One of the great elements of somatic coaching is helping people get more in tune with what is happening within their bodies.
Why might you want to do that?
Simply put, to become more aware of what is happening within, and how the body reacts to certain stimuli from our environment. It’s often information that we are completely ignoring or unaware of.
Sometimes it’s the subtlest of reactions that are the most important. If you meet someone new, and you get a flutter in your stomach, is that a positive or negative signal?
When you get up to go to work, do you feel the tension in your body building or something else?
When you just ate something, is there some discomfort in your stomach that is trying to tell you something about what you just ate?
As we go through our busy lives, we often get accustomed to, or ignore these subtle yet important signals. We begin to think life with pain, stress, and tension is the norm, and, all the while, it could be slowly taking our health away.
Sounds like something we might pay more attention to…?
One way to increase our awareness is with a body scan.
No fancy machine required! Just sit quietly and comfortably. Close your eyes. Then run your attention all over your body. Start from your toes and move up.
At each place, note how it feels.
Tight? Sore? Quiet? Throbbing? An unidentified sensation? Hot? Cold? The air moving across your skin? The sun’s rays? Note the feeling of clothing on it. Or lack thereof. What’s going on inside? Can you describe it or put words to it? How about images? Colors? Sounds even? A vibration?
Then once you’re finished with that, go back to some area like a tight area. See if you can make it change. Can you make it not tight, relaxing the muscle?
How did that feel?
OK now let’s level you up.
As you go through the day, put some attention to your body. Then note how it reacts to things that you encounter. What is happening to you now and where in your body do you feel it?
Having fun yet? If you give it a try, what did you learn? And if you’re so inclined put some discoveries in the comments and let’s discuss!
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