SOMATIC {sōˈmadik} : of, relating to, or affecting the body (Merriam-webster)

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The root word, SOMA refers to a neuron’s cell body: the central house of the cell that controls all metabolic activities. Thus psychosomatic processing relates to the mind-body (psycho: mind; soma: body) connection: the processing of life experiences, the stories they perpetuate, the emotions they store in the body, and their impact on the physical form’s ability to function properly. This ability is the function of the autonomic nervous system: the body’s involuntary response to our circumstances - real, imagined, or created.

 

Our bodies were not designed for the modern world and an always-on lifestyle. Every moment holds infinite opportunities for our stress response (sympathetic) to fire. We try to counteract the stress with a yoga class here and a walk in the park there. But when our nervous system is operating in a ‘threatened’ state for 90% of our waking hours, it can feel impossible to truly find rest (parasympathetic). 

 

What we need is to train our brain and body to discern whether a threat is real, perceived, remembered, or imagined. This way, our body can respond appropriately rather than existing in a baseline state of stress. So when there’s no immediate threat? Our muscles can relax, our hormones can balance, our heart rate can lower, our breath can deepen, our digestive system can function, etc. (Sigh… Finally.)

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Somatic practices strengthen the neural networks that regulate the autonomic nervous system, finding balance between sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous system dominance so that we are able to activate one or the other with more ease in daily life. Through voluntary movement, we use the body to build our experiences of interoception (internal awareness) and proprioception (spacial awareness) to come into a more intimate relationship with our selves, and therefore, a more present relationship with (and perception of) our world.