Somatofulness- Return to the body

‘Somatofulness is the direct sensory experience of the body and the world around us, without the interference of the thoughts and emotions, leading to the awakening of the body and its full functioning.’

What is Somatofulness?

The term Somatofulness was coined by Jivasu to emphasize the primacy of the body in daily life and how the body can be awakened fully.

The word Somatic comes from the Greek word Soma means body and somatic means anything pertaining to the body. Fulness means ’attention to’. Somatofulness is to become attentive to the body.

Soma is also a Sanskrit word for nectar which can give the experience of bliss and immortality to a person. Some think that the Soma is a juice from a plant and others say that it is formed within the body. The body and brain secrete a wide variety of neuro-hormones and transmitters, which can give us the experience of bliss and glimpses of immortality. Soma is contained in the body and brain but is not accessible fully to most people unless a person becomes Somatoful.

Why Somatofulness?

Directly or indirectly people in most cultures deny the body. Denial of the body means that we can’t accept the natural body as it is. Either we neglect it, torment it, mutilate it or modify it according to the ideas of our mind which are conditioned by culture. The result is life-long anxiety and suffering about the body.

Why do we deny the body? The body is ever-changing – sickness, disability or the process of aging can all result in changes which can be distressing. Our minds can’t accept these facts. The mind is a relentless dreamer trying to create a perfect and eternal world through thoughts and imagination. But the body constantly reminds us of the transitoriness and fragility of life. Unable to accept the fact of the body’s mortality, we deny the body as it is. We try to transform the body so it can live forever in beauty and power. But this inevitably ends in failure, and only leads to the brutal suppression of the body and ultimately a half-lived life. The source of life-energy is not in our emotions or thoughts. It is in the body. Without the full functioning of the body, full life energy is not accessible and thus a full life is not possible.

Also, if we are not intimately connected and grounded in our body we may suffer from a wide variety of emotional and mental health problems. All emotional and mental health problems ranging from psychosis to anxiety are the problems of poor connection of the mind with the body, in one way or another.

And lastly, the body is the part of the earth and nature. If we are not intimately connected with our bodies, we won’t be able to connect to the earth and nature.

Somatofulness is the process of becoming aware of these facts of the body and the mind. Then based on those facts we are able to take action to release the body from the mind’s suppression. Only through such freedom of the body, the full life energy innate to the body can be released, which will allow us to live fully with passion.

Somatofulness can help us in dealing with emotional and mental health problems.

Somatofulness connects us directly to the earth and nature, thus preserving them both.

How does Somatofulness differ from Mindfulness and Heartfulness?

Mindfulness – Mindfulness is moment-to-moment non-judgmental awareness of the emotions, thoughts, body and the world around us. A calm awareness of body, mind and the world around us is maintained. Mindfulness is primarily a mental process.

Heartfulness – In heartfulness the mind, body and the world around us is perceived through feelings, bringing a state of absorption and rapture.

Somatofulness – In Somatofulness the mind-body and the world around us are experienced through sensations in the body. Everything vibrates with energy, leading to fullness and bliss.

Mindfulness is like watching the ocean waves while standing on the shore. Heartfulness is diving into the sea and floating with the waves. Somatofulness is like diving into the sea where there are no waves, but only water, elemental and primal.