Embodied Practices for Wellbeing, Resiliance,
and Optimal Aging
Somatic Integration
Mon 10am, 22 Feb - 5 Apr 2021
Gribblehirst Community Hub, 5 Cabbage Tree Swamp Lane, Sandringham, Auckland
$20
This class is for anyone who wants more ease and grace in their movements, and concurrently have less pain and greater movement freedom throughout their life.
A somatic movement, generally speaking, is one which is performed consciously with the intention of focusing on the internal experience of the movement rather than the external appearance or result of the movement. In order to be most effective, a somatic movement should be performed as slowly as possible.
The human nervous system, which controls our posture and movement, must learn new things very slowly. With practice, we are able to gradually speed up and perform movements more quickly while still maintaining form and control. When we do movements quickly, we are not learning anything new—we are simply reinforcing existing learned patterns. A somatic movement must also be performed consciously, with our complete internal focus and attention. Conscious attention is key to the learning process; we can’t learn something new if we aren’t aware of what we’re doing.
Somatic movement is exploratory in nature. Even when we practice a somatic movement with the intention of improving our posture or movement in a specific way, we still need to be focused on the internal experience of the movement rather than on the end result. Focusing on the experience and process rather than the end result can be a difficult concept for many people to grasp. It comes back to how our nervous system learns new things.
If we practice a movement as if it is the first time we have done it, we will notice something new and learn something new each time, and the learning process will be most efficient and effective. Practicing somatic movements is quite different than doing situps or pushups; it’s not about the quantity, it’s about the quality. In a general sense, any movement can be a somatic movement if it is performed slowly, consciously, and with the intention of focusing on the internal experience of the movement.
Please bring warm soft clothes to move in, a blanket to lie on, and if you like to journal you may like to bring a pen and paper.
Biodynamic Cranial Sacral Therapy
meets Somatic Movement
Embryological Cranial Explorations
6pm on Thursday March 4th.
Tuesday March 16th
Monday March 22nd
Thursday April 1st.
Gribblehirst Community Hub, 5 Cabbage Tree Swamp Lane, Sandringham, Auckland
$20
These classes are an experimental exploration mixing learnings from Biodynamic Cranial Sacral Therapy and Somatic Movement. They are for anyone who is interested in experiencing with their physical and energetic body in its fullest expression and aliveness. They may be off particular interest to those who have experienced BCST, or are looking for alternative movement classes that embody the rich dynamic fullness of what it is to be human.
Classes are held at 6pm on Thursday March 4th. Tuesday March 16th Monday March 22nd Thursday April 1st. Please bring a blanket/and or mat to lie on. You may want papers and pencils to draw or journal with.