{"id":96763,"date":"2024-06-04T08:56:07","date_gmt":"2024-06-04T05:56:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/?p=96763"},"modified":"2026-07-24T21:05:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T18:05:13","slug":"what-is-soma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/what-is-soma\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Soma"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"96763\" class=\"elementor elementor-96763 elementor-71499\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-65d3ae7 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"65d3ae7\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a0d9a1c e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"a0d9a1c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26a6342 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"26a6342\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1054\" height=\"491\" src=\"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Somatic-Movement-Education-diagonal.avif\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-96069\" alt=\"\u05e4\u05e0\u05d3\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05dc\u05e6\u05d9\u05d4 diagonal. \u05de\u05d0\u05e8\u05d9\u05da \u05d0\u05ea \u05e9\u05e8\u05d9\u05e8\u05d9 \u05d2\u05d1. \u05de\u05e1\u05e0\u05db\u05e8\u05df \u05d0\u05ea \u05e4\u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05ea \u05e9\u05e8\u05d9\u05e8\u05d9 \u05e7\u05d3\u05de\u05ea \u05d4\u05d2\u05d5\u05e3. \u05de\u05d0\u05e8\u05d9\u05da \u05d0\u05ea \u05e9\u05e8\u05d9\u05e8\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d2\u05d1 \u05d5\u05de\u05d9\u05d9\u05e6\u05e8 \u05d0\u05d9\u05d6\u05d5\u05df \u05d1\u05e9\u05e8\u05d9\u05e8\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d0\u05dc\u05db\u05e1\u05d5\u05df \u05e9\u05dc \u05d4\u05d2\u05d5\u05e3. \u05de\u05e9\u05d7\u05e8\u05e8 \u05d0\u05ea \u05e9\u05e8\u05d9\u05e8\u05d9 \u05de\u05d5\u05ea\u05df-\u05db\u05e1\u05dc, \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05d1\u05d9\u05dc \u05dc\u05e2\u05de\u05d9\u05d3\u05d4 \u05de\u05d0\u05d5\u05d6\u05e0\u05ea \u05d5\u05dc\u05d4\u05dc\u05d9\u05db\u05d4 \u05e7\u05dc\u05d9\u05dc\u05d4. \u05de\u05e4\u05e2\u05d9\u05dc \u05d5\u05de\u05d7\u05d6\u05e7 \u05d0\u05ea \u05de\u05e2\u05e8\u05db\u05ea \u05d4\u05e2\u05d9\u05db\u05d5\u05dc.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Somatic-Movement-Education-diagonal.avif 1054w, https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Somatic-Movement-Education-diagonal-600x280.avif 600w, https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Somatic-Movement-Education-diagonal-300x140.avif 300w, https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Somatic-Movement-Education-diagonal-1024x477.avif 1024w, https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Somatic-Movement-Education-diagonal-768x358.avif 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1054px) 100vw, 1054px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-41c2ef6 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-laptop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-hidden-mobile elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"41c2ef6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u05ea\u05d5\u05de\u05e1 \u05d4\u05d0\u05e0\u05d4 \u05de\u05d2\u05d3\u05d9\u05e8 \u05e1\u05d5\u05de\u05d4 \u05db\u05d7\u05d9\u05e9\u05ea \u05d4\u05d2\u05d5\u05e3 \u05db\u05e4\u05d9 \u05e9\u05d4\u05d9\u05d0 \u05e0\u05d7\u05d5\u05d5\u05d9\u05ea \u05de\u05d1\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd. \u05d7\u05d5\u05d5\u05d9\u05d4 \u05d6\u05d5 \u05e9\u05dc \u05d7\u05d9\u05e9\u05ea \u05d5\u05d4\u05db\u05e8\u05ea \u05d4\u05d2\u05d5\u05e3 \u05de\u05d1\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd, \u05d4\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4 \u05d0\u05d7\u05d3 \u05d4\u05e2\u05e7\u05e8\u05d5\u05e0\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d9\u05e1\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd \u05e9\u05dc \u05d4\u05d7\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05da \u05dc\u05ea\u05e0\u05d5\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e1\u05d5\u05de\u05d8\u05d9\u05ea.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a9097de elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a9097de\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Educational Somatic Movement<BR>What Is Soma?<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ec83021 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5ec83021\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-be15136 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"be15136\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f4bdddb elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f4bdddb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u05d4\u05de\u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05d1\u05d0\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9\u05d5<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0a2a689 audio-sticky-container elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"0a2a689\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;laptop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_anchor_link_offset&quot;:0}\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\">    <div class=\"audio-wrapper\" id=\"modaudio-wrap-1\">\r\n      <audio id=\"modaudio1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"display:none;\">\r\n        <source src=\"https:\/\/myaudiofiles.b-cdn.net\/Articles-to-Audio\/What-is-Soma.mp3\" type=\"audio\/mp3\" \/>\r\n        \u05d4\u05d3\u05e4\u05d3\u05e4\u05df \u05e9\u05dc\u05da \u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05ea\u05d5\u05de\u05da \u05d1\u05e0\u05d9\u05d2\u05d5\u05df \u05d0\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9\u05d5.\r\n      <\/audio>\r\n      \r\n      <div class=\"progress-container\" id=\"progress-container-1\">\r\n        <div class=\"progress-bar\" id=\"progress-bar-1\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      \r\n      <div class=\"time-display\">\r\n        <span id=\"current-time-1\" class=\"time-current\">00:00<\/span> \/\r\n        <span id=\"total-time-1\">00:00<\/span>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      \r\n      <div class=\"controls-row\">\r\n        <div class=\"controls-center\">\r\n          <div class=\"controls\">\r\n            <button id=\"play-btn-1\" title=\"\u05e0\u05d2\u05df\" class=\"play-btn\">\u25ba \u05e0\u05d2\u05df<\/button>\r\n            <button id=\"pause-btn-1\" title=\"\u05d4\u05e9\u05d4\u05d9\u05d9\u05d4\" class=\"pause-btn\">\u275a\u275a \u05d4\u05e9\u05d4\u05d9\u05d9\u05d4<\/button>\r\n            <button id=\"stop-btn-1\" title=\"\u05e2\u05e6\u05d5\u05e8\" class=\"stop-btn\">\u25a0 \u05e2\u05e6\u05d5\u05e8<\/button>\r\n          <\/div>\r\n\r\n              <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-877967a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"877967a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u05d7\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05da \u05dc\u05ea\u05e0\u05d5\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e1\u05d5\u05de\u05d8\u05d9\u05ea, \u05de\u05d4 \u05d6\u05d4 \"\u05e1\u05d5\u05de\u05d4\"?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48d13c4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"48d13c4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What Is Soma?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-def0760 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"def0760\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term &#8220;soma,&#8221; coined by Thomas Hanna, refers to the human body as a living, aware, and responsive being. Thomas Hanna defined the soma as &#8220;The Body Experienced from Within,&#8221; meaning the way we experience our body from the inside.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The word &#8220;soma&#8221; originates from the ancient Greek word &#8220;\u03c3\u1ff6\u03bc\u03b1,&#8221; meaning &#8220;body.&#8221; Within Educational Somatic Movement, soma refers not only to the physical body but also to the entirety of our inner sensory experience and self-awareness. It is a concept that includes consciousness, sensations, emotions, and the relationships between them.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thomas Hanna expanded the meaning of the word &#8220;soma&#8221; to describe the human organism as an integrated experience of sensation, perception, thought, action, and movement from a subjective perspective. He proposed that the body is not merely a physical object but also a self-aware living organism. As such, it has the innate capacity to regulate itself, correct itself, change itself, and recover itself.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e797818 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e797818\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The essential difference between the body and the soma is that the body is something that can be observed from the outside, while the soma is our subjective experience of ourselves from within.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The body is a physical object that can be measured, weighed, and studied through sciences such as anatomy and physiology.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The soma, on the other hand, is our personal awareness of everything that takes place within the body and mind.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f631e00 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f631e00\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Three Somatic Reflexes\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ddb80eb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ddb80eb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Within Educational Somatic Movement, three primary involuntary reflexes form the foundation of Thomas Hanna&#8217;s understanding of sensory motor patterns.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2643f2d elementor-widget elementor-widget-ucaddon_list\" data-id=\"2643f2d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"ucaddon_list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<!-- start List -->\n\t\t<link id='font-awesome-css' href='https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/unlimited-elements-for-elementor\/assets_libraries\/font-awesome6\/fontawesome-all.min.css' type='text\/css' rel='stylesheet' >\n\t\t<link id='font-awesome-4-shim-css' href='https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/unlimited-elements-for-elementor\/assets_libraries\/font-awesome6\/fontawesome-v4-shims.min.css' type='text\/css' rel='stylesheet' >\n\n<style>\/* widget: List *\/\n\n\n\n#uc_list_elementor_2643f2d{\n  display:grid;\n  position:relative;\n}\n\n#uc_list_elementor_2643f2d .ue-list-item\n{\n  display:flex;\n}\n\n#uc_list_elementor_2643f2d .ue-list-item-title{\n  display:flex;\n  align-items: center;\n} \n\n#uc_list_elementor_2643f2d .ue-list-item-image img\n{\n  max-width:100%;\n}\n#uc_list_elementor_2643f2d .ue-list-item-text *{\n  margin-bottom:0px;\n  transition: inherit;\n}\n\n#uc_list_elementor_2643f2d .ue-list-item-index\n{\n  flex-grow:0;\n  flex-shrink:0;\n  display:flex;\n  align-items:center;\n  justify-content:center;\n  line-height:1em;\n}\n\n#uc_list_elementor_2643f2d .ue-list-item-index svg\n{\n  height:1em;\n  width:1em;\n}\n\n#uc_list_elementor_2643f2d .ue-list-item-content\n{\n  flex-grow:1;\n}\n.ue_badge{\n  font-size:13px;\n}\n\n<\/style>\n\n<div id=\"uc_list_elementor_2643f2d\" class=\"ue-list uc-items-wrapper  \"  >\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item elementor-repeater-item-187b08e\">\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item-index\">\n                              <i class=''><\/i>\n                <\/div>\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item-content\">\n      <h4 class=\"ue-list-item-title\">The Red Light Reflex \n                  <\/h4>\n          <div class=\"ue-list-item-text\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Red Light Reflex is a protective survival response.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It primarily involves the muscles at the front of the body, which contract to protect our most vulnerable internal organs, including the heart, lungs, and digestive organs.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This reflex instinctively activates whenever we encounter a sudden loud noise or perceive danger. It is especially dominant during periods of stress, anxiety, grief, and emotional trauma.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Red Light Reflex can also develop gradually through prolonged forward bending, such as sitting hunched over a computer or working for long periods in occupations that require a forward-leaning posture.<\/span><\/p><\/div>             <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-list-item elementor-repeater-item-459a235\">\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item-index\">\n                              <i class=''><\/i>\n                <\/div>\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item-content\">\n      <h4 class=\"ue-list-item-title\">The Green Light Reflex \n                  <\/h4>\n          <div class=\"ue-list-item-text\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Green Light Reflex is the action-oriented reflex that prepares us to move forward and engage with the world.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It first appears in infants at around five to six months of age and is activated hundreds of times each day in people living within modern industrialized societies.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As this reflex becomes habitual, the muscles of the back remain continuously engaged. Over time, this chronic activation may lead to excessive muscular contraction and an exaggerated arch in the lower back.<\/span><\/p><\/div>             <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-list-item elementor-repeater-item-b2f85ff\">\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item-index\">\n                              <i class=''><\/i>\n                <\/div>\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item-content\">\n      <h4 class=\"ue-list-item-title\">The Trauma Reflex \n                  <\/h4>\n          <div class=\"ue-list-item-text\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Trauma Reflex develops involuntarily in response to accidents and physical injuries.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In an attempt to protect itself from further pain, the nervous system creates compensatory postural patterns, primarily through the diagonal muscles of the body. Over time, these patterns may produce a permanently shortened waist on one side, an elevated and rotated pelvis, the appearance of one leg being longer than the other, one shoulder positioned higher than the other, and a sideways tilt of the head as the brain attempts to keep the eyes and head level.<\/span><\/p><\/div>             <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<!-- end List -->\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f465fe7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f465fe7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Three Perspectives of the Word \"Soma\"\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bb76dcb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bb76dcb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thomas Hanna described three primary perspectives through which the concept of the soma can be understood.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ca9b97e elementor-widget elementor-widget-ucaddon_list\" data-id=\"ca9b97e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"ucaddon_list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<!-- start List -->\n\n<style>\/* widget: List *\/\n\n\n\n#uc_list_elementor_ca9b97e{\n  display:grid;\n  position:relative;\n}\n\n#uc_list_elementor_ca9b97e .ue-list-item\n{\n  display:flex;\n}\n\n#uc_list_elementor_ca9b97e .ue-list-item-title{\n  display:flex;\n  align-items: center;\n} \n\n#uc_list_elementor_ca9b97e .ue-list-item-image img\n{\n  max-width:100%;\n}\n#uc_list_elementor_ca9b97e .ue-list-item-text *{\n  margin-bottom:0px;\n  transition: inherit;\n}\n\n#uc_list_elementor_ca9b97e .ue-list-item-index\n{\n  flex-grow:0;\n  flex-shrink:0;\n  display:flex;\n  align-items:center;\n  justify-content:center;\n  line-height:1em;\n}\n\n#uc_list_elementor_ca9b97e .ue-list-item-index svg\n{\n  height:1em;\n  width:1em;\n}\n\n#uc_list_elementor_ca9b97e .ue-list-item-content\n{\n  flex-grow:1;\n}\n.ue_badge{\n  font-size:13px;\n}\n\n<\/style>\n\n<div id=\"uc_list_elementor_ca9b97e\" class=\"ue-list uc-items-wrapper  \"  >\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item elementor-repeater-item-187b08e\">\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item-index\">\n                              <i class=''><\/i>\n                <\/div>\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item-content\">\n      <h4 class=\"ue-list-item-title\">1. First-Person Perspective (Subjective) \n                  <\/h4>\n          <div class=\"ue-list-item-text\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Describes the individual's personal experience, including inner sensation, self-awareness, and the way a person experiences themselves and their own body.<\/span><\/p><\/div>             <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-list-item elementor-repeater-item-459a235\">\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item-index\">\n                              <i class=''><\/i>\n                <\/div>\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item-content\">\n      <h4 class=\"ue-list-item-title\">2. Second-Person Perspective (Intersubjective) \n                  <\/h4>\n          <div class=\"ue-list-item-text\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Describes the interaction and communication between different somas, and the way our personal experience both influences and is influenced by others within a social context.<\/span><\/p><\/div>             <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ue-list-item elementor-repeater-item-b2f85ff\">\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item-index\">\n                              <i class=''><\/i>\n                <\/div>\n  <div class=\"ue-list-item-content\">\n      <h4 class=\"ue-list-item-title\">3. Third-Person Perspective (External Observation) \n                  <\/h4>\n          <div class=\"ue-list-item-text\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Describes the body as a physical entity that can be observed, measured, and studied through science, anatomy, and physiology.<\/span><\/p><\/div>             <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<!-- end List -->\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a87e40d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a87e40d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Use of the Term \"Soma\" Following Thomas Hanna<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b5b0b49 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b5b0b49\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After Thomas Hanna introduced the term &#8220;soma&#8221; within the field of Somatics, it was adopted and further developed by many teachers and practitioners. For example, Martha Peterson of Essential Somatics<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, along with other educators and clinical somatic practitioners, uses the term &#8220;soma&#8221; to emphasize the importance of the body&#8217;s lived, first-person experience as the foundation for learning, healing, and personal transformation.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-769f242 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"769f242\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Peter Levine and Somatic Experiencing\u00ae<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d9fb93c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d9fb93c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peter Levine, the founder of Somatic Experiencing<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, also used the concept of the soma to describe the way the body responds to trauma and stress.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Within Somatic Experiencing<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, the emphasis is on becoming aware of and processing physiological responses and bodily sensations in order to support the resolution of trauma and restore the body&#8217;s natural capacity for regulation, resilience, and balance.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3de439a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3de439a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Psychosomatic Concept<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b470d69 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b470d69\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term &#8220;psychosomatic&#8221; describes the relationship between the mind and the body, in which emotional distress or psychological experiences influence physical health and contribute to bodily symptoms. It reflects the interaction between the psyche (mind) and the soma (body), where thoughts, emotions, and feelings may contribute to physical symptoms such as pain, digestive problems, headaches, and other bodily conditions.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term psychosomatic is commonly used when physical symptoms occur without a clear underlying medical explanation, and psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, depression, or trauma are believed to contribute to their development or intensify their severity. For example, chronic abdominal pain with no identifiable medical cause may be considered psychosomatic if it consistently appears or worsens during periods of emotional stress.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-62b2f10 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"62b2f10\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Sensory Motor Amnesia (SMA)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e547008 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e547008\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sensory Motor Amnesia (SMA) is another concept introduced by Thomas Hanna. He described it as a condition in which the brain gradually loses part of its ability to consciously sense and voluntarily control specific muscles as a result of chronic muscular tension and deeply ingrained movement habits.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This condition can become a significant obstacle to somatic change because the brain and body are no longer aware of these habitual movement patterns and are therefore unable to release them. As a result, natural, fluid movement becomes restricted, and the body remains locked in patterns of chronic tension and pain. This limits the body&#8217;s ability to recover, adapt, and support lasting somatic change.<br \/><br \/><\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For this reason, Educational Somatic Movement, as taught by Essential Somatics<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, the school founded by Martha Peterson and widely recognized as the leading international training program based on Thomas Hanna&#8217;s work, places strong emphasis on recognizing the many expressions of Sensory Motor Amnesia within somatic practice and human movement as a whole.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9676f06 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9676f06\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Pandiculation: The Pandicular Response<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8b3796e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8b3796e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of Thomas Hanna&#8217;s most significant contributions was the development of the technique of pandiculation, a process that helps awaken the nervous system from Sensory Motor Amnesia.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through pandiculation, the brain relearns how to consciously sense, control, and coordinate muscular activity, restoring awareness and self-regulation to the soma. The process involves a gentle voluntary contraction followed by a slow, conscious release of the muscles into a new state of rest, allowing habitual patterns of tension and long-established movement habits to dissolve.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-678c611 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"678c611\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Final Thoughts\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d0f440c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d0f440c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thomas Hanna&#8217;s concept of the soma continues to shape the fields of movement education and clinical somatic practice. As our understanding grows, the soma is increasingly recognized as more than an abstract idea. It reflects the lived experience of the integrated body and mind.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developing a deeper understanding of the soma enables each of us to create meaningful inner change, opening the way toward greater freedom, ease, and authenticity in the way we move, feel, and live.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8cf1da3 elementor-blockquote--skin-boxed elementor-blockquote--align-left elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"8cf1da3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\"Be very quiet within yourself so that you can become aware of yourself. Usually, when we become very quiet, we tend to fall asleep. This happens because we are not accustomed to sensing ourselves from within while remaining curiously awake.\n\nWhen we can truly feel a muscle and sense what it is doing, we can control it. It's not abracadabra. It's the nature of our sensory motor system\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-q-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\"elementor-blockquote__author\">Thomas Hanna<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u05ea\u05d5\u05de\u05e1 \u05d4\u05d0\u05e0\u05d4 \u05de\u05d2\u05d3\u05d9\u05e8 \u05e1\u05d5\u05de\u05d4 \u05db\u05d7\u05d9\u05e9\u05ea \u05d4\u05d2\u05d5\u05e3 \u05db\u05e4\u05d9 \u05e9\u05d4\u05d9\u05d0 \u05e0\u05d7\u05d5\u05d5\u05d9\u05ea \u05de\u05d1\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd. \u05d7\u05d5\u05d5\u05d9\u05d4 \u05d6\u05d5 \u05e9\u05dc \u05d7\u05d9\u05e9\u05ea \u05d5\u05d4\u05db\u05e8\u05ea \u05d4\u05d2\u05d5\u05e3 \u05de\u05d1\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd, \u05d4\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4 \u05d0\u05d7\u05d3 \u05d4\u05e2\u05e7\u05e8\u05d5\u05e0\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d9\u05e1\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd \u05e9\u05dc \u05d4\u05d7\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05da \u05dc\u05ea\u05e0\u05d5\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e1\u05d5\u05de\u05d8\u05d9\u05ea. Educational Somatic MovementWhat Is Soma? \u05d4\u05de\u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05d1\u05d0\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d7\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05da \u05dc\u05ea\u05e0\u05d5\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e1\u05d5\u05de\u05d8\u05d9\u05ea, \u05de\u05d4 \u05d6\u05d4 &#8220;\u05e1\u05d5\u05de\u05d4&#8221;? What Is Soma? The term &#8220;soma,&#8221; coined by Thomas Hanna, refers to the human body as a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":544,"featured_media":96085,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"post_folder":[179],"class_list":["post-96763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-48"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":7}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/544"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96763"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":96847,"href":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96763\/revisions\/96847"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/96085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96763"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.i-somatic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=96763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}