We’re starting a new somatic movement and yoga class soon, so I thought it would be helpful to share some information about the style.

What is Somatic Movement

The word soma means ‘the body as perceived from within’. Somatic practice focuses on what you’re feeling in the body instead of form or outcome. Sarah Warren, the author of the Pain Relief Secret describes it as:

‘A movement that’s practiced consciously with the intention of focusing on the internal experience of the movement rather than the external appearance or the end result’.

You are encouraged to pay close attention to your body so that you can develop sensitivity and internal awareness. Somatic movement is deliberately slow and easy so you can take time to feel and undo unhelpful habitual movements patterns. The practice is designed to calm the central nervous system and re-educate the way our brain senses and moves the body.

The term ‘Somatic Movement’ was coined and popularised by Thomas Hanna in the 1970’s. He was a dedicated student of Mosche Feldenkrais (1904-1984) and was greatly influenced by his work.

Feldenkrais was an engineer, physicist, and expert in Judo and Jiu Jutsu. He had developed a whole system of physical therapy; his aim was to improve human function by increasing self-awareness through movement.

Why Somatic and Yoga?

There are many similarities between Somatics and Yoga. Both practices place importance on breathing and have a holistic view of the body, mind. They also use movement for better self-understanding.

What defines somatic movement is the belief that less is more. In other disciplines we are often encouraged to achieve certain moves or postures, but in this approach, you’ll be guided to use minimal muscular effort with easy movements. This can be liberating but it can also be challenging, as many of us have adopted the ‘no pain no gain’ motto. It can be a real shift to change our intention from achievement to curiosity. We will look beyond the outer form and cultivate an internal awareness. This genuine connection with your body will help you find new ways to cope with life challenges and changes. Combined with yoga’s philosophy of kindness and acceptance this practice can play an important role for aiding transformation.

What the class will be like

The class will be very relaxing and at the same time revealing, as it’ll gently expose our habits and how we commonly move. You’ll often be encouraged to practice with your eyes closed to minimise sensory stimulations and to take plenty of breaks in-between. This will help you to feel, absorb, and digest your experience and notice any changes from the practice. Much of somatic practice is done on the floor or in sitting but most importantly you’ll be asked to find a comfortable position that suits you.

This class will be beneficial for people with chronic pain and fatigue or those recovering from injury or illness. It’s also great for beginners and those that just want to take it slow and cultivate mindfulness. It can be a very transformative experience so really understand what the class will be like, you’ll need to experience it for yourself.

I hope to see you in class!

Our new community Somatic Movement and Yoga class with Naomi starts on 12:15-1pm every Wednesday from 25th September 2024

I can’t believe that I’d never come across the perimenopause until this year. I’d obviously heard about menopause, but I didn’t think that much about it. Several years ago, in my mid-forties, I mentioned to my friends that I thought I may be menopausal, they said I was far too young – it’s something you go through in your fifties. Whilst this might be technically true (the average age of menopause is 51), there is a whole stage on the lead up to the menopause, called the perimenopause. Most people start to experience perimenopause from the age of 41 to 45 but some women can go through it much earlier.

When I started researching, I found out that menopause technically only lasts one day! It is the day 12 months after your last period. The perimenopause can last anywhere from 2-12 years. The symptoms can hugely vary from people and it’s not just about hot flushes. It really saddened me that I’d never came across this information before.

I read Maisie Hill’s book, Perimenopause Power, and the symptoms I’d been experiencing started to make some sense. Better still, I began developing the tools I needed to support myself through this journey.

I started to keep a diary of my menstrual cycle, writing down my symptoms and how I’m feeling. I also kept a note of any lifestyle changes that I’d made so I could try to see what worked and what didn’t. I enjoyed experimenting with my yoga and introduced more therapeutic practices such as somatic movement, tapping and TRE (Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercise). A regular meditation and relaxation practice has been hugely beneficial, especially to alleviate brain fog, irritability, and low mood.

One of the symptoms was cramps in the night-time, so I started self-massage and gentle movement before going to bed. This reduced the cramps and relaxed me before bed, leading to a better night’s sleep. It also relieved other common symptoms such as sleep disturbance and fatigue.

Recently I began having digestive issues, so I did some research into diet and became more attentive to what kind of things I eat and drink. I also started taking some vitamins and supplements.

But it’s not all been bad. It’s made me much more aware and mindful. I’ve learnt how to adapt and look after myself in a more holistic way. It has taught me to be kind and compassionate towards myself. With my new understanding of perimenopause and menopause, I feel more confident navigating through these natural changes.

I decided to offer Yoga for Perimenopause workshop at Bristol Yoga Centre, as I feel that it’s important for perimenopause and menopause to be more widely known. Every woman will go through this transitional phase, and I believe it’s important for us to be able to share and support each other through the experience.