Words Lisa Wieben,
Lisa Wieben Healing Energy & Somatics
As we age, aches and pains, stiff joints and tension can become daily challenges. Often, these discomforts aren’t just from overuse or injury, but from the way we habitually hold and move our bodies. Somatic Movement, or Somatics, offers a gentle, mindful approach to release chronic tension, improve posture, and restore ease of movement.
The word “soma” means the body as perceived from within. This is the lived, internal awareness of movement and sensation. Only you can truly know how your body feels. A Somatic practice helps you reconnect with your body through neuromuscular re-education. By sensing how muscles and joints move and feel, you retrain the nervous system, allowing old patterns of tension to release, creating lasting change from the inside out. As Thomas Hanna, the creator of Hanna Somatics (Clinical Somatic Education), said: “If you can sense it, you can change it.”
Stress, posture habits, repetitive movements and emotional overwhelm can create chronic muscle contractions. Think about how you sit at a computer, drive, or stand. Perhaps one shoulder lifts, the back tightens, or the hips brace. At first you might not notice it, but if these patterns are repeated day after day, the nervous system adapts by holding the contractions continuously.
Over time, the tightness begins to feel normal. These patterns become so familiar that we no longer have to think about them. The brain essentially “forgets” how to fully relax, a condition known as Sensory Motor Amnesia. What started out as a brief response can become an in-grained habit, often showing up as aching backs, stiff necks, worn joints or repetitive strain injuries. Stretching may offer temporary relief, but it doesn’t always address the underlying neurological pattern that’s keeping muscles tight.
One of the concepts that sets Somatics apart is the technique called Pandiculation. This involves gently contracting a muscle or muscle pattern and then slowly releasing it with mindful awareness. By paying close attention as you move, you reset communication between the brain and the muscles. Engaging the nervous system in this way allows tension to melt away more completely and with longer-lasting results.
A powerful benefit of Somatics is its self-care component. The movements and awareness you learn can be used anytime your body feels tight or stressed. Many people find them deeply relaxing and enjoyable, often noticing a sense of calm as the tension releases. With regular practice, Somatics can help prevent injuries, improve posture, and protect joints from unnecessary strain. Flexibility, balance, and coordination improve, and everyday activities such as getting up from a chair, walking, gardening and cycling, all feel smoother and easier.
In this fast-paced world, Somatics invites us to slow down, listen inwardly, and trust the body’s natural wisdom. It offers a gentle, effective way to restore balance, comfort and ease.
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