You’ve heard the buzz around somatic exercises – the gentle, mindful movements that can revolutionize your health and well-being. But what exactly are they, and why should you care? Here are the 13 secret rules to transform your mind and body.

A somatic lesson is a meditation inquiry not a mindless exercise

Think of somatic exercises as meditation in motion. Rather than mindless repetitions, these exercises are a form of inquiry, guiding your nervous system to release tension and improve your overall health.

Unlike traditional fitness where brute force is often in the forelight, somatic exercises focus on ease and efficiency. By gently exploring your body’s sensations, you can rewire your nervous system and optimize your movement patterns. Effectivelly learning to reduce effort and do the same work by reorganizing your muscular, fascia and skeletal support.

In this guide, we’ll explore the essential principles of somatic education and provide practical tips for incorporating these practices into your daily life.

Get biofeedback form the floor

The majority of lessons take place on the floor. You will need a mat, yoga or pilates ones work great. Because most mats are made so that you don’t slip, they don’t allow you to slide which is necessary in in many lessons and exercises, therefore, consider adding a cover or blanket on top of your mat.

Don’t do the lessons in bed or on a couch, because they;re too soft and you won’t have the kinesthetics information necessary for adequate biofeedback, interoception and proprioception to course correct your actions. Of course, in the case of acute pain, movement difficulties, or if you’re bed bound due to various ilnesses then you can do the lessons and exercises in a bed.

Invest the time

Most somatic exercise lessons are between 30 to 60 minutes. Dedicate this time to yourself. Trust me, you will find the time if you care about your life. Shorter lessons with specific pandiculations are also available, but the longer classes teach your nervous system better ways of action, movement and rewire new good movement patterns, afterwards you can do smaller lessons.

NO Distractions or interruptions - Awareness on what you do

I recommend that you are in a place where you will not be interrupted by external stimuli and you will have stillness throughout the duration of the lesson.

This means:

• No music, no strong smells or anything else that could distract by using any of your senses
• There are many distractions in the online world so, I recommend putting your phone on silent or airplane mode

It is paramount to concentrate and be aware of each movement through your kinesthetic sense. Give yourself the gift of attention and disconnect from the toxic productivity trap.

This is the reason why I created the LinSublim Exercise platform so you don’t get distracted by ads on youtube and other social media. Consider signing up there to have ad free lessons.

Slow down

The movements must be done slowly, as slow as possible, when you slow down, your sensitivity increases and you give yourself and your brain the chance to find alternative methods of movement and optimal solutions. Your brain and nervous system is learning and working.

Sensitivity without force or pain - MOre fun more gain

Do the movements gently, do not force, do not push, do not stretch, do not try to introduce the concept of “difficulty” to feel that you are working. What we do in Somatic Education is the very opposite of the current culture of “exercises” or sports programs. Through gentle movements, your nervous system will have the opportunity to make functional changes almost instantly.

You will also get to learn about the concept of pandiculation, which is the opposite of stretching.

I talk, you move

Even if I continue to talk and give verbal instructions, please continue moving until I tell you to take a break.

Pause between movements - Rest completely!

The pauses between movements are essential in what we do. So rest completely and release all tension before doing the next move.

I will often refer to the take a break, pause or simply say “rest on your back” this means that you pause completely.

Certainly in some exercises and lessons, you will need to take more frequent or even perhaps longer breaks than I indicate. Give yourself permission to relax and pause the recording at any time. Your brain will still be concentrating, calibrating even when you have stopped. While resting, always observe yourself through any form of body scan.

COMFORT

It is important to be comfortable. Do you need a towel or small pillow under your head? Something below your knees? Do you need to modify a position? Don’t fight with yourself because this is a fight you won’t win. Be gentle, the movements can be small and relaxed. In case you experience discomfort or pain, try doing less. You can imagine the movement, change the trajectory, change the starting point or relax even more. Just do what feels comfortable and easy to you. Go into a range of motion which is at maximum 70% of what you COULD do.

The nervous system only learns when you don’t have unpleasant feelings, when you’re not in pain, you don’t fight with yourself. Pain is an indication that something is wrong. If the pain still persists even after changing the trajectory, stop and

Use your IMAGINATION or do Micro Movements

do the movements and use your imagination. Imagining movements is extremely powerful, there are countless scientifical studies that show that the activities in the brain, and the benefits of imagining movements are almost identical to performing movements themselves. Somatic Educators have felt and long known this even before neuroscience has prooved it.

You can perform micro movements - moving a few millimeters to a few cm. If someone where to look at you they would’nt know you where doing anything, but you will feel it because it would be enough to activate the muscles.

Eliminating Pain by having alternatives

Chronic pain can be alleviated, reduced and even eliminated completely by the fact that your nervous system will have acquired new options of moving and learned new alternatives.

There’s no such thing as “perfect form” in physical therapy or wherever

Don’t worry if you do the movement correctly, whatever that means. The reason why the exercises and lessons are audio recorded is so that you can focus on the movements and on yourself. So you don’t look at a screen and copy what is done there. That’s why in many lessons I recommend you to close your eyes to be even more attentive to your proprioception. Let the lesson unfold and you will notice how the changes will proceed automatically.

However, it is always advisable to practice these exercises together with an instructor to be able to offer you the necessary guidance in group or one to one sessions

There are more advanced lessons where through small progressions we almost reach certain more athletic movements, and then it is important to take into account gentleness and ease. This is one of the reasons why we might spend 50 minutes on a lesson.. so you can reach that functional end movement which may last with you forever.

Body Scans - INteroception and integration

Each movement lesson begins and ends with with a body scan and It’s recommended that you don’t skip these. The reason we do body scans is so that you become aware of changs before and after a lesson, movement or exercise. By doing body scans often, you will begin to sense your body and adjust it during your day to day activities. You can take moments when you rest throughout the lesson to do a partial body scan. Current neuroscientific research has demonstrated that body scans are also known as non sleep deep rest NSDR and have a multitude of benefits for the mind and body. It can help you relax and even feel refreshed. These have been used from antiquity in many cultures and are known by many names including: yoga nidra, qigong meditation and other forms of body scans.

In somatics we go even further, we use the body scan meditation and we extend it with movement to make lasting changes.

There are other important points to add but I don’t want to overwhelm you right now so I’ll record dedicated videos as we go along.

I wish you a pleasant relaxation and an optimal learning experience. This will change your life.

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