What is Somatics?

I’ve been using the term "somatics" for some time now and have realized that many of you know me primarily as an Alexander Technique teacher and clarinetist. However, I am now also identifying as a Somatic Educator. But what does that mean, precisely?

Just as terms like orthopedist, cardiologist, and dentist indicate the specific area of medicine a doctor practices, labels such as Body Mapping, Alexander Technique, Body Mind Centering, and Yoga describe the particular branch of somatic work a teacher specializes in.

Somatics is a field dedicated to the study of the body’s interconnected systems. While many disciplines focus on a particular aspect of the body, somatics emphasizes the integration and holistic functioning of the body as a whole.

The term "soma" refers to “the body,” and somatics can be defined as “the study of the body as perceived from within.”

Somatic practices often involve movement, with a primary focus on the body moving as an integrated, unified whole. A core principle of somatics is the understanding that the mind emerges from the body, meaning that mind and body are inseparable. While we use the terms "mind" and "body" for communicative purposes, they should not be viewed as separate entities.

Many fields approach the body from a top-down perspective—i.e., "I think, therefore I am." In contrast, somatics takes a bottom-up approach: "I am, therefore I think." It incorporates the body’s internal sensations and felt experiences as integral to our perception of reality.

The term "somatics" is often accompanied by the concepts of "embodiment" or "to embody," which refer to the process of expressing or representing ideas, thoughts, or qualities in physical, visible form.

To approach something from a somatic, embodied perspective, when you notice a particular sensation or feeling, ask yourself, “How do I know this is what I feel? How do I know that I am experiencing this sensation?”