The Beauty of Somatic Awareness
What's in a Name?
Introduction
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Don't worry if you're new to the process; you'll find it only requires your attention and willingness to explore. Shorter periods of input, with frequent pauses, have been shown to speed the learning process and enhance quality. If you're already an advanced learner, or perhaps even a practitioner, I encourage you to revisit where you may have started years ago. In addition to exploring something again with a different perspective, we're reminded that there's no limit to the level of refinement possible within each exploration.
Welcome everyone, to Cognizant Soma, where, together, we'll explore the process of neuro-somatic learning. This site is about exploring, discovering, and becoming— all in the comfort of your own home, at your own pace, and on your own time.
This introduction will ring familiar to students of several somatic learning methods, because each of them formed around similar concepts, despite certain differences. This type of learning is, in my opinion, the most natural and accessible gateway to Neuroplasticity available today! The possibilities are lying in wait, and the only reason you can't imagine them being real is that you don't yet have the tools to open those doors. As I mentioned earlier...awareness begets awareness, like a snowball rolling downhill, thus creating greater understanding with each gathered bit of snow, and that is the beauty of somatic awareness.
Somatic learning is organic, meaning it is learned from within rather than by inputting someone else's knowledge or information. It is knowledge and ability that stays with you, available whenever needed, like learning to swim or ride a bike. It starts with bits of awareness that accumulate to create understanding, inviting greater awareness, which creates more understanding, which invites more awareness...you get the picture. At some point, you realize you're different, even if you're not sure why! To outline it, first comes observation and exploration, with focused attention leading the way, followed by observed differences, and gradually seeing those outcomes appear in your daily life.
Perception is a constant companion but can sometimes be way off the mark! So let me repeat...it's the "focused attention" that is the driving force!
No learning format should proceed without some degree of perspective. That constant stream of choices I spoke of earlier often promotes items that seem to have little or no real substance. Together, we can do better. Potential benefits, unique to each of us, is within reach if we can get beyond the "start-up phase" where so many drop out to look for the "next thing" to try. Why? Well, because the results weren't instantaneous. Successful business owners, investors, athletes, performing artists, researchers, and students in any field have all embraced delayed gratification. A meaningful return involves some form of investment. In this case, that investment is your attention and your time.
Well, I think "Cognizant" speaks for itself, but you can decide between "conscious", "fully informed", "Aware"...or such. "Soma," however, is a different matter because it has various meanings across different cultures and fields of study. We'll defer to the original concept of "whole body", "living body", or "whole person". Just to be clear, we will include the mind, complete with thoughts and emotions. I use the terms "somaticist" and "neuro-somaticist often when referring to a somatic practitioner or educator. Note that they are not to be confused with "somatist" or "somatism"...philosophical terms for materialism or corporeal body only, without the mind.
Whether you're sensing movement, body part, posture or position, spatial awareness, breath, or emotion, each serves as the object of your attention, but the focused attention itself is the driving force. The ensuing effects on neural pathways, networks within the brain, and cognitive functions are what create the pattern changes.
A Closing Message
At various times in history, and perhaps during our own lives, our discoveries here would have seemed like common sense, yet as adults in today’s world they appear anything but—meaning very uncommon sensing.
As for where the years have taken me—I’ve found that the more I come to know, the less knowledgeable I feel, as in ‘more’ becoming ‘less’ when realizing the vastness of what I’ll never know or understand. I suppose that coincides nicely with ‘awareness begets awareness”
