Learn more about somatic movement

There are several wonderful books out there that have helped me deepen my somatic movement practice, and also, hopefully, become a better teacher. The two books listed here have a similar goal of restoring our inner awareness, the first step in somatic movement.

Freedom from Pain by Drs. Peter Levine and Maggie Phillips is a favourite book of mine that I continually come back to when teaching. Dr. Levine is a world-recognized trauma specialist and the founder of the therapy Somatic Experiencing. The book has several good movements, including breathing patterns, that increase awareness of the body, the first step in releasing and relaxing tight muscles.

Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve by Stanley Rosenberg is an interesting book because at first glance you might think it doesn’t apply to somatic movement. Yet what I’ve discovered as I’ve become more immersed in somatics is that somatic movement is all about the vagus nerve. I’ve used a few of the movements in this book and adapted them for my somatic movement classes. If you’d like more information on why the vagus nerve is so important, check out my recent post, The only way to achieve lasting peace and calm.