Are somatics and embodiment the same thing? What’s the difference? And does it matter?
Want to better understand your unique place in the realm of embodiment & somatics work so you can easily explain what you do & double down on its value?
As a modality that explores INSIDE our body & the subtle realms of sensation, embodiment can feel hard to define and explain – even for those of us who practice it.
So what’s the difference?
Let’s break down the solar system that is somatics & embodiment…
🪐Embodiment vs Somatics
Somatics, derived from the Greek word ‘soma’ meaning body, is a field that emphasizes internal perception & experience.
This is incredibly similar to embodiment, which centers the perception of internal felt senses and feeling from the inside out.
They are both saying = We are more than our mind & while our mind/thoughts are part of our body, there’s this whole other feeling/sensing being here with lots of mission-critical sensory-data to FEEL. (Total genius).
Almost all somatics / embodiment work:
✅Centers the body (which include the head/mind + the remaining 90% of us)
✅Values sensations
✅Draws on polyvagal theory
At this level of definition somatics & embodiment mean the same thing. You can use the terms interchangeably (I do).
But HOW we do embodiment/somatics can be wildly words apart…
Some applications of embodiment/somatics are very clinical focused, exploring the realm of physical sensations. They keep it cerebral and contained.
Others (like us) take a much more devotional view of the field.
Departing from the cultural-norm of keeping things ‘cool & clinical’, we embrace the mess and vulnerability that the body portal offers.
Devotional embodiment & somatic work:
✅Views the body as a portal to our inner universe & divine essence
✅Explores spirit/energy as well as thoughts, emotions & physical dimensions
✅Contacts ravishing aliveness by falling deeply into ourselves
✅Is being moved BY the body (not just moving the body)
But there are deeper delineations still to make…
I’m (personally) drawn to the body because I’m called to remember my feminine energy.
The body is the temple we can access the feminine-feeling force of nature most easily through.
As a woman living in a hyper-masculine head-first culture…
The feminine is my WHY. The body is my HOW.
Feminized embodiment & somatic work:
✅Opens to the feminine feelings, intuition & knowing
✅Considers societal rules, women’s bodies & how we access embodiment
✅Re-skills us in culturally under-valued feminized way of being
✅Explores innate sensuality & magnetism
So at the surface we might consider somatics/embodiment as the same thing.
But once we dive into the solar system of somatics, we see that there are worlds within worlds, and they have vastly different atmospheres.
If it’s devotional depth, and feminized frontiers you’re seeking…. Then most “embodiment” or “somatic” trainings won’t go *there*.
We do.
We believe – You are a universe wrapped in skin.
Learning the skills (& sharing those tools with clients) is how we remember & embody our most brilliant self – and bring her/them to the world.
About those skills…
- If you’re seeking a feminine embodiment at-home practice to DIY, check out this one.
If you’re wanting personal mastery & rigorous professional training, chat with us about our coaching certification program here.
I was initially hesitant in my ability to commit the time and attention but I was totally satisfied with the content and the quality of the program.
The connection with the community, my support group, the practices with peers is like traveling in time or to another location where we live in women’s circles in self-awareness, peace, love, bliss, pleasure, empowerment, and connection with ourselves, the environment, and each other. As a result of FECC, I feel connected to myself, to my essence, and to the wider community of amazing women around me.
CLAUDIA MILBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
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