I've Tried Some Hanna Somatics Movements But It's Hard to do the Movements or I Don't Find Them Effective: Help!

First, note that while Essential Somatics® Movements are simple (at least the basic ones are: we do teach more complex ones too!), that does not mean they are easy to do ‘properly’. When I say ‘properly’ here, I refer to how you need to consciously pandiculate each movement to get results - & that is not easy for everyone, not by a long shot. Nor does it make sense to everyone, so they just “do the movements”. But pandiculating these movements IS possible, & it does work: it is what reaps the long-lasting benefits of this approach.

SO, if you’re concerned that you find the movements difficult, or found them easy enough but they didn’t have much effect on you, read on…

(1) Do make sure you’ve not just watched but have practised the movements, & have understood what it is to pandiculate each movement, so have been pandiculating rather than just “doing the movement”: If you just do the movements but don’t follow the 3-part process of pandiculation, the movements may do you some good, &/or feel nice – but they will not have any significant impact on you, because your nervous system won’t be getting any new information. And that is what is essential to change, & an essential element of effective Somatic Education.

(2) Do you find it hard to contract – or even feel or sense – areas of your musculature & body (especially areas that are in pain)? If so, know that while this is challenging, it is both normal & all too common in an age where we have forgotten how to pandiculate, & how to care for ourselves.

This is what Somatic Education exists to combat! So do work with it – & work to increase & improve your ability to sense yourself “from the inside”, & to control your movements more fully, including being able to voluntarily contract & de-contract areas of your muscles.

Remember that it can take time to release muscles out of often long-held habits of tightness, especially where that tightness is not conscious or voluntary (including where you think you are relaxed, but in fact still have a lot of ‘resting muscle tension’; this is really common!), & especially where pain is felt. Be gentle with yourself, & go slowly. That will get you the best results, as it will give your body & nervous system – your whole soma – the chance to take in new information, & to adapt & change.

(3) Notice if you find it hard to move your centre (your belly area & your lower back, especially – which you’re asked to move, & move from, in Arch & Flatten).

Especially if you find it hard BOTH to arch your back AND to shorten/contract your front (to consciously ‘slouch’), you’ll need to use small movements – or even ‘just’ your imagination – at first. Do not force yourself, but also know that you are designed to move this way – to have a soft, flexible belly area, & a spine that can arch & release readily – so you can’t hurt yourself so long as you stay aware of your movements & don’t move into pain. BUT if you try too hard, often what happens is your nervous system responds (unconsciously, most often) by resisting, & by tightening you up further (as it does when you stretch): so, if you try to force yourself - or if you don’t allow your belly &/or your spine to MOVE - you may end up “bracing” between the two, staying rigid in the centre (potentially even hurting yourself). Please pay attention to how you feel: don’t go into pain, but try rather to encourage small movements, or imagine yourself with a fluid front & back, & take a look at yourself if it helps (in a mirror, or on your device’s camera) - is your back arching? is your front shortening? If not, what do you need to let go, to make that happen? Explore.

Know that a great many people get really stuck in the centre; it can be a genuine challenge to get moving – but it’s really important to have a flexible centre, to enable full breathing, as well as fuller range of movement throughout your body. (I have several resources to help with this specific problem in my full online programme, the SoMA Program. Registration for that is next open March 2022.)

(4) If it’s possible for you, see a Clinical Somatic Educator for a 1-2-1 clinical or movement lesson (in person, ideally, but online works too) – and/or sign up for my full online programme, where there is a lot more detailed information, along with more guidance & more movements, that may well help you overcome the blocks causing you problems right now.

With Somatic Education, as with most work around increasing self-awareness & self-care, you do have to be willing to make the leap – to make changes. Don’t let myths like “I’m just built this way”, “It’s just not possible for me to move like this”, “I’m too old/inflexible/sore to do this” or even “These movements are easy, they can’t help me!” get in your way & stop you from making changes. Be genuinely open to change, open to the power of providing your own nervous system with new information, & open to the very real possibility of increased ease of movement & relief from pain & tension through this gentle movement work.

(5) Get in touch. Maybe I can help. 

And sign up for my FREE video series, “The Truth About Pain - and how to get rid of it” to learn more!