The body is the instrument
As a performer or manager, you can only function fully if your body is available and present. If it is not, it will be difficult to get your message across properly. Through our bodies we communicate with the world around us.
What is Embodiment?
Embodiment is a word that is used a lot these days, a real buzzword! But what does it actually mean? When we see someone, who is present in her body, we often mean that there is a palpable connection between what someone does and says, an authentic and connected way of being present. It is about the integration between the person and her surroundings, between the sensation from within and the perception from outside.
Soma
In Greek, the word ‘Soma’ means ‘Body’. It is not so much about seeing the body from the outside, but about experiencing the body from within. We do this through our proprioceptive perception which is in contact with our nervous system. We experience through our joints, our bones, our organs and muscles how we are doing and what we need to do to stay alive. Proprioceptive perception is usually automatic and unconscious, as in the perception of pain or heat, for example. But, of course, we can also actively focus our attention on what we experience within our bodies.
In addition to perceiving processes within our bodies, we can also perceive where we are in space and what our contact with gravity is like (proprioceptive perception in contact with the place and grid neurons). Thus, we know where we are and how we can make contact with the world around us from there.
Somatic Coaching
As a Somatic Coach, I strive to create more awareness of the inside/outside experiences of your body, so that you can be more effective and enjoy doing what you do best.
The first step could be described as an attention training for your body; you learn to be present in different body parts while moving, standing and sitting. You start to make connections between different parts of your body. You will train yourself to stand, sit and move in lively contact with gravity. You are going to learn to use your breath and use your center better. This will support you to be grounded and actively present. The second step is to become aware of what patterns are already present in your body and whether these automatic ways of doing are in line with what you want to convey to the world. The emphasis is on wholeness and connection. In this way, as a third step, you can let go of possibly inefficient neuromuscular patterns and look for integrated, spontaneous and expressive movements.
No fear to perform
We can train our bodies to reconnect with a fundamental experience of wholeness. Somatic Coaching focuses on physical and spatial body awareness and offers a holistic approach that emphasizes the willingness to listen to your inner experiences that influence your movement response.
It can be a magical experience to perform in front of an attentive audience. A training that focuses on experiencing your body during your performance can make you present with much more pleasure and joy. What you want to share with your audience is easier and more effective. We give and we take, we move inwards and outwards. The connection between inner perception and outer perception is the key to a good performance.
Curious? You can make an online appointment or sign up for a one-to-one session.