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Showing posts from April, 2018

The Three Somatic Reflexes: Green Light; Red Light; Trauma

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Somatic Reflexes: Trauma, Red Light, and Green Light The Three Somatic Reflexes:  It is unfortunate that in our current lifestyle, the "rat race", our bodies learn behaviours that become functional postural normalities of everyday life, we live with pain, almost accepting it as "normal". Through understanding ourselves physically as well as mentally...like a recalibration we can reduce or eliminate the SMA (Sensory Motor Amnesia) caused by habitual postural reflexes. Unfortunately, because of SMA, some people stay in these extreme postural reflexes, their bodies unable to sense the postural imbalance. These are functional responses, are many times seen as structural in nature by medical professionals. Improving functional responses of the musculature will improve the structural or posture of the body. Clinical Somatic Education resolves these issues through a process of bringing awareness of the functional issue or "amnesiac" muscles first,
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Clinical Somatic Movements: Soma Scan Clinical Somatic Movement: Soma Scan We had another great week of classes; first, we released the muscles of the back and abdominals (as all movement starts in the center of the body), then we were free to contract and expand the muscles on our sides, lengthening and releasing our sides.  The beautiful Somas (pictured above), who are showing up to class for themselves, are learning to self-sense and self-monitor what is happening in their bodies. Let me clarify what exactly these wonderful students are doing; it's called Soma Scan. The Soma Scan is a wonderful therapeutic way to reduce stress and overstimulation, that is caused by our hectic lifestyles, whether it be emotionally or physically triggered...or both. Soma scanning helps us to go from a Red Light Reflex to achieving a Green Light Reflex (I promise to clarify each one of the reflexes in a future blog posting). Somatics can help us be more present to ourselves and to others
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Clinical Somatic Movements: Walking Tall the Easy Way Clinical Somatic Movement: Walking Tall the Easy Way During my journey into the world of Clinical Somatics, I realized firstly, that movement is life and the way that we move does impact our overall health. As North Americans, many of us have forgotten how to move properly. Our days are spent sitting in cars; at computers; on the couch watching endless hours of TV. Statistically, we walk about 70% less than our ancestors did. It was noted by Martha Peterson, a Certified Hanna Somatic Educator, on her several visits to India, that women doing the most grueling work of carrying bricks or other heavy objects on their heads, showed no signs of rounded shoulders or hunched backs. Martha's insight as to why this type of posture was not prevalent in India was, these women, in carrying their load while balancing, showed the long extension of their belly and waist muscles. Their ribs were open and moving in an upward directi
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Clinical Somatic Movements: Arch and Curl Clinical Somatic Movement: Arch and Curl  The clinical somatic movement here is called arch and curl. The purpose of this movement is to release and relax the muscles in the abdominals on the diagonal. Once achieved, we are well on our way to regaining control in the centre of the body. Notice we are not concerned with "END GAMING " touching our elbow to knee, yet the gentle movement of lengthening from the inside out. This is very different from a sit up; as we gain conscious control before we move, and stay with that sensing all  the way through to the peaceful end.  Somatics is a wonderful journey that changes every day. We never show up the same way in this life. Come be a soma with me and discover yourself from the inside out. Learning our way back home!   Join me for more Clinical Somatic Movements here at White Lotus Energy Healing & Somatics.  For class times and locations please refer to our calendar (cl