Somatic Healing

Your body is always speaking. Yet so often, in the rush of daily life, its messages are overlooked until they show up as pain, missed connections, exhaustion, lack of vitality or even burnout. Somatic awareness is the practice of tuning in and learning to communicate with your body, and unblock or move anything that might be holding you back.

This guide offers a few simple ways to begin cultivating awareness to begin to unlock the clues. These are practices you can weave into daily life and can serve as a daily habit to tune into the vast resource of information our body is observing and trying to share with us all the time.

1. Notice Sensations in the Moment

Awareness begins with something as simple as pausing to feel. Tingling in the feet, heaviness in a chair, warmth in the hands — these are all signals.

Try this: Pause right now and ask: What do I feel in my body? Simply name the sensations without judgment or expectation.

2. Notice & Soften any Effort

Many of us live in a constant state of “doing.” Effort often shows up as contraction — clenched jaws, tight shoulders, or a furrowed brow. Even the smallest release can open space.

Try this: Drop your shoulders by just 2%. Notice what shifts. Next Try your pelvic floor, eyebrows or jaw.

3. Gentle Breath Awareness

Breath is a natural anchor. Instead of forcing it into patterns, simply notice it. Where does it feel easy? Where is it tight? Awareness itself invites more ease, which translates into our lives.

Try this: Place a hand on your belly or chest. Feel the rise and fall. Allow it to soften without effort or needing to control the outcome.

4. Move & Feel

Movement is one of the body’s most primative languages. Walking, cycling, stretching or simply allowing a few moments to move intuitively offers an opportunity to notice what is coming up in the moment.

Try this: On your next walk, notice the rhythm of your steps, the ground beneath your feet, or the air brushing your skin. Next, set a timer for 5 minutes and ask you body how it wants to move(or simply allow it to move). Write down or note what comes up, even if you stay still.

5. Meet Pain with Curiosity

Pain doesn’t need to be feared or ignored. It’s often a messenger asking for attention. Meeting it with curiosity rather than fear or frustration can transform the experience.

Try this: If you feel discomfort, pause and ask: “What do you need?” Sometimes it’s as simple as shifting posture, taking a break, or offering a gentle stretch.

Closing

Somatic awareness is not about perfection. It’s about creating moments of connection with yourself — noticing, softening, and listening with love. Over time, these small practices open the door to deeper ease, resilience, and presence.

💡 This guide is inspired by the conversation between Mickelle Weber and Amanda MacRae of Be Your Total Self on the House of Peregrine Podcast.

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