Somatic means something related to the body! So, in somatic meditation, you have to focus more on your body than your mind.
Meditational practices are often limited to exercises that calm the mind. In most techniques, you focus on your breathing and sustain your attention. However, in somatic meditation, you think about your body. Some common practices include
1. Body scans – You mentally check your body parts, starting from your feet and moving up to your head.
2. Grounding exercises – You’ve to identify five things around you, touch four different textures (e.g., clothing, furniture), focus on three sounds, notice two different smells, and if you have something to eat or drink, focus on its taste.
3. Tension and release – Notice areas of the body that feel tight. Bring your attention to those parts, imagine the tension melting away as you exhale, and allow your body to relax.
Don’t get confused. You don’t have to move while doing somatic meditation. You just have to be in the ideal meditation position and focus on bodily sensations without physical movement.
The goal is to bring your attention inward to your body!
Somatic Meditation Exercises
These exercises can be done while sitting or lying down in a comfortable position. Also, specific exercises are available for different types of mental symptoms.
Somatic meditation for anxiety
Anxiety is caused by excessive worry about future events. When you keep thinking and thinking about the uncertain events, your body activates your sympathetic nervous system.
It leads to the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which increase heart rate and glucose levels. This results in muscle tension, shortness of breath, dizziness, and other issues.
Although for a short time, anxiety attacks can still disrupt your mental health. To release anxiety, you can practice diaphragmatic breathing exercises.
Position: Lie down or sit comfortably with one hand on your chest and the other on the abdomen just below the ribcage.
Inhale: Breathe through your nose, let your abdomen rise, and keep your chest still.
Exhale: Breathe out through your mouth and let your abdomen fall.
Repeat: Practice this for 5-10 minutes every day, 3-4 times a day.
Somatic meditation to release trauma
Unresolved trauma can still make your body feel scared even when you’re safe now. This can make it hard for you to stay calm in everyday life.
Therapists use talk therapy to deal with the symptoms, but it may not always be helpful for physical symptoms. To deal with this, you can try self-regulation techniques of somatic meditation.
1. Hug yourself tight: Sit in a comfortable position and wrap your arms around you. It will help you feel safe and protected.
2. Tap your body: With your hand in a cupping position, tap your whole body, starting from feet to head. You can even squeeze the parts of your body. It will help you feel grounded and in control.
Somatic tracking meditation
Somatic tracking meditation is similar to the body scan technique but with some extra steps. It involves directing your attention to the physical sensation of the body. It helps therapists in Pain Reprocessing Therapy and is particularly effective in managing chronic pain.
However, somatic tracking meditation can also help you increase body awareness, reduce anxiety, and relieve stress. The process is simple:
Getting started: Find a quiet place and sit in a comfortable position.
Focus on your breath: While you focus on your breath, gradually shift your attention to different parts of your body. Basically, scan your body from head to toe.
Observe without judgment: As you focus on your body parts, identify the sensations you feel. These can be pain, stress, or tingling sensations. Just observe the sensations without labeling them as good or bad.
Acceptance: Don’t try to change or control your sensations – just accept that they are there.
Safety Reappraisal: Remind yourself that these sensations are safe without feeling uncomfortable about them.
Somatic meditation for sleep
Insomnia is a clinical condition for which you must seek professional help. However, if you generally have difficulty sleeping, then somatic meditation exercises can help.
Of course, you will do these exercises while lying in bed. You can try any one of these techniques.
1. Gentle movement: Gently roll your shoulders, sway your hips, or stretch your arms and legs. While doing so, pay attention to the sensations in different parts of your body.
2. Visualization: Most of us already try to do this while sleeping. You have to imagine a peaceful place, like a beach or a forest. They visualize the sounds you hear, sights you see, and more.
3. Breath awareness: Bring your attention to your breath as it comes in and leaves your body. You can even count your breath. As your mind wanders, bring your attention back to the present moment.
Remember to be consistent! You may find these exercises difficult on day one, but gradually, you’ll become habitual and notice positive results.
Guided somatic meditation apps
If you are facing difficulty in finding your ideal somatic meditation exercise, try an app for guided meditation. Hundreds of apps offer meditation lessons, and most of them cover somatic meditation exercises.
You can start with Somashare and also try Calm and Insight Timer.
Somatic meditation benefits
If you are experiencing anxiety, chronic pain, or a disconnection between mind and body, somatic meditation would be helpful in managing the symptoms. Some conditions in which the technique shows excellent results include:
1. Reducing stress
Studies suggest that meditation and progressive relaxation – a type of somatic meditation, help reduce stress symptoms over time. However, in this study, the participants were recruited via newspaper ads and were given five days of training.
Later, their spouse or roommate rated their stress symptoms, and there was a subsequent decline in stress levels.
2. Enhances physical sensations
Another study conducted on the body-scan meditation technique suggests improvement in the perception of physical sensation and bodily awareness. Participants who meditated were better at distinguishing real touch.
This technique of somatic meditation is beneficial for people who suffer from conditions where they often misinterpret physical sensations.
3. Helps to manage depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances
The research was conducted on 92 women who were 22 weeks pregnant. They attended a 20-minute session once a week for 12 weeks.
The results showed significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances in the tai chi/yoga group compared to the group that didn’t receive any sessions.
4. Improves physical relaxation
A study compared two relaxation techniques: progressive relaxation (somatic meditation) and transcendental meditation. People who practiced progressive relaxation for a long time were more consistently relaxed compared to new practitioners.
This suggests progressive relaxation helps develop a lasting state of physical relaxation more effectively. If you feel exhausted because of work and stress, this technique will surely be helpful.
5. Helps manage chemotherapy symptoms
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect of cancer treatment. Symptoms include pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness, usually in the hands and feet.
Another study investigated the effects of somatic yoga and meditation on cancer survivors of this condition. Eight participants attended weekly sessions for 8 weeks. They reported balance, self-confidence, and social support.
Basically, somatic meditation can also help improve the life of CIPN patients. However, further research is required.
Somatic meditation script
Here’s a 10-minute body scan somatic meditation pdf script. It will be helpful if you want to practice the technique daily.
However, somatic meditation is an umbrella term that includes various exercises. You might want to try a specific exercise for a specific condition. So, research accordingly or consult an expert.
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FAQs
What is somatic practice?
The somatic practice involves focusing on the body instead of the mind. Various techniques exist for this, such as body scans, progressive muscle relaxation, and more.
What does somatic mindfulness mean?
Somatic mindfulness is paying attention to your body’s sensations and responses in the present moment without judgment.
How to start somatic exercises?
Although there are various techniques, the basic exercise starts with deep breathing, body scans, or gentle stretching. Gradually, you can try more complex techniques.
What is an example of somatic therapy?
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a typical example. In this technique, you focus on releasing trauma stored in the body through gentle movements.
Who needs somatic therapy?
Anyone can benefit from somatic therapy, but it’s beneficial for those with trauma, chronic pain, anxiety, or difficulty managing emotions.