Customer Reviews

Somatics: Reawakening The Mind's Control Of Movement, Flexibility, And Health

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book really changed my life. I used to suffer from shoulder tendinitis and other muscular ailments, but by using the material in this book I'm now 99% pain free. In addition, "Somatics" taught me about the causes and cures of muscular tension, "aging", and poor posture. By applying what I learned in "Somatics", my body has become much more supple and relaxed, making activities from walking to playing tennis to doing the dishes much more enjoyable.

But what is the catch? As Thomas Hanna explains, once you learn how your body really works, its up to you to learn how to improve its function. The bad news is that it takes time and persistance to effectively apply the knowledge in "Somatics" to your own body. The good news, however, is that by applying this knowledge you'll gain control over your own muscular (and thereby skeletal) health, now and for the rest of your life!

I also like this book because even though the material is fairly scientific, the book's occasional humor and its case study format make it an enjoyable read.

A wise Pilates/Feldenkrais teacher introduced me to this book. Using "Somatics" I personally found relief from chronic lower lumbar pain, and got help retraining my gait and balance after a severe ankle injury.The book is simple to understand with sections for various problems.

Somatics are a system of gentle movements - while breathing and mildly focusing (and sometimes simple "looking" in certain directions)- which through a combination of neuromuscular stimulation and the gentlest of stretches (no pain!) manages to to roll back years of stiffness, aid injury recovery, and significantly relieve some of the stresses of aging.

Somatics is based on sound science, and Feldenkrais, yoga, and Pilates are related. But Somatics exercises - movements really - are even gentler, and smarter, No equipment but a towel or mat is needed. Any level of fitness can benefit, even someone in a wheelchair or bedridden can do some of the movements.

If you have the patience and interest, I suggest reading the book and working through every single exercise presented, which is what I did coming back from traumatic injury. Some will "speak to you", and you'll incorporate them later into daily practice.

If you lack the patience or the time for this, the book is still valuable for its simple "CAT STRETCH" a five minute series of gentle movements which gently moves the whole body and seem to me like "the fountain of youth" . I do the cat stretch twice a day - on arising and before bed.

I could not recommend this book and Somatics in general more highly. Your back, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, and neck will thank you!!!! And so will your friends when you pass this book along!

I am a massage therapist and use elements of Hanna's work daily.
Most people don't understand that their posture and how they use their body comes from how they have unwittingly programmed their
bodies. Their bodies are on "auto-pilot". Hanna makes this clear to the reader and then discusses how the reader can re-awaken their brain circuits and change their body programming, releasing
muscular tension, using the exercises in the back of the book. Granted that the wooden figures showing the exercises can be difficult to discern, it is worth your patience to work it out.
Your body will thank you. I have adapted many of the movements to my table work sessions and always assign one or two movements as homework. You can do much on your own. I have given away many copies of this book to clients who showed great interst in Hanna's work and in taking care of themselves.

This book uses visual aids to teach you how to solve your own skeletal problems, such as a painful back, headaches. Chronic problems such as poor posture can be changed in very little time. You will learn to troubleshoot your own problems and gain flexibility and strength. It has truly saved me hundreds of dollars on Chiropractic bills. Thank you Mr. Hanna. I have bought about 10 of these books for friends in pain. A very easy read and reference

In this book, Thomas Hanna provides a clear, readable explanation of how our brains can become conditioned to maintain unnecessary muscle tension, why that causes pain and limits movement, and most importantly, how to re-educate our brains to release tension, restore free movement, and eliminate pain.

The book tells the stories of people who developed limiting pain problems, and how they were able to rebalance their muscles to restore better health. It also gives specific exercises that you can do at home to rebalance your own muscles and relieve pain.

The exercises depicted in this book gave me my life back, freeing me from back and neck pain I had for 14 years after being hit by a truck while riding my bicycle. I had undergone many types of treatment with little enduring relief, and this work is what gave me the tools to finally heal my body.

Finally feeling well and energetic after so many years of pain and limitation was such a miracle for me that I went on to study to become a certified Hanna Somatic practitioner myself, and I now practice in Sausalito, California. This work, and this book, is a gift--empowering us to take an active role in our own well-being with simple tools that really work.

This book serves as an excellent introduction to somatic education and the benefits available to those willing to do the exercises descibed in the manner (slow and easy) that Hanna recommends. As an educator and therapist I often recommend this book to clients who want to take responsiblity for their own well-being and hear nearly 100% positve feedback about the books usefulness. The explanation of the neuromuscular patterns of stress and trauma and how they contribute to negative aging, dysfunctional posture and chronic pain provide valuable insight helpful for sufferers as well as for the teachers and therapists who try to help. The drawback is the difficulty involved in learning new and unfamiliar movement exercises from the printed page and the pictures are not very helpful. But working with a partner who can read you the directions, repeating them as needed can be helpful. Audio lessons are available for solo work but I highly recommend reading the book first.

I love Somatics. Just a few private sessions have improved my posture, greatly increased my flexibility without regular stretching and greatly lessened pain in my right hip. I'm not so sure, though, that the average person who hasn't been introduced to Somatics through a few classes or private sessions will so easily be able to get it which is why I only gave the book 4 stars. Some of the Somatics movements in the book take quite a bit of body awareness to figure out and do.

Having expressed my concern about how easy it would be for ordinary folks to "get it" I want to also say that Thomas Hanna was a brilliant man, there are profound concepts in this book, and for anyone who's ever done Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement work this book is a priceless extension to Feldenkrais' work. My Somatics teacher who has also taught the Feldenkrais method says results come much much quicker in Somatics.

For someone wanting to explore Somatics I'd recommend this book and also whichever of the audio tapes/CDs from Hanna's organization in Sonoma, California interest you. The tapes are helpful because they walk you through movements, much like a guided meditation.

This is the first set of excercises for my back that has ever had any effect at all. My back began feeling better within a matter of days, and has just gotten better and better. If you've had back trouble that you can't get rid of, try this.

If you have the slightest to most severe back problem, and want to learn and apply yourself, you can gently work miracles of realignment and pain relief with the guidance in this book - it is truly and absolutely a miracle-worker. I was told there was no help but surgery, and no hope but deterioration for my condition - but it ain't so!

If you have any structural pain that just won't go away, if you want to better your bodily awareness, and especialy if you are a healthcare professional. It is worth more than its weight in gold. I am a massage therapist, my works effectiveness increased a hundred fold when I learned what this book offers, and my selfcare routine did too.