The word somatic means embodied, or “relating to the body.” When we meditate in a somatic way, we pay attention to our body — not trying to change anything, or improve anything, but to observe and relax into whatever the felt experience of the body is that day.
This approach to meditation is extremely loving. It’s about accepting ourselves wherever we are, and however we feel.
It’s hard. And beautiful. It changes us to be so soft and gentle. But paradoxically it doesn’t change us because of our interest in changing. It changes us because we let go of trying to be better.
We practice giving our mental attention to the body rather than to other people, other places, or other things.
Somatic meditation is about training our brain to focus on how our body feels. It’s a completely different and rather new skill for most of us. Rather than focusing on problem solving or conceptual understanding, which most of us are rather good at, somatic meditation asks us to let go of all those spinning thoughts, let go of obsessing over how our body looks, let go of thinking about politics, and stop worrying about how other people perceive us.
There are no religious or moral beliefs that you have to agree with before starting a somatic meditation practice. Somatic meditation, in its essence, shows up in many different traditions, and is not reserved solely for people who believe in the Buddha, or the Goddesses, or the Benevolence of the Universe.
You can be an atheist and practice somatic meditation.
You can also be a Christian, a Muslim, a Jew, or a Hindu and practice somatic meditation without any conflict.
