Somatics
Somatics is a word used to refer to body-work and movement studies that emphasize the felt-sense of the body. Somatic techniques are used in bodywork, psychotherapy, spiritual practices and dance.
Traditional practices such as hatha yoga, qui gong, and tai chi can be called somatic practices. Thomas Hanna (author of the book Somatics) coined the term to describe the bodywork practices that developed in the twentieth century. You may recognize names like Feldenkreis, Alexander Technique and Rolfing.
Thomas Hanna was himself a student of Feldenkreis who later branched out on his own. I received somatics training in the style of Thomas Hanna from Martha Petersen of Essential Somatics after having been exposed to ideas from Hanna, Feldenkreis, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Eric Franklin and others through working with Donna Farhi and her senior associates, Neal Ghoshal and Lisa Peterson.
I teach somatic movement separately as a movement practice accessible to people who cannot do postural yoga. It has therapeutic benefits for functional movement, but also engages the powerful psychospiritual practice of linking breath and movement (entrainment). I also find that movements from somatics integrate well with postural yoga, as warm ups, as preparations for yoga poses, and as cool downs.