Making sense of the communication of the body
As you learn new practices for how to move into an embodied presence, it’s also important to understand the theory behind it, getting your mind to join this journey as well. Here are some somatic methods to help you understand why these practices are so powerful and how they might impact you.
The 5 Elements of Somatic Intelligence
When we map the 5 Elements of Somatic Intelligence onto the chakras and the 3D breathing, we gain a new depth of understanding. You will find a video explanation of each somatic element in the 4th chapter of this program.
| The 5 elements of Somatic Intelligence | Centering practices | Chakras | Other notes |
| Elegance | Centre in height Laban = height |
1st chakra – grounding | Our base, being, pride |
| Intention | Centre in depth Laban = Depth |
3rd chakra – power | Our doing – towards |
| Tempo | Centre through breathing pleasure | 5th chakra – expression | Tumbao, giving ourselves permission to take pleasure |
| Sabrosura | Centre in width Laban = width |
4th chakra – love | Relationship, love, adding softness, sensuality |
| Mystery | 2nd chakra – sexuality | Playfulness, desire, activation of attraction | |
| 6th chakra – perception | |||
| 7th chakra – spirituality |
Chakras
When looking at our chakras, they have a flow from top to bottom and from bottom-up. Each one of them leads to a different result.
- Top to bottom is manifestation.
- Bottom-up is liberation.
Transformational Coaching – Inner spaciousness
In transformational coaching, we look at the top-bottom and bottom-up axis. Both are important for creating coherence and developing resilience. One teaches us how to become still while the other helps us process the frozen emotions preventing us from truly being present with ourselves and others.
- Top-bottom – meditation and stillness.
- Bottom-up – witnessing, processing, and presencing.
It’s important to remember that we are in the realm of our thinking mind, emotions, and sensations. And that when we can drop deeper into our emotional and sensing body, this leads to more internal space and creativity, which leads to more emotional resilience. The C below stands for Creativity.
Laban Movement Analysis
This method is used a lot in movement therapy and is very deep for interpreting what our body is communicating with us and what it all means. The breathing exercise in 3 dimensions (called in this program 3D centering) – when all axes come together – leads to harmony and alignment.
Here is what the different directions mean:
- Height = weight, gravity, hierarchy, pride, self-worth, and being.
- Width = perspective, interpersonal connection, empathy, space.
- Depth = Doing! Considered a male dimension (changing in the 21st century). In some cultures – women – waiting, not going and doing, holding back.
INSTRUCTIONS
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