SOMATIC YIN is the most gentle pathway to love of self & life.
YIN is a practice of stillness and presence, inviting us to go within and observe our inner world. In the Somatic approach, we take advantage of these moments of stillness to bring certain subtle movements into practice where we use release & breathing techniques to open up internal energy channels more. This holistic approach is complete healing, from the inide out.
1. SAFETY means that the nervous system feels secure, protected, resourced and able to regulate the intensity of emotional, physiological, psychological and relational responses. Safety is about having a stable somatic foundation from which to engage with the world. When this need is not sufficiently met (embodied), the nervous system adapts through survival strategies to substitute for the lack of safety. Survival means seeking safety in adaptive ways. When this dynamic becomes ongoing, we experience an internal conflict between 2 opposing needs: the need for safety (still unmet) and the momentum to seek safety in survival ways because that’s what the system did for so long.
2. CONNECTION: Humans are social beings, and our nervous system has a profound need for connection. This goes beyond human connection, as the nervous system is an interconnected system. It needs to feel itself as part of Nature. When this need is not met or insufficiently met, the nervous system will perceive the relational field (internal, external) as unsafe and adapt through isolation from Nature or codependency, for example.
3. ACTIVATION (To Be Safely Mobilized). Mobilization of energy, stimulation, excitement, curiosity, play.
4. REST (To Be Safely Deactivated). Relaxation, rejuvenation, rest, sleep, integration.
Activation/Deactivation is the core cycle through which our nervous system regulates our inner life. When this cycle is disrupted, the nervous system engages more energy in self-protection, so called “fight & flight”. Without deactivation it will start to attack the immune system, and we will struggle with health issues.
