A Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Meditation

Somatic meditation is a phenomenal practice to release accumulated trauma, stress, and anxiety. It helps develop a deeper awareness of the many sensations inside the body and better deal with challenging emotions. 

In recent times, the significance of meditation has become quite clear. It is an excellent medium to achieve peace of mind and find relaxation amidst our chaotic lives. There are various types of meditation, out of which Somatic meditation stands out. What is it all about? Let us find out!

What is Somatic Meditation?

Somatic meditation is a specialized variant of mindfulness-based meditation that leverages a body-focused approach to help people develop a deeper awareness of the many sensations within the body.  

Somatic meditation offers a medium for practitioners to release accumulated and pent-up traumas by awakening the body’s native intellect. Instead of depending on visualizations or mantras like traditional meditation techniques, somatic meditation strives to make the raw sensory experiences within the body the primary object of attention. 

In other words, somatic meditation is a practice that helps people rediscover their abilities to soften and open up and realign with the inner flow via guided attention to spots that feel frozen, collapsed or tense. 

Key Techniques of Somatic Meditation

 Somatic meditation is an amalgamation of several body-centred and experiential techniques. These include -

• Body Scans
  It is a process wherein you slowly and attentively scan the myriad of sensations broiling in different parts of your body. The tracking process is intended to be systematic and help develop intrabody awareness. 
   
• Breathwork
  It is the process of bringing non-judgemental and meditative attention to the constantly shifting qualities of breathing. Navigating the changing breathing sensations in different parts of your respiratory cycle can be a revelatory experience. 
   
• Yoga, Walking Meditation and Moving Poses 
  It includes mindful and responsive movement to ignite sensations, such as gentle transitions between poses, gentle scratches, and balancing postures. 
   
• Support Props for Comfort and Ease
  Somatic meditation ensures complete relaxation and openness with the help of supports, cushions, blankets and eye pillows. They facilitate better muscular release and enhance your reception to the meditative practice. In addition, comfortable props also help minimize fidgeting.

Benefits of Somatic Meditation

Some of the pertinent benefits of Somatic meditation include -

• Enhanced interoceptive awareness and a better ability to recognize and regulate difficult and overwhelming emotions
• Improved mind-body connection
• Better body awareness
• The practitioner also gets relief from pent-up trauma, stress and anxiety 
• The body is able to free itself from chronic pain, trauma, etc
• Somatic meditation also bolsters the sense of embodiment and helps the practitioner stay grounded in the present moment
• Overall improvement in health, well-being and self-awareness 
• Best 5 Benefits of Meditation Before Bedtime and the Top YouTube Sleep Meditation Channels offers an integrated way to harness mindfulness for holistic healing; thereby, bridging the false divide between the body and mind. 

Conclusion

So, there it was, a brief overview of Somatic meditation.

Somatic meditation is an excellent practice to release pent-up trauma, anxiety and stress. It involves various body-centric and experiential techniques.