Modern bodywork methods primarily engage the mind to work on releasing emotions frozen or lingering in the body. These methods are an excellent support and complement to leading therapy, with the methods often becoming an essential link to work on the self, accelerating not only a person's spiritual development, but realistically improving the mental and physical condition of the body. The body is a vehicle for the mind often affecting the improvement of the body's condition, what becomes a catalyst for therapy and spiritual development.

Alternative methods of body work

Somatic treatment of the body offers versatile possibilities for development. Today it is not only gymnastics, physiotherapy or dance. Nowadays, we are encountering a new movement such as Embodiment, which offers us a combination of dance and movement with aspects of spiritual work, based on the natural practice of the body. This practice is primarily based on engaging emotions and instincts from the body expressed through movement, which gives a feeling of relaxation and thus frees the person from tension. Often, embodiment practices are accompanied by dynamic meditation, grounding, movement improvisation, dance and various exercises in contact preferably with another person with whom he or she can express the body in a movement relationship. This type of exercise additionally allows practitioner to break down many barriers and open up own perspective about entering into a relationship with another person in motion.

Another example of body work is qigong. There are many forms of qigong, but each is based on the theory of the 5 elements, which is the foundation for the integration of metal, water, wood, fire and earth in the body. These elements affect the condition of individual organs and thus represent states of particular emotions that may linger in particular systems. Qigong helps to rebalance the individual organs, aligning the energy levels on the source of the various systems and thus unblocking stagnation. The base energy for somatic work is, of course, qi energy, which reflects the yin and yang system and therefore the balance in male and female energy. This practice helps to connect body and mind at the level of psychobiology, cleansing the body and thus giving it a new dynamic of cooperation between the different systems.

More over, qigong is a somewhat form-based practice in which there is a certain system of movements, steps and positions to balance the body systems. Embodiment allows one to break free somewhat from the form by offering more embodied practices, that is, based on individual feeling, relaxation, and guided by the natural movement of the body.

Somatic work with trauma

There are many different methods for working with trauma on a bodily level. Most of them are based on appropriate breathing techniques to create space for any work. Well, when tense and the body's capacity is low, we are not really able to respond therapeutically to any stimulus. Therefore, all breathing techniques (e.g. pranayama, yoga tsa-lung) are a good starting point for any somatic practice.

A well-known method for working with trauma is the Tre® technique (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises), which is designed to create conditions for the safe discharge of emotions and stress under conditions that are fully conducive to us, by means of neurogenic vibrations. These exercises relax the tensions in the fascias, thus helping to effectively release and integrate stress from the body level.

Here, we can also distinguish Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) and exercises based on polyvagal theory, which also connect body and mind on the way to integrating repressed and unresolved emotions. These methods are based on sensing and the knowledge of harnessing the potential of the autonomic nervous system.

Somewhat easier methods include Alexander Lowen's exercises, which point to different stages of working with the body in a relationship, e.g. in terms of boundary-building or grounding. These exercises also allow for the gentle discharge of emotions, as well as developing the ability to express them skilfully.

What do these working methods have in common? We can easily notice:

  • Muscle tension patterns and postural patterns with which we go through life, not realising how many behaviours and reactions our body has memorised involuntarily and painfully reproduced over the years. These methods are designed to pull the practitioner away from the established patterns, while relaxing into new movement that is safe for the body.

Relaxation in the body

Yoga nidra is a method comparable to yogic sleep, in which the participant is put into a state of very deep relaxation comparable to the REM phase, in which Beta and Theta waves are activated. The mind then functions between these frequencies, producing a state of total relaxation in which, according to many experts, we can 'record' a new tape of positive messages that can strengthen the nervous system and even introduce new habits into our lives. Under the influence of yoga nidra, we are in a state of bliss, which helps to eliminate the controlling mind and analysis, and opens the body to sensitively and pleasurably cooperate in the process.

Osho's movement meditation is another method of working with the body and the mind, which follows a multi-step process. During this meditation, various breathing techniques are practised, as well as movement relaxation (intuitive movements to release emotions), mantras and ecstatic dance. Sometimes this method is combined with other practices, as it is conducive to working with ritual, providing a bridge to the deeper psychodynamic processes also used in shamanism.

Yoga nidra is definitely a more static form of tension release than Osho's dynamic meditation, so when matching a suitable method of somatic work for yourself, it’s important to ask yourself:

What do I need? Do I prefer a dynamic or static form of relaxation?

The answers to these questions will allow you to choose the form of movement practice that is right for you.

There are many methods of bodywork, where everyone can find something for themselves. The key is not to give credit or disparage any method, as the effect of each is an individual experience. One thing is for sure, it is worth matching the right form of somatic work to your needs, in accordance with your beliefs and preferences.