invited to quietly remain in each posture for a while (20 minutes), releasing the weight of your body, & finding rest in stillness. This experience allows you to calm the nervous system, & gently release negative stress & excess strain. Practising restorative yoga can help anyone who is struggling with tiredness, illness, or emotional difficulties. This class offers a space in which to reconnect, be kind to yourself, & regain a sense of calm and equilibrium. It is gives you a resource for coping with the challenges of everyday life.
What is Laughter Yoga?
Laughter Yoga consists of simple yet powerful deep breathing techniques & playful laughter exercises. It is practised in a relaxed group where we release tension & reconnect with our sense of childlike fun. You might think that laughter can only happen as a natural reaction to something funny but in fact, just like any other positive habit, laughter can be practised & brought into our lives by choice. Laughter Yoga exercises induce deep, hearty, extended laughter. They are based on the scientific understanding that our bodies cannot differentiate between real & pretend laughter after 10 minutes; we reap similar psychological & physiological benefits from both. Even better, when practising simulated laughter it’s not unusual for it to develop into genuine involuntary laughter. Extended laughter (laughing for ten minutes or more) is actually aerobic exercise - kind of like an internal jog. And just like any other cardio it releases feel-good endorphins that help us relax afterwards. Smiling, laughing & connecting with ourselves & others - even through a screen - is a powerful social bonding exercise that boosts our mood for the rest of the day. Laughter Yoga was started by Dr Madan Kataria in a park in Mumbai in 1995. Within a couple of decades laughter clubs had sprung up in more than a 100 cities around the world. Hope, creativity, & trust are just some of the uplifting emotions typically evoked through the affirmative support that comes with laughing together in a group.