Somatic yoga is a practice that combines bodywork, movement, and psychotherapy. It encourages you to focus on your internal experiences. The word “soma” means “body” in Greek. In somatics, you use mindfulness to become aware of how and where you hold tension, trauma, and joy in your body. This helps you understand your physical, mental, and emotional comfort zones. It can also be the first step in releasing old memories and habits, balancing your body and mind, and connecting with your instincts and intuition, ultimately leading to empowerment and wholeness. More: Forest bathing as a natural therapy to reduce stress
This should be of no surprise when we realize that a common denominator of all traumas is an alienation and disconnection from the body and a reduced capacity to be present in the here and now.
David Emerson
Thomas Hanna, an educator and researcher, developed somatics as a movement system and philosophy in the 1970s. His practice aimed to promote physical healing and reduce pain through the mind-body connection, movement, and touch. Hanna’s work and his predecessors like Moshé Feldenkrais can be seen as Western adaptations of Eastern practices like tai chi and yoga, which focus on subtle energy levels. Methods like Rolfing, Feldenkrais, the Alexander Technique, Laban movement analysis, and Body-Mind Centering are all part of somatics.
Somatic yoga is a branch of these therapies. Unlike standard yoga classes that often involve mechanical movements—flexing, extending, stretching, holding, pushing—somatic yoga is more intuitive. More: What does hot yoga do?
Healing through somatic yoga
Eleanor Criswell, a former psychology professor and expert in somatics, says that a somatic-centered yoga practice can boost your awareness as you move from one pose to another. Criswell points out that many fast-paced yoga styles don’t give enough time for the mind and body to connect.
According to her, focusing too much on perfecting a pose can distract you from noticing what happens in your body as you transition. That can disconnect the mind from the body and possibly lead to injuries. Yoga often provides a safe space to relax, slow down, and reconnect, so it’s not surprising that somatic yoga helps people deal with unresolved trauma.
Trauma affects not only the mind but also the body. People with unresolved trauma often feel stuck in a ‘freeze,’ ‘fight,’ or ‘flight’ state.
Kerrie Tooth, a somatic therapist and yoga teacher at South Pacific Private in Australia, explains that somatic yoga is a trauma-informed practice based on integrating the body and mind. She says, “Our mental and emotional states show in our bodies—body and mind work as one. We can support healing by working with both the body and mind, and by changing how we relate to and inhabit our bodies.”
Feel more comfortable
Somatic yoga includes many of the yoga poses and breathing techniques found in other styles. It also adds exercises to strengthen the connection between the body and mind. By combining gentle stretches, yoga poses, breath exercises, mindfulness practices, and somatic exercises, you can release tension in your body, become more present, and enhance your awareness. Studies show that focused breathing helps regulate emotions, while meditation can reduce anxiety and depression. More: Ayahuasca: Reach a Higher State of Consciousness
In one study, women with PTSD from childhood trauma were assigned to either 10 weekly sessions of Trauma Sensitive Yoga or a waitlist control. The women who practiced yoga had significantly fewer PTSD symptoms compared to those on the waitlist.
Somatic yoga helps us reconnect with our emotions. Also, face uncomfortable feelings, and break free from the freeze, flight, fight, and fawn cycle. It allows us to become more conscious and feel more alive and energized about our lives.
