Deep muscle release with somatics

Release muscle tension, increase flexibility and joint mobility and relieve stiffness, aches and pain through gentle movements and find long lasting relief. Practised consciously, these movements from Hanna Somatics reprogram the muscles and reconnect forgotten neural pathways so that chronically locked in muscle tension can release and allow the muscle to lengthen.

It is called pandiculation, and it is what we see our pets do all the time, and it is what we do when we yawn. It is more effective than stretching, especially for chronically tight muscles. Do the somatics movements first, and then stretch., for more effective results. Great for anyone who finds themselves moving with pain, whether that has become your default mode, or if you have just done some really tough exercise and have body soreness. There is relief.

The most wonderful part is that these are easy movements to learn, and you can practise them everyday to ensure that your body feels better and better over time.

The somatic movement story

Thomas Hanna, himself a student of Moshe Feldenkreis, coined the term somatics from the Greek word "somatikos" meaning the living, aware body, for a group of emerging alternative therapy disciplines such as Feldenkreis, Alexander Technique, the work of Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen and his own work, which he called Hanna Somatics Education.

In somatics the felt sense of the body is called the "soma".

Yoga is a somatic practice when practiced with mindfulness, attending to all of the sensations of the body.

Somatics understands that the body and mind are not separate. Conscious embodiment or kinaesthetic awareness is developed through movement and can address and alleviate many chronic issues in the body, such as pain, stiffness and limitations in range of movement.

Yoga Spirit Studios has several trained Somatics Exercise Coaches on staff who weave somatic movements into their yoga classes. Somatic movements are gentle, based around contracting and releasing muscles, retraining the brain so that it unlearns held patterns, and training the body to move holistically. These movements make great partners to traditional yoga, but can also be used independently to address body issues, release tension and become more pain free.

Courses in Somatics to relieve stiffness and pain

by enrollment only

Regular instructor Jo Bentley, training in Clinical Somatics.

Thomas Hanna called it "the myth of aging". It is the erroneous notion that because the body ages and experiences injury over the course of time, that we necessarily have to accept stiffness and pain as the reality of having a body.

Over the duration of the course, somatic movements will be introduced in a progressive manner, and you will build up a repertoire of daily movements to relieve your body aches. You will develop a short series that can be done to warm the body for your morning yoga practice, your daily jog, your gym visit or on its own just to get you moving freely that day.

Course includes notes.

Find a course

Weekly classes

You can also practrice Somatics with Jo on Mondays at 6pm in the Studio Room in the "Pain free movement: Hanna Somatics" class. This is an ongoing class. Check in to this class

And a class in the Studio Room on Thursday evenings at 6pm is specifically designed as a Somatics class with iRest® Yoga Nidra. The regular instructor for this class is Tina Shettigara. Check in to this class.

Private consultations

You can also arrange private consultations with a Somatics Clinical Educator in training, Jo Bentley, to address your pain and movement issues. Call the Studio on 8352 7823 to discuss your needs and make an appointment.