The Transformative Power of Practice From an article by Ng’ethe Maina and Staci Haines, and “Somatics and Social Justice: Toward Personal and Political Transformation” from the Somatics and Social Justice Collaborative

Practice With repeated practice, our behaviors and ways of thinking, feeling and interpreting ourselves and our environment become automatic. Practice continuously shapes us: it can open us up to new ways of being, or increasingly calcify the way we think, act, and feel.

Default Practices deeply rooted behaviors that we do automatically, consistently, and unconsciously in response to any given situation.

Default Practices Because our default practices have often been shaped out of difficult experiences --and when we had limited means of dealing with and processing them -- these practices often don’t align with our present-day values and/or what we most care about. What were once essential survival strategies may now be less than helpful or useful.

Somatic Awareness Observe our default practices: feel our own sensations and emotions and observe our own thoughts (i.e. through meditation, centering practices and self awareness) Building awareness of default practices allows us to begin to uproot them, stopping the automatic reactions and preparing the ground for new ones. Building in observation time between internal reaction and external action allows us to begin to make choices and take actions more aligned with our values.

Somatic Awareness Begin to observe your default practices; pay attention to your own automatic reactions: Do I move toward or away from conflict? Can I feel and tolerate my own emotions (sadness, anger, guilt, joy, fear) or do I need to rid myself of them by denying them or putting them out on someone else? When I don’t understand or know what to do, do I cover it up, blame someone else, or take more responsibility than is mine?

Safety A survival strategy, will not change, unless there is a better option to take care of the same thing. Psycho-biology has patterned in reactions so deeply (muscles, connective tissues, neuronal pathways, chemistry, etc.) an insight or understanding as to “why” you do something is not sufficient to change that reaction under pressure or in one’s embodied world view. Through experiences of trauma and oppression, our sense of safety can become opposed to a sense of connection. The aim of somatic generativity is to reconnect these so that we can experience and generate safety and connection at the same time.

Access and get to know the survival strategies we have used to adapt and survive: Personally: fight, flight, freeze, appease, and dissociate Relationally: moving toward others for safety, moving away from them, moving against them, isolation and/or traumatic bonding Feel/discover how these survival strategies work somatically — internal dialogue, moods and emotions, physical responses, relationally, etc.

Somatic Opening We have to let go of one shape before we can claim a new one. Requires a capacity to tolerate this unknown, and not contract back into old shape Often leads to identity crisis The uncertainty and chaotic feelings require new practices to –navigate toward the new shape, –trust the space between one way of being and another, and –stay connected to core values and commitments.

Somatic Opening Focus on: Support the opening and undoing that is happening Practice tolerating not knowing and the unknown Deepen and expand emotional range through feeling more Stay connected to “for the sake of what” and sense/vision of New Shape Continue to deepen somatic awareness

Connection “Spirited Commitment to Dignity” Build mutual trust Use conflict as generative Experience and act from interdependence.

Somatic Practices Intentional Practices are those that we choose to do in order to transform the way we are embodied in the world. Through new practices we make conscious choices and increase alignment with our values.

Intentional Practices 3 key aspects to the transformative power of practice: 1. Practice is organized around our commitments. 2. Practice lays bare all of our resistances to change. 3. Practice begins to orient and shape how we show up in the world.

Intentional Practices The first thing we want to ask ourselves is: –“What matters to me?” –“What do I care about? –“What am I committed to?” The answers to these questions become the guide for taking on new practices.

Somatic Practices New practices or “embodied competencies” that are often relevant are: Presence and Embodiment Generativity Setting Limits Mutual connection Impacting and leading Centered Surrender Compassion and Love Unknown and contradiction Centered Accountability Contradiction

3 Concluding Thoughts At the end of the day there are no shortcuts or magic tricks. Practice only puts into place what you practice. Without sufficient practice, embodiment of the new way of being simply won’t come. Strip away the stories and narratives about how difficult and punishing the practice is. Strip away the stories about what a great person you are for walking the path of practice. Release the desire to be seen by others as magnificent or as a martyr. Simply practice with intention, and pay attention to what happens.