The answer is that it depends on which movement you're doing. You want to be able to do BOTH head patterns and allow the head/neck to follow the spine. The point of Somatic Movements (as taught by Essential Somatics, in the tradition of Thomas Hanna's work), you're specifically addressing sensory motor amnesia, which presents within the 3 stress reflexes. If you're stuck with forward head posture and you want to get your head back in line with your spine so you don't have neck pain, and the movement that helps you get there is the Flower - but you're having trouble allowing your head to move with your pelvis into and out of the red light reflex (chin up, pelvis up, center inward/shortened), then you've got something to learn. If you want to release neck pain that comes from an overly arched back, it's important to be able to allow your head/neck to go along with your spine in full flexion and full extension. You want choices. Your brain is going to reflexively take you into the red light, green light, and trauma reflexes at certain points in your life. You may even find yourself slouching at the wheel after a day of driving in heavy traffic, so you need strategies to restore optimum posture, alignment, and function. The key is being able to FEEL those full body patterns and VOLUNTARILY come out of them. You can only do that when you and your brain are in control of them, and the way to do that is through learning the Somatic Movements. Let me know if that helps your understanding and answers the question.

That sounds great!

You might have been working too hard. If you have a lot of tension in the center and you tighten or brace, you may feel it in the legs. Tension in the center can create tension in the periphery. Try exploring this movement again and use 50% less effort. Let me know how it goes.

@@EssentialSomatics THANK YOU. it seems like next day, second , third time was easier I still have pain in my back …I assume I should repeat the exercise every day a few times a day… does it strengthen muscle too? I am old and I didn’t exercise much recently …

You're so welcome! If you find that your abdominals start to shake, you may be working too hard. Try backing off just a little and you may notice - and release - even more. I'm so glad you're getting so much out of this movement. It's one of my personal favorites!

You can go to our website to read more about which conditions Clinical Somatics addresses. Basically, if you've tried everything to address your back, neck, shoulder, hip, knee or foot pain - or sciatica, forward head posture, disc issues - and you've only experienced short term improvement, you probably have Sensory Motor Amnesia. We can teach you how to release and relax the tight muscles that are contributing to your pain or movement restrictions - for the long term. We teach you to improve your function. Loads of conditions deemed medical in nature are actually functional problems that develop because of how we use our bodies and respond to stress. We can help you with that so you can feel good again.

Isn't it! We're so glad you're loving it.

Scroll all the way to the bottom to register. Today was the first session, but it's OK. I will review the basic principles we went over and we will continue learning movements that will help you reconnect to yourself and reduce tension. shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/ssmpMP/a23921/

It is!

Thank you so much!

shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/ssmpMP/a23921/

You can register here. The course page has loads of information as well (scroll all the way to the bottom for the registration link if you choose to attend the course): shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/ssmpMP/a23921/

You can find out all that information here (scroll all the way down): shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/ssmpMP/a23921/

You can find out all that information here: shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/ssmpMP/a23921/

Thank you for your support!

We're so glad you're enjoying our videos!

@@EssentialSomatics HARD not to!!

It doesn't really matter. The point is to gently sweep your arm up and over only as far as is comfortable. I would recommend starting pandiculating the tighter side and then lie ON the tighter side (which will now be much less tight!) and pandiculate the opposite side. Explore breathing into the bottom side and reminding your now-not-as-tight side to stay long as you shorten the topside. Let me know how that goes.

Thank you!

You're so welcome!

I couldn't agree more. I would add to stop "trying" and striving to "get it right." Explore, be curious, and notice your improvement day to day. We are all somas in process.

You have a good eye! No, I don't have scoliosis, but I have had a habituated trauma reflex that I work with daily. The best thing is I feel great and have no discomfort, which is what it's all about.

Thank you for the support!

Hey, the link for the article is in the description🙂

So glad you found this helpful!

On the channel we have a full length video of how to do the psoas release. Here it is: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/b5eGnLWbzqqzf2w.html

@@EssentialSomatics thank you very much.🙏

This work is very powerful for grief, trauma, and any long-term stress. It’s so important to learn how your brain and nervous system control your muscles and how responses to grief, trauma, and stress are universal and are held in the body. It’s important to learn the principles of how to apply this work for yourself, no matter what your situation is on a daily basis. A daily practice of Somatic Movement will help will support you in to sensing, processing, and integrating trauma and grief (and all kinds of stress, whether mental, emotional, or physical) into your life. Well, I know you are looking for something that is free, there is a lot on this channel that is free, yet the best option would be to either learn in person from an ES-trained teacher, come to one of our in person, events, or purchase our digital course called Move With Ease. It is well worth the money and you have the resources for life. Enjoy the journey. There is much you can do for yourself and we’re here to support you.

@@EssentialSomatics I would happily pay but I am in such a difficult situation, I will check out the online course and see if I could possibly manage, meantime I will aim to learn as much as I can from your tuitions here, I am not processing my GRIEF very well, I have no support systems and had some pretty mean treatment from family - my life was just ripped up and over the cliff so fast, and I realised I totally was caught out and had not realised how awful it would be. I had quite a lot of traumas - plus never felt safe and secure - ironically even though my mother was kind loving in her own way and supportive - father though was something else!! I am also sensitive nature. I am having to try to be strong but its very hard. Thank you for your information.

@@EssentialSomatics Is your digital course available at this time? would you kindly supply me with a link ?

I do this one every day. It’s terrific!

Somatic movement is a very powerful complement to physical therapy. It doesn’t necessarily take the place of physical therapy, but the perspective is very different. When you learn to reduce tension in your muscles, your physical therapy exercises can be more effective. And frequently people go to physical therapy in order to address what we see as sensory motor amnesia - chronically tight and tense muscles. We have several physical therapists who have trained to teach somatic movement through Essential Somatics®, and they use both disciplines to help their patients.

@@EssentialSomatics so does pt come first or somatics or they can be done together? Reason I ask is because I had reached a severe point of muscle tension where there was pulling and no freedom in my body. It was like my muscles had wrapped around me. Like I was frozen in some sort of twist. Picture a knot in the center of a body. So I was sent to pt seemed as if the tension was getting worse.

@@LShawn806 It's hard for me to advise you given that I know nothing about your personal medical history. All I can say with certainty is that if you have very tight muscles it's best to learn to release them FIRST and then you can benefit more from what the PT can teach you.

I’m glad it’s helpful for you.

@@EssentialSomatics Seeing it up close helps me see what I have to do to really get it to work. Thanks!

We have another opportunity next week!

Terrific! I'm sure you'll benefit from it. Don't forget to prepare your body for this movement by learning and doing Arch and Flatten so the back and front of your body is more relaxed. You need to address tension holistically. Enjoy!

You're so welcome! I'm thrilled that your back is better. The brilliance of that is that YOU did that for yourself by becoming more aware, moving slowly, listening, and practicing. Keep it up!

I empathize with you. The fact that you've struggled for so long to find an answer/solution that makes sense - and works - is why it's so important to get the word out about Clinical Somatics. Thomas Hanna' writes in his book, Somatics, that if this work were taught to children in grade school a host of functional medical issues would be a thing of the past within one generation. Teach people to become more aware of how their brains and bodies function, teach them to sense themselves and know what to do when tension builds up and say goodbye to issues like TMJD, headaches, and back pain (to name a few). Keep learning!

Children need to learn to feel anything anymore. I’m concerned that there is so much distraction now. But it’s not just kids. My whole generation (I’m 74) seems to either be on their cells phones or in front of their TV’s all day. I walk in trails and no one listens to the birds or looks at the trees. It’s all the phone. Holy cow!

@@elainehewitt6813 You make a really good observation about the older generation (i, too, am a baby boomer). Always being digitally connected creates stress!

I'm so sorry it's too fast for you. Apologies! How about watching just a bit of it, practicing that part, then continuing on. Hopefully that can help.

@@EssentialSomatics thanks Martha. Will give it a go. It’s the pace of the instructions that catches out a beginner slow coach like me. Hopefully I’ll get adapt to it.

Hi, Here is the full length video for "why am I limping?" The short should have directed you to watch the full video. I'm so sorry! Generally if you see a short clip there is likely a longer video from which the clip was taken (for social media purposes - to catch people's attention about something important). I hope you enjoy the full video. Any questions, let me know! Best, Martha

@@EssentialSomatics Thanks!😊

@@sfree322 You're so welcome!

Thanks so much! I'm so glad it's helpful.

Ah yes, the propeller is fabulous as well!

For many people it is natural for emotions to come up when doing Somatic Movements and pandiculation. Here's why: you're working with what you can't sense and feel - that is, what is unconscious in your body and muscles. You're also working with stress reflex patterns that we all go into when we're fearful, stressed, traumatized, etc. When you pandiculate you voluntarily release tension so that what has been unconscious becomes conscious. Sensation comes up - and that's good!! When sensation arises allow it to happen; it's only there to be senses, processed, and then INTEGRATED so that, over time, it ceases to arise. It's like slowly allowing the pressure cooker to cool down. It's a good thing. What it tells me is that you're going slowly, paying attention, and allowing yourself to be in a somatic process. Congratultions!

Oh thank you! I'm so glad they were so beneficial to you. Somatic Movement is a life-changing practice, isn't it?

It sounds as if you've got a combination of stress reflex patterns in your body that are contributing to your postural issues. This is sensory motor amnesia, and since muscles attach to bones and move bones - and the brain controls your muscles, there is much you can do for yourself to teach your muscles to relax and release. Start with Arch and Flatten. Watch and explore the "Top Tips for Your Practice" video that helps you recalibrate your pelvis and find more balance. The Flower and Washrag are additionally very helpful. But to move deeper into your own learning... My suggestions are these: if you have an ES-trained teacher near you, go to class, or work with him or her one on one to begin to sense where your muscles are overly contracted and how to release them. Or purchase our new digital course (see the videos being uploaded in the next couple of days about the course) that starts on Monday, June 24 and begin to learn on your own, slowly, but surely. I hope this helps!

This is a fabulous movement. I’m glad you like it.

Thank you!

You’re so welcome!

Here is the link to the digital course: essentialsomatics.com/move-with-ease/ Included are 3 bonus Q & A session in which we get together online and I answer any and all questions you might have about your practice or any of the movements. I love coaching people and helping them get back to moving well and feeling well. Please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected] if you have any other questions. I'm quite sure you will be pleased with this course. I share the experience and tips I've learned over 20 years of teaching. This will be one of the most valuable resources you will ever own.

Yes, Somatic Movements can help you with your flexibility. Inflexibility is generally the result of tension in the center of your body - in your back, waist, and front. If the muscles around your spine are tight, your back and front will be tight. When you learn to pandiculate instead of stretch you will start to reduce excess tension in your muscles which contribute to challenges with flexibility. Stretching makes you tighter; pandiculation gets your brain (the command center of your muscles) back in control of the muscles so it can reduce tension, making your muscles softer and more able to move easily. Hopefully that helps.