…. A Deeper Journey to Our Inner Felt Sense. 

A 4 day face to face course over 2 weekends with Debby assisted by David going deeper into our exploration of the symbiotic relationship between these two disciplines.

Our bodies hold tension and negative holding patterns often resulting in musculoskeletal problems.  This is usually a result of factors like stress, habit, illness, fatigue or asymmetry. One of the main focuses of Somatics is to address these patterns to avoid pain and stiffness and to optimise function.

However, the impact of unhelpful ‘holding’ goes way beyond muscles and bones.  If a body is held tightly then it impacts the entire functioning of the whole organism.  Our breathing becomes compromised resulting in deficient respiration and respiratory mechanics, and poor uptake of Oxygen.  Our joints become constricted and less spacious, our fascia become less supple and more gluey (fuzzy) resulting in adhesions, our fluid body becomes less fluid resulting in a poor transportation of nutrients, blood and lymph.

The result of these combined issues is poor overall health leading to greater stress.  It becomes a vicious circle.  If we approach our practice with the aim of creating more spaciousness within the whole organism then not only can we find more comfort in the body and more easeful ways of moving, but we can address the health impact on the whole being.  Importantly, when we address the work in this way, we can often find that more space and tranquillity come to the mind.

In this four-day course (2 weekends) we will look at the relevant theory and anatomy and physiology of:

• A review of the physiology of Breathing.
• The concept of breath centred movement to include: biotensegrity of breathing and the role of the Mediastinum.
• The role of the Diaphragm, Psoas and Spine in ‘tightness’.  How to use Somatics and Mindful Somatic Yoga to free ‘holding’ through this whole complex.
• The impact of tightness of the lumbar spine muscles such as the Quadratus Lumboram muscle (QL) and how these can destabilise the pelvis and spine thus creating more ‘tightness’. How to use Somatics and Mindful Somatic Yoga to address this.
• Fascia and Fluids.  The impact of ‘tightness’. How to use Somatics and Mindful Somatic Yoga to create more fluidity and free flow.
• A consideration of how ‘tightness’ in the physical body (annamaya kosha) can create ‘tightness’ or knots in the energy body (prānamaya kosha) and vice versa.

Practical sessions will include:

• Revision of key Somatics principals and practice of previously learnt movements.
• A range of new Somatics movements
• Practice of Somatics movements with a specific focus/aim relating to the A&P/theoretical sessions above (Diaphragm, Psoas, Spine, Quadratus Lumboram, Fascia, fluids, knots etc)
• Practice of using Somatics principals in Yoga in a consciously crafted way – thus creating ‘Mindful Somatic Yoga’.
• Practices to improve breathing function and therefore the effectiveness of breathing exercises and pranayama.

Day content

Each course day will be a mixture of practice and theory, but the overarching aim is to really practice and ‘feel’, with theory sessions focussed on enhancing this. Each session will be accompanied by a detailed and comprehensive handout.  Along with guided practices of both Somatics and Mindful Somatic Yoga there will be lecture and group discussions. All sessions are face to face at The New Body Barn.

Expectations of students

The days are designed to be relaxed, informative and nourishing.  It is expected that all students will respect the contributions of others and participate fully in sessions.  Should health or energy levels require students to ‘take it easy’ that need is completely understood, and we create an atmosphere where the need for self-care is respected.

 Who is this course for?

This course is open to people who have completed Module 1 “How Can Somatics Influence Our Yoga Practice?”

There will be a maximum of 14 students on the course.

Certification

At the end of the course, you will receive a White Horse Yoga Continuing Education certificate.  Please note that 80% attendance at all four days is necessary for certification. Teachers can claim 20 hours of CPD for this course.

Course dates 2025                                                 Timings:                                   Cost:

October 18^th/19^th and November 22^nd/23^rd         Saturdays: 11am-6pm               £400

Sundays: 10am-4.30pm

How to book:  Please contact Debby directly to either reserve a place or to ask any questions.  A deposit of £100 is required to secure your place. Deposit refunds will only be offered (less a £25 admin fee) if the place is resold.  If we need to cancel the course for any reason, then deposits/fees will be fully repayable. The balance of fees is due by 23^rdAugust 2025.

Ongoing support:  Students who are undertaking or who have completed Module 1 “How Can Somatics Influence Our Yoga Practice?” and/or Module 2 “Creating Spaciousness Within” will be able to participate in a relaxed programme of online (recorded) Zoom practice sessions with Debby to really help them embody this work.  These sessions come at an additional cost of £12 per session.

You can contact Debby at: debby@whitehorseyoga.co.uk  Phone: 07505 142285

Teachers can claim 20 hours of CPD for this course.

About the tutor:

Debby is an experienced Yoga and Somatics teacher and has been a BWY Diploma Course Tutor and assessor for the last 12 years.  She is the owner/director of White Horse Yoga Centre.  Debby doesn’t align herself to any ‘style’ of yoga.  Coming from a creative background she prefers to explore meaningful influences and paint her own pictures!

“I am less concerned with the performance of yoga postures and more interested in guiding my students towards a greater sense of ease and ‘sensing’ in their bodies.  I approach all movements and postures from a functional movement point of view, refining movement patterns that will continue to serve us as we age.  My Yoga is ‘slow mindful somatic yoga’ where we have plenty of time to pay attention and to really feel something; time to discover a felt sense of who we are; to discover more natural and easeful ways of moving and to move freely in the practice of yoga without using strain or force.  We listen to the body; listen to sensation. We learn to integrate the whole body and postures unfold rather than being forced or imposed.  It is meditation in movement.  I encourage my students to slow down and notice what they notice”.

David is an experienced Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist working in the classical Viniyoga tradition of Prof. J. Krishnamacharya and T.K.V. Desikachar.  He is trained in Somatics and uses the practice of Somatics extensively in both his class teaching and his Yoga Therapy work.  He is an Anatomy and Physiology specialist and teaches the A&P elements of Teacher Training and Yoga Therapist Training courses for a number of training organisations.  He also teaches yoga philosophy.  He is a Founder Member of the Yoga Therapy Association and co-owner/director of White Horse Yoga Centre.