I met Somatics instructor Katrin Neue and dancer/model Karen Gleeson for a photo shoot we had discussed and planned through emails. The photo shoot involved a Somatics workshop and the photos were intended for Katrin's SomaDublin website. It was a very cold and miserable day, so we rushed into a cafe to warm up and get to meet each other before the shoot. I needed to know more about Somatics prior to the shoot, so Katrin was happy to explain to me what it was all about. She was very enthusiastic and passionate about it and only made me even more curious to see what it's like with my own eyes.
We all head off to her office and into the workshop room, off Pearse street, as the weather seemed to be getting worse. The room was small but lovely, cosy and warm. The girls changed into comfortable clothes while I adjusted the settings on the camera and minutes later the session began. Katrin walked Karen through every little exercise, explaining what it was for and how it would help her. These exercises can be done later by Karen herself, so it was more than just one session really. As I understand it, these instructions are meant to awaken the mind's control of movement and flexibility. The exercises locate any muscles that have 'fallen asleep' and relieve the tension and pains from those that work overtime (and sometimes for no reason). They reverse the stiffness caused by age and improve the body's posture.
As I was moving around taking photos in every possible angle, I felt my own body aching for this sort of treatment. Karen seemed relaxed and comfortable. Katrin's knowledge about Somatics and passion for it made the whole experience very enjoyable. The shots were also looking good. I used flash as it was getting darker, wide angle lens due to the limited space but there was plenty of room for me to move around. The whole session was over after nearly an hour and a half, which I found surprising since it only felt like 10 minutes to me.
There followed a 10-minute briefing where Karen stood up and Katrin was going through some of the exercises with her, and I could see her perfectly upright posture. A posture that I can maintain for only 2-3 minutes before I start aching, yet, as confirmed by Karen herself, was absolutely effortless. That's when I thought, yeah, I will definitely be booking this for me. You can find out more about Somatics directly from Katrin's website and treat yourself to a session or two.
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