Somatic MUSIC
a body focused listening experience
What was the last piece of music that made you feel something? Did you savour it? Where did you feel it? How did your body respond to it?
I’m a professional music artist of 20 years and a certified Somatic Coach.
Despite almost the same amount of years spent reading and exploring psychology, self development, mindfulness and wellbeing, I found myself increasingly unhappy, attached to my phone, rushing around, multi-tasking and “consuming content” at a rate of knots but longing to get more from my experience of life.
Training in Somatic work has helped me to feel more grounded, self aware and in-tune with myself and others than anything else I had tried. Playing live music (described by The Sunday Times as “fierce and fragile”) in intimate settings has made me passionate about how music can unify us and bring us together, anchor us in a moment.
It felt like there was a powerful connection between these two threads of my life.
This group experience is a chance to rekindle or enhance your relationship with recorded music, experience music with other people or remember why you make music? Together we will explore:
What does sitting with emotions mean?
How to get more in tune with physical sensations and the wisdom of the body
In a small group of no more than 8 people, we’ll share music that makes us feel something and experience the music that touches other people.
Through guided practices, we’ll explore how music can enhance our bodily awareness and how tuning into our bodies can improve our musical experience.
I keep hearing the word Somatic. what does it mean?
Somatic comes from the word Soma which comes from a Greek word for body. So somatic means of, relating to, or affecting the body.
Why do we need to connect to our bodies?
80% of signals sent by our nervous system travel from the body to the brain
80% of signals sent by our nervous system are afferent, meaning they travel from the body to the brain, providing the brain with crucial information about the body's internal and external environment. These signals include sensory data about touch, temperature, pain, and the state of our internal organs, collectively known as interoception. This continuous flow of information allows the brain to monitor and adjust bodily functions to maintain homeostasis.
The remaining 20% of signals are efferent, traveling from the brain to the body. These signals control voluntary movements and regulate autonomic functions such as heart rate, digestion, and breathing.
In a world where we’ve been so focused on the the brain, on cognitive solutions, on intellectualising our problems, the knowledge that more information is travelling FROM the body TO the brain and not the other way round, makes many people believe that it deserves our attention.
that is why the word Somatic is being used so frequently these days.
In today’s busy world it can be difficult to stay present. Reconnecting to the body helps anchor attention in the present moment.
Reconnecting to the body can help us access our intuition. Bodily sensations can provide valuable information in decision-making processes, often guiding us toward choices that align more with our true needs and desires.
Reconnecting to the body can also open up channels for creativity. Artists, dancers, and musicians often use their bodies as instruments of expression. By being in tune with our bodily sensations and movements, we can access deeper levels of creativity and expressiveness.
Mind-body practices can also enhance interpersonal relationships. Being present and connected to one’s body can improve communication, empathy, and emotional attunement with others.
This isn’t a dance group
The key here is to bring our attention into our bodies and become more aware of how we respond in subtle and individual ways to music, lyrics and sound. You won’t be asked to move in any particular way or to dance but that might be how your body responds to music.
If you’d like to join my first, on-line Somatic listening experience, sign-up by submitting your answers to these questions: (TBC…)
