When life around us changes rapidly, and we find ourselves living in “interesting times,” there is nothing left but to seek support within ourselves. Support is what provides us with a sense of stability, reliability, and safety—something to lean on. In the body, this function is performed by the somatic center—the area between the pelvis and the ribcage, the physical center of the body.

When the center is stable, no matter what happens or what challenges we face, we find a way to regain balance, much like a roly-poly toy that always returns to its upright position.

Psychological and Physical Stability

Psychological support and stability are built upon a sense of "basic okayness"—the feeling that "I’m okay, I’m good enough, no matter what happens." Under favorable circumstances, this inner sense is developed in childhood and stays with us throughout life.

But what happens when we lose this support? When we are overwhelmed by feelings of shame, fear, anger, or guilt?

When we are unaware, these emotions control us. But when we begin to recognize what’s happening within, we regain control over our emotions.

Emotions are not thoughts. Emotions are pure physiology—the body’s nervous system reacting to our interpretation of internal and external events. When judgments and beliefs about what’s "good" or "bad," "right" or "wrong" are added to these somatic experiences, we end up with what Marshall Rosenberg, the founder of Nonviolent Communication, called the "gray bag of feelings."

Critical thoughts and negative judgments about ourselves and others create internal tension and a sense of threat or danger.

Breaking the Cycle of Criticism and Instability

Why do we so often fall into unproductive states? Because we’ve been taught to do so. These are societal patterns: to complain, suffer, and be dissatisfied.

We will continue until we discover an alternative—that there is another way.

It’s time to relax and break the cycle of criticism, even self-criticism. Criticism causes stress in the nervous system.

Key Question:

How can we maintain stability and return to a resourceful state?

There are psychological and somatic techniques that can help us:

• We can learn to recognize our critical thoughts and identify the unmet needs behind them. This shifts our focus from unrealistic demands to what truly matters to us, helping us clarify our priorities.

• We can create a network of social support by building trusting relationships with loved ones, fostering confidence, calm, and stability.

• We can practice somatic techniques that change our mental and emotional states by transforming our physical states.

Somatic Practices for Stability

• Working with the sense of gravity and the feeling of reliable ground beneath our feet.

• Connecting with the inner axis along the spine, around which all movements are organized.

• Feeling the skeleton—stable, strong, reliable, and unified.

• Directing attention to the abdomen, our center of gravity and balance, to cultivate a sense of stability and fullness of life.

These images and practices can help you maintain inner balance and connect with your resources, even in difficult situations.

Workshop Details

Instructors:

• Ekaterina Zilbershtein – Ph.D. in Psychology, certified Hanna Somatics educator, and student in the professional Feldenkrais Method program.

• Natalia Guseva – Body-movement practitioner specializing in emotional anatomy.

When:
Sunday, December 15, 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Where:
Moscow Yoga School
19/37 Bolshaya Serpukhovskaya St., Building 4

Cost:

• 4,000 RUB if paid by December 8.

• 6,000 RUB thereafter.

Registration (mandatory):
https://forms.gle/aHxiYpFZKH52inD9A

Contact:
+7 916 605 48 64 (Natalia)

Welcome!