Somatic Groundwork
Summer Six Class Series
Six Classes in 2 Weeks
class 2: spinal waves
class 3: neck unwinding
class 4: core support
class 5: shoulder foundations
class 6: standing fundamentals
Somatic Groundwork is a gentle and natural movement patterning approach that follows a progressive inside out and ground up developmental process. The techniques and methods apply sensing and movement skills to generate circulation, support and vitality for the whole person.
Many of our chronic ailments arise from pushing our way through life with an empty tank. As modern people we commonly experience chronic body aches, pain and fatigue; repetitive injury; emotional angst; poor sleep and digestion. Somatic Groundwork is a tonic medicine in the form of movement and awareness that can help with these pervasive symptoms. Tonic medicine is something you take or apply regularly that helps to restore system harmony. Somatic Groundwork does this by influencing the neurofascial system leading to improvements in state, structure and mood.
The neurofascial system is an integrated functional network combining the nervous system and fascial matrix. Both the neural network and the tissue architecture serve to support, protect and stabilize our body’s regulatory functions. Through somatic activities and basic movements we can target the neurofascial system in a particular way to encourage the relaxation response, restore tissue gliding mechanics and redistribute tensional energy.
SG acts like a soothing tonic medicine and provides good feelings after each practice. From a neurofascial perspective, this comes from improved tissue glide and hydration due to alterations in the gel-like properties of fascia and from dampening chronic stress responses by eliciting the rest and digest system. Additionally, somatic awareness changes body-to-brain communication and alters sensorimotor processing. Collectively the results are commonly reported as ‘feeling more physically grounded, mentally calm and emotionally steady’. Over time with frequency of practice (this is called training) participants experience greater nervous system flexibility, a reduction in pain and angst, feeling more relaxed and moving better overall.
class descriptions
Floor-based rocking and rolling exercises with periods of rest and quiet breathing to connect body and mind. A method of somatic yielding that reduces pain, soothes the nerves and improves movement fluidity.
class 2: spinal waves
Explore gentle, smooth, circular movement of the spine at every segment between head and tail. Use both rhythmic and melting tempos for tissue unwinding and to enhance spinal mobility and sequencing.
class 3: neck unwinding
Use soft motions and unwinding methods to free your neck and improve fluid motion. Learn somatic techniques for using your vision/seeing to help improve neck mobility and autonomic support.
class 4: core support
Learn a specific set of exercises to experience how your hips, pelvis and low back sequence movement between body areas. Discover auxetic motion through breathing awareness, the role of the thoracolumbar fascia, the link between sensation and structure and how to use constraints to enhance force transfer.
class 5: shoulder foundations
Discover a way to repattern shoulder girdle strength from the ground up. Realize a developmental approach for connecting the shoulders with the whole body. Learn to apply upper body push from the floor to improve shoulder function and movement quality.
class 6: standing fundamentals
Explore the basics of locomotion through somatic activities and movement patterns. Meet the ground as you bend, push, shift weight and swivel. Identify the quality of elastic spring generated by relating with the environment.
Somatic Groundwork is for:
those who desire alternative wellness practices
movement teachers and therapists
creative movement artists and explorers
people new to somatic movement (no prior experience needed)
those who desire alternative wellness practices
movement teachers and therapists
creative movement artists and explorers
people new to somatic movement (no prior experience needed)
PAYPAL OPTION
about Kaila June Keliikuli
Kaila June Keliikuli (she/they) is the Creative Director of the School for Somatic Groundwork. With a background as a performing artist, personal trainer, somatic movement educator and curriculum designer, Kaila’s movement pedagogy has emerged through her interest in somatic patterning. Somatic patterning is a creative way to shift movement limitations and embodied behaviors through bottom-up learning and bodily-based inquiry. Kaila advocates for a movement movement to maintain body connection with land and to encourage joy in our aliveness.
As a lifelong student and teacher of movement practice, Kaila earned a BFA in Dance & Choreography, MS in Rehabilitative Science and multiple certifications in professional fitness training. About 25 years ago she began developing the movement system Somatic Groundwork (or they began developing her). She mentors other practitioners to teach Somatic Groundwork in synergism with their unique offerings in the 2-year teacher training program Interdisciplinary Movement & Somatics, an ISMETA Approved Training Program.
Somatic Groundwork is where I go when I feel disconnected or when life has been too challenging.
JOELLE PAPPAS
The effects of Somatic Groundwork feel unique in relation to other mind body practices.
JOHN WILDER
Somatic Groundwork combines four areas of interest and study: intuitive movement, nervous system health, the fascial nets and embodiment! It is like nothing I’ve ever tried! Embodied fascial intuitive bliss!
JESSICA JASTRZEBSKI
JALENA JOKIC
MASS DIOLI
From the inside out. This practice has strengthened my sense of self and how I move and respond to daily life experiences.
JANET STEEVES
Exploratory . . . deep . . . insightful and high standard teaching.
JO KEMP
Kaila is an articulate guide who makes the practice resonate so well with my bodymind.
TINA CLARK
I love Somatic Groundwork. It always makes me feel invigorated and relaxed.
ELIZABETH ANDES-BELL
Allowing the freedom of physical and spiritual movement to emerge, Somatic Groundwork brings us to our own place of healing and stillness.
BARBARA ARCHER