Q&A Video #8: Why do we practice Somatic movements with our eyes closed?

Transcript of video:

Hi guys! Today I’m answering the question: Why do we practice somatic movements with our eyes closed?

This is a very important question. We practice somatic movements with our eyes closed for two reasons. The first is so that we can remove all of the visual information that our brain automatically has to process when our eyes are open. Even if you’re in a quiet room with no one around, your brain is still processing everything that you’re seeing when your eyes are open. This limits your ability to focus on your internal sensations.

When you close your eyes, you’ll notice that all of a sudden, your internal sensations come to the forefront. You can’t help but notice how your soma, or your being, feels inside. You’ll notice your emotions and your physical sensations, like muscle tension, pain, or relaxation. Keeping your eyes closed while you’re practicing Somatic movements allows the movements to be truly somatic; this means, completely focused on your internal sensations and your internal experience of the movements.

The second reason we close our eyes is so that we can avoid copying the way that someone else is moving. This might occur in a group class, where you’re lying on the floor next to other students. Now, if you’ve ever attended an in-person Clinical Somatics class or private session, you know that the instructor or educator doesn’t demonstrate the movements. The reason for this is mirror neurons.

Mirror neurons were discovered in the 1990s. These neurons are found in parts of the brain that process movement, vision, and memory. These brain cells are activated when we observe someone else practicing a movement that we want to mimic, and this happens on a very subconscious level. So, it’s difficult to avoid. This is why instructors don’t demonstrate the movements unless absolutely necessary.

I don’t want you to copy my movement. I want you to close your eyes, just listen to my instruction, and have your own sensorimotor experience of the movement. When you have your eyes open and you’re copying someone else’s movements, you’re not able to effectively retrain your own movement patterns. You’re just copying someone else’s movements, and trying to make your movement look like theirs. This is not an effective way to retrain your patterns. And, when you copy someone else’s movement, it’s not truly a somatic movement. A somatic movement is focused on your internal sensations, not on trying to make your movement look like someone else’s.

So, why do I include videos in my online courses? Well, I used to teach online using only audio, but some students requested video demonstrations just so they could feel more confident that they were practicing the movements correctly. And I completely understand that with distance learning, it’s helpful to have this confirmation. So, that’s why I include video demonstrations in my courses, but as you know, these videos are intended to be a tool to help you initially learn the movements. I expect that many of you will skim through the videos so you can get a basic understanding, and from then on, just use the audio tracks to guide you through your practice.

Now, some people don’t feel comfortable with their eyes closed. For some people, having their eyes closed makes them feel emotionally unsafe or simply uncomfortable. If this is the case for you, then of course, feel free to practice the movements with your eyes open. Just be aware of your focus, and try to focus as much as possible on your internal sensations as you move.

So, I hope that was helpful! Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next time!