Somatic Exercises Teacher’s Guide

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SOMATIC EXERCISES™ TEACHER'S GUIDE Eleanor Criswell-Hanna, Ed.D. A Guide for using Somatic Exercises™ with clients and students.

Somatics Educational Resources 1516 Grant Ave., Suite 212, Novato, CA 94945 USA [email protected] (415)892-0617 All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.

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SOMATIC EXERCISES™ TEACHER'S GUIDE .

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Eleanor Criswell-Hanha, Ed.D. A Guide for using SOlll~tic ~x:erci~ses~. "W:ith clients and students.

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Somatics Educadbnal Resources 1516 Grant Ave., Suite 2t2, ~ovato, CA 94945 USA www.somaticsed.co·~ . [email protected] (415)'892~0617 All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.

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SOMATIC EXERCISES™TEACHER'S GUIDE Eleanor Criswell-Hanna, Ed.D.

Somatics Educational Resources - Novato, California

The term "Somatic Exercises" is trademarked, and may not be used to designate products without the permission of Eleanor Criswell-Hanna.

Production Supervisor: Allegra Hiner Editorial Assistant: Marsha Calhoun

Copyright © 1992 by Eleanor Criswell-Hanna All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America First Edition

Soma tics Educational Resources 1516 Grant Ave., #212 Novato, CA 94945 U.S.A.

CONTENTS

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Foreword Chapter I.

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Introduction

Chapter II. What is Somatics? What are the Somatic Exercises?

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Somatic Exercises

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How to Give Yourself the Maximum Benefit of Somatic Exercises

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Chapter III. How to Conduct a Somatic Exercise Class

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Chapter Iv. Schedule/Outline for Somatic Exercise Classes

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Chapter V.

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Other Resources

What is Somatics? by Thomas Hanna

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Somatic Educational Resources Catalogue

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SOMATIC EXERCISES TEACHER'S GUIDE

by Eleanor Criswell-Hanna, Ed.D.

FOREWORD There are many professionals using the Somatic Exercises with their clients/students; there are many more who would like to be able to use them effectively. The purpose of the Somatic Exercises Teacher's Kit is to enable you to teach the basic Somatic Exercises in a variety of settings.

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CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION

The Somatic Exercises Teacher's Kit will enable you to teach the Somatic Exercises to individuals or groups. The Teacher's Kit includes the book Somatics: Reawakening the Mind's Control of Movement. Flexibility. and Health by Thomas Hanna; the "Myth of Aging" audio tape/CD series (Thomas Hanna); the "Cat Stretch" audio tape/CD created by Thomas Hanna and narrated by Eleanor Criswell; the "Unlocking Your Body" DVD/video (Thomas Hanna); and the Somatic Exercises Teacher's Guide. (DVD/video provided in "Deluxe" Teacher's Kit)

The Somatics book, first published in 1988, is designed to introduce you to the basic somatic concepts. Although the Somatic Exercises will work without understanding the theory and research behind them, they are even more effective if studentsl clients understand what is happening. They are even more likely to continue to use the exercises if they are aware of the purpose and benefits. (Adult learners tend to learn things for a purpose). Also, as you are aware of the physiology of what you are doing, you will be aware more specifically of your movements and, therefore, able to organize yourself more effectively for what you are doing. The organization of the book includes five case studies illustrating the Red Light, Green Light, and Trauma reflexes, with directions for and pictures illustrating the basic somatic exercises in the back of the book. The "Unlocking Your Body: Regaining Youth Through Somatic Awareness" DVD/videotape (Thomas Hanna) was produced by Jeffrey Mishlove, Ph.D. as part of his "lhinking Allowed" DVD collection. It is 90 minutes long and has two parts. The first part is an interview of Thomas Hanna by Jeffrey Mishlove, during which Hanna discusses and demonstrates the Red Light, Green Light, and Trauma reflexes. He demonstrates some of the hands-on somatic work with Mishlove, releasing within minutes the muscles of the thigh and gluteal area. He also demonstrates his famous foot-over-his-head maneuver. In the second part, Hanna uses a live model to demonstrate exercises from the "Cat Stretch" series from his book, Somatics.

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The "Myth of Aging" CDs/audio tapes were designed and recorded by Thomas Hanna to guide you through the basic exercises in the back of the Somatics book. These eight basic exercises are devoted to increasing awareness, flexibility, and range of motion throughout your body. The "Myth of Aging" CDs/tapes can also serve as material for a sample one-day workshop. The benefit of the CDs/tapes is that you are guided through the movements, so that you remain more aware while moving; you can be more relaxed because you are not remaining in "executive control" in order to remember what to do next. Also, the opportunity to allow Thomas Hanna to guide your movements at a relaxed pace is invaluable.

The "Complete Cat Stretch" CD/audio tape (created by Hanna and narrated by Criswell) has been designed to be used on a daily basis after the basic exercises have been learned via the "Somaties" book or the "Myth of Aging" CDsltapes or a somatic educator/practitioner. (Note: The Cat Stretch is visually demonstrated on the "Cat Stretch" and "Somatic Yoga" DVDs/videos) When you first learn the somatic movements you will be more aware while doing them. Later, it becomes a challenge to remain aware while doing them. Learned movement patterns are valuable, but it is important to do the movements freshly. We have a tendency to habituate to stimulation. That means that with experiences you cease to have the full cortical response to what you are doing. This is useful because it economizes our efforts, but we tend to cease to be as aware of them. Therefore, to continue to remain aware and integrated while you are moving requires a special effort in attending. The Somatic Exercises Teacher's Guide is designed to give you support, information, and materials so that you can conduct a somatic exercise class or incorporate some of the principles into your existing classes. We would appreciate hearing about your somatic exercise classes so that we have a sense of their development, and so we can let others know what you are doing. We often get questions about where somatic exercise classes are available.

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CHAPTER II. WHAT IS SOMATICS? WHAT ARE SOMATIC EXERCISES? Somatics, a term developed by Thomas Hanna, is a field whic:h addresses the unification of mind and body. He begins with the concept of the "soma", which IS the body experienced from within. Soma is the Greek word,fot body. Historically, somat6logy was the name for the field which later differentiated into anatomy and physiology. That served to separate the study of the structure of the body from the study .,o f jts functions. Fro,¢:, the perspective of Hanna's definition of the soma there is no mind-body split. ." Ihe soma IS proceSs, ftinction rather than structure. It is the result of the original creation of the uhi~erse and the evolution over time to our current expression of that organic foundation (Hanna, 1980).

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Somatics is concerned with the -fir~t~ :ys, th~ th!i4:.p~rson perspective in life. ;

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cally with thousands of clients at the N.ova'~p> Wtithre.iri Noyato; California, he evolved the work in I

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some highly effective ways. from 4is wor~ ~i~cye~~ ;an~ ~is awareness of the principles of biofeedback he developed a unique app,roat h.,'! (B.iof~dp,. ~9k is it he hse of electronic devices to measure ..,'

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bodily changes and feed back that inforrri~~6dt~.',.Y(Jll, : ,With the information you are then able to .,'!.

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self-regulate your bodily processes more ef~cp"elY-':;)1).1is " may be used for relaxation and the management of stress responses or to

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The Somatic Exercises program, the "Myr!i'o fAging" , enables you to systematically go i'

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through your various muscles or muscle groups a.gd voluntarily contract certain ones while length. . :;

ening others and then contract and slowly release' the opposite muscles or muscle groups. Hanna recommended that the Cat Stie~ch' be d? ne when you first get up in the morning just

~ a cat stretches upon awakening. Some people al~o do them before retiring at night so that they ;.,

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can go to sleep without the muscle contractioD:p~tt~~ns accumulated during the day. It is also valuable to do certain ones following exertions such ~ swimming, weight training, lifting heavy objects, running or walking, and so forth. As you do tbeih dver ti~e you will notice a cumulative effect, r

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More and more you will be aware of your body ClS yo'u are ocperiencing certain situations. You will be more likely to organize yourself as effectively as possible for the situation. 5

HOW TO GIVE YOURSELF THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT OF SOMATIC EXERCISES by Thomas Hanna The most important thing for you to remember is that Somatic Exercises change your muscular system by changing your central nervous system. If you do not remember this important fact, their effectiveness will be diminished for you. You will receive the maximum benefit from the Somatic Exercises movement patterns if you do the following: 1. While doing the Somatic Exercises, your primary task is to focus your attention on the internal sensations of movement. These movement patterns those areas of the body most commonly affected by sensory-motor amnesia. As you perform the exercises, concentrate on developing a careful sensory awareness of the movements in these body areas as a direct way to maintain control over them. 2. Ideally, you should do your Somatic Exercises while lying on a rug or mat, wearing loose clothing, and being away from all distractions. A rug or mat allows comfort while providing a firm support for your body. This allows you to be more precise in performing the movement and more precise in perceiving it. People whose movement or strength is extremely limited may do their Somatic Exercises in bed. The firmer the mattress, the more effective the exercises will be, and they should move to a rug or mat as soon as is possible. The object of Somatic Exercises is to loosen your body from constricted muscles, so it makes no sense to wear constricting clothing while you do them. On the other hand, there's no need for athletic gear. You're not supposed to work up a sweat doing Somatic Exercises. 3. Always move slowly. Moving slowly, you give your brain the chance to notice all that is happening in your body as your move. Slow-motion films are essential in sports training because they allow athletes to study details of a movement or play. The same goes for focusing attention on the internal sensations of your own movements: The more slowly you go, the more you perceive. 4. Always move gently and with the least possible effort. Again, this is so that your brain can receive precise and uncluttered sensory feedback from the exercises. When you experience excessive effort and strain - as is usually the case in doing :. ......

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