ECOSOMATICS, THE RETURN HOME

 

What if you discovered that one way to “help” Planet Earth is by improving people’s body awareness?

 

INTRODUCTION

“Ecosomatic” practices have brought about a genuine revolution, as they connect “bodywork” or “somatic work” with “ecology” in a profound and intimate way. They are the key to solving two major problems of our time:

1. The decline in the sense of well-being within an increasingly unwell society characterised by high rates of psychiatric disorders, trauma and physical pain, amongst other factors…
2. The pressing need for environmental awareness in an increasingly polluted and unbalanced world.

 

 

The living body of the Earth and that of human beings are intertwined, and healing the Earth and ourselves will be the main task of the 21st century

Fraleigh 2006

 

SOMATIC PRACTICES

Thomas Hanna (1970) He used the word “somatic” for the first time to define the first-person experience of one’s own body, referring to it as the “living body” or “inhabited body”. In other words, in our day-to-day lives, we function in an “automatic” manner, with pre-determined thoughts and bodily movements. “Somatic” practices enable us to reconnect with the sensations present in our bodies and their external and internal relationships, providing a holistic approach to the practice where priority is given to “feeling” and “embodiment”, thereby allowing the creation of new neural pathways and movement patterns. These practices enable a connection with sensitivity and emotion through the body, creating a space for connection between movement and thought. From Hanna, Scientific research based on somatic practices has advanced significantly in recent decades due to its wide-ranging benefits in the fields of chronic trauma, post-traumatic stress and cognitive development, amongst others.

 

ECOLOGICAL EMPATHY

Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with one another and with the environment. The word derives from the Greek “oikos”, meaning “home”, and “logos”, meaning “study”. In other words, it essentially means the study of the relationships that make up my “home”.”

Some authors have found that we humans form empathetic relationships with nature, and that these are essential for establishing ecological norms and behaviours. The key question here is: how are these relationships formed? Tam 2013 defines “Empathy with Nature” and Laidlaw and Beer 2018 “Ecological empathy”, adding that this can only be developed by engaging “body awareness” and the senses, and not just the rational mind. In other words, for people to develop ecological habits, they must forge connections with the natural environment through their bodies and senses, not just through their intellect. Laura Sewall (1995), A psychologist specialising in ecology argues that ecological perception is a skill that can be developed and that, to do so, we must train ourselves to: Be present, building relationships (with oneself, with others and with the environment), perceptual flexibility, sensory refinement and depth, and engaging the imagination.

 

IT ISN’T JUST THE BRAIN THAT MAKES THE DECISIONS

If we want to help create eco-friendly habits, we must involve the body. This is what Ecosomatics and the latest research in neuroscience tell us. In recent decades, science has already demonstrated (something that has been said for millennia in Asia) that the brain and the body are not separate, and that the brain is not solely responsible for your actions. Francisco Varela introduces the term “embodied cognition’ ((Embodied cognition)” after discovering that the mind is not objective but rather depends on bodily sensations and the context in which the body is situated. In other words, the way in which we perceive and interpret the world depends on the body’s sensorimotor experience, and this, in turn, depends directly on the cultural, biological and psychological context. From this perspective, the brain is not the sole factor determining our actions; therefore, quite contrary to what was previously thought, our actions depend subjectively on our experience as a living being within the environment in which we operate. This revolutionary perspective allows us to view human beings as holistic and comprehensive, rather than as linear and Cartesian. This view of a non-objective mind is already found in the Vedanta and classical Yoga philosophies of India and forms the basis of epigenetics, where the environment plays a key role in the development of behaviour.

 

ECOSOMATICS, THE CONNECTED BODY

Nowadays, it is clear that we need to take better care of our natural environment. The key question is: how do we go about it?

Through ecosomatic practices, we seek to immerse ourselves in each individual and their own bodily experience within the natural environment, enabling us to reconnect with and feel our surroundings in an intimate and holistic way, and thereby develop environmental empathy (both ecological and social).

Ecosomatics is not simply “dancing or moving in Nature”, but rather establishing a deep connection between my inner Nature and the outer world, dissolving the boundaries between the two and developing a new awareness of “Being Nature”. When we learn to feel our body as a living entity and “inhabit” it fully, we embark on a path of inner healing that forges new relational bonds with our social surroundings and the natural environment, revealing the permeability of our boundaries.

Although Thomas Hanna in 1976 Having already introduced the concept of somatics in relation to the environment, numerous subsequent authors have gone on to develop the concept under similar terms such as “somatic ecology” (Bettman 2009), “Ecosomatics” (Bauer 2008, Enghauser 2007) or “Eco-somatics” (Eddy 2017, Nelson 2018, Walla 2010).

Andrea Olsen, author of *Body and Earth* (2002), pioneered the connection between experiencing our bodies through the various expressions of Nature and founded “Authentic Movement”. Sandra Reeve and Helen Poynor They explore movement and the sensations evoked by different environments and landscapes. Paula Kramer (2012) It emphasises that these practices foster a “physical connection with and commitment to the natural environment” that changes the way we live. Eddy 2017 emphasises the interrelationship and interdependence between human beings and terrestrial ecosystems.

 

Ecosomatics can help us to awaken our connection with Nature in a profound and personal way

Susan Bauer 2008

 

However, although ecosomatic practices may seem “modern”, there is nothing so ancient in Native American, Asian, Celtic and other traditions. All indigenous communities express this connection with the planet and the living body through exploration of sensations and the elements of Nature, dance, rituals, etc. The aim of these practices is to dissolve the mental belief that there is a body and an external environment, and to awaken the deep, innate sense of unity between my soul and my surroundings.

 

 

 

Some of the effects sought through the practice of Ecosomatics are (according to the website www.wayofbelonging.com):

• Fostering a sense of purpose, vitality and belonging to the place
• Expanding one’s sense of self to include a wider network of relationships
• Restoring ecological identity (purpose and place) and intelligence (relational responsibility)
• Healing the wound of separation (spirit/matter)
• Healing the disconnect between oneself (body and mind)
• Intentionally engaging the senses in relation to the ecology of the place
• To invite the consciousness to return to the living landscape of the body and slowly rediscover the instinctive forms of being
• To support the regulation and re-programming of the nervous system
• Nurturing self-confidence and creating a space to listen to the wisdom of nature
• To deepen our sense of belonging, reverence and responsibility towards the place

 

The practice of Ecosomatics heals the separation between Mind, Body and Earth by cultivating direct sensory perception of a “body” “within” the natural environment and “as” the natural environment

Nala Walla 2010

 

MECHANISMS

Through ecosomatic practices, we can reshape and create new neural connections that emphasise the balance between internal perception (interoception) and external perception (exteroception) (Weber 2018) or whatever Olsen (2002) It is known as “inner and outer awareness”. The training involves developing sensory awareness through movement, thereby refining perception. In our view, what ecosomatics achieves is to awaken the various fascial receptors that make your body a highly sensitive entity, improving communication with your brain and reshaping new connections and bodily patterns. When we train ourselves to be attuned to our inner world whilst connecting with our surroundings, we develop a balance – a “dynamic” equanimity – that allows us to explore different sensations as our environment changes, breaking down the rigid boundaries between our experience of being and the environment.

 

These practices foster a sense of belonging and a view of the world as a shared habitat rather than as one’s own territory

Reeve 2010

 

HEALING THE TRAUMA OF BEING DISCONNECTED FROM THE EARTH

The last century has been the period in human history when our lives have changed most rapidly, with the rise of the industrial world, urban living and our disconnection from the cycles of nature. We are not truly aware of the impact of such a profound disconnection, not only on an individual level but also on a social one. Ecosomatics is not merely a sport or a form of dance designed to make us feel good. It is an exploration of returning home, of connecting with the vitality and wisdom of our bodies, and with a sense of belonging.

There was a time when communities were fully aware of their connection to the Earth, and respect was the foundation for existence and life in a place. The people of the tribes did not look after their territory because the chief ordered them to, but because all members felt that their “duty” to live in harmony was to look after their environment, as it was part of themselves.

Perhaps we should ask ourselves whether, instead of “telling off” a child for throwing a piece of paper on the ground, we should offer them the tools to gain a direct, physical experience of the fact that their planet is also their home, which they must care for and respect. And to do that, perhaps we should start by understanding what “self-respect” means and recognising our own “feelings”. Until the younger generations learn to observe themselves, get to know themselves and connect with the world around them, intellectual information, theoretical knowledge and imposed laws will be of little use.

 

 

 

Ecosomatic Practices reveal the possibility of a perceptual shift from a narrow experience of embodiment – centred on the desire for movement – to a deeper and more expansive experience of being moved by the world

Rufo R. 2023

 

It is not that we practise in Nature, but that we are Nature

 

REFERENCES:

Bauer, S. (2008): Body and Earth as One. Conscious Dancer, 8-9

Bettmann, R. (2009). Somatic Ecology: Somatics, Nature, Humanity and the Human Body. VDM Verlag . VDM Verlag

Eddy, M. (2017). Mindful movement: the evolution of the somatic arts and conscious action. Intellect

Enghauser, R (2007). Developing listening bodies in the dance techniques class. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 78(6), 33-54

Fraleigh, S. (2006). Eastwest Somatics: Institute for Dance and Movement Studies: About the director.

Hanna, T. (1976). The Field of Somatics. Somatics: Magazine – Journal of the Bodily Arts and Sciences 1 (1), 30-34

Kramer, P. (2012). Bodies, rivers, rocks and trees: Encountering agentic materiality in contemporary outdoor dance practices. Performance Research 17(4), 83-91

Laidlaw, B and Beer, T. (2018). Dancing to (re)connect: Somatic dance experiences as a means of connecting with the more-than-human. Choreographic Practices, 9(2), 283–309

Nelson, M. (2018). Embodied ecology. The eco-somatics of permaculture. Choreographic practices 9(1), 17-30

Olsen, A. (2002). Body and Earth: an experiential guide. University press

Poynor H (2020). Walk of Life – Movement Workshops with Helen Poynor. www.walkoflife.co.uk

Reeve, S (2010). Reading, Gardening and “non-self”: Joged Amerta and its emerging influence on ecological somatic practice. Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices, 2 (2), 189-203

Reeve, S (2016a). About Sandra Reeve. www.moveintolife.com

Rufo, R. (2023). Humans, Trees and the Intimacy of Movement: An Encounter with Ecosomatic Practice. European Journal of Ecopsychology 8:88-113

Sewall, L (1995). The skill of ecological perception. Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth, Healing the Mind (pp. 201–215)

Tam, K.P. (2013). Dispositional empathy with nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 35, 92-104

Varela, F., Thompson, E. & Rosch, E. (1991). The Embodied Mind: Cognitive Science and Human Experience. MIT Press.

Walla, N. (2010). Body as place: A somatic guide to re-indigenisation. North Atlantic Books

Weber, R. (2018). Somatics, Creativity and Choreography: Creative Cognition in Somatics-based Contemporary Dance. PhD, Coventry University