Are you ‘deaf’ to your body? Try somatics

BENGALURU : Those who want to align their body with their mind, may be relieved to know that yoga is not the only method of achieving this. A new practice of body movement is catching up in the city which suits those who are not able to do yoga including people with body ailments, injury and children. Somatic, which means the “body” in Greek, is an age-old practice but not as popular as yoga.
City Express catches up with Dipankar Panth, general manager of Shoonya - Centre for Art and Somatic Practices, to understand somatics. Dipankar has been championing this practice after being introduced to it two and a half years ago.

What is somatic practice and how is it beneficial?
Somatic means anything of the body, to do with the body. By working through the body, somatic practice has a holistic effect on the mind, emotions, general stability and intelligence. All of us carry tensions in our body that we are not aware of. Through the course of somatic practice, we learn to become aware of these tensions and how to release them. While we often see the body and the mind as separate entities, somatic practices help us to work on them as one entity. It can help increase creativity, productivity and efficiency.

Are more people taking up this practice here?
On a regular day, an average Bengalurean spends two hours in commute and 9-11 hours at a stressful job, mostly seated in front of a computer. We easily ignore how this damages our mind and body. We need enough pressure valves to manage the stress and stay productive, and art and somatic practices can serve as that. People are slowly becoming aware of somatic practices but access to it is still limited. There must be more conversations around embodied intelligence, but few people know of any practices to achieve it other than yoga. Awareness is mostly among performing artists and those who have been exposed to the ideas abroad. That said, Bengaluru does have more practitioners talking about this work when compared to other cities.

How similar or different is it compared to yoga? 
Yoga is in a way an ancient somatic practice, such practices have existed for a very very long time. Now we have more modern approaches under such names as the Alexander Technique or the Feldenkrais Method. But they all essentially stem from the belief, that has existed since time immemorial, that the mind and body are one. Somatic is ideal for those who have trouble moving and so may not be able to do yoga. 

How to start on somatics? 
Yoga is becoming a fad now but, when done incorrectly, it can be very harmful. Some of the newer techniques can be approached more scientifically. They are easier to apply in your daily life and can be used by people with different needs, including sportspersons, performing artistes  and the injured. These newer techniques have great scope in a workplace. The way we have to use our body when we work is not healthy. Many somatic practices are about just being aware of your body, to better “listen” to its needs. Simple changes in posture, how you sit, stand or lift things can be incorporated into daily life.

What are the health benefits?
Awareness of the body allows for more efficient movement and better use of energy, and causes less stress and tension. 

What age is ideal to get started and for practice?
Somatic work can be useful for all ages. Most somatic practices are extremely gentle and have zero impact on the body so if guided correctly there is no danger of harm. When we are babies, we actually use our bodies very well and naturally. But as we grow older, we adopt unhealthy movement patterns. Therefore, if children regularly practise somatic work, they can to retain their natural, efficient and healthy way of moving. For elders, with back problems or chronic body ailments, this practice could offer relief that mainstream medicine cannot. The art teaches you not to waste energy when moving, so you feel more energetic. 

What is art of movement in somatics?
What any somatic practice aims to further is one’s sensitivity and awareness of one’s body. Movement is very gentle and slow, sometimes barely noticeable to the untrained eye. 
It is about listening to your body “on the inside”, not about what the outer effect is.