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WHAT IS SOAR?

SOAR is an easy to use acronym created to help you cultivate the skill of Mindful Somatic Awareness.

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SOAR stands for Sense, Observe, Articulate, Reflect. By sensing your body, observing what you sense, articulating what you observe, and reflecting on what you observe, you can integrate your mind and body thereby giving you access to the information needed to guide your healing of the deep emotional wounds at the root of your fear and anxiety.

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The beautiful thing about SOAR is how varied its use can be. If used during heightened emotion states, such as stress and anxiety, it can swiftly bring your mind-body back into a state of calm. However, when used during meditative practice, when you are already in a place of relative calm, it can facilitate connection to more nuanced information about the emotional wounds at the core of your anxiety so you can move toward resolving the fear that resides there.

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The backdrop of SOAR is the integration of your mind and body—you turn first to your body for information and then use your logic and reason to help you understand that information. Through sensing and observing, you connect to the intuitive felt sense awareness of your somatic self. And through articulation and reflection, you engage the more logical abilities of the mind. Through this process, SOAR weaves together the different ways of knowing and experiencing yourself and the world around you, allowing you to engage the present moment in an embodied and purpose-driven way.

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A simple guide to restore peace in mind and body 

To sense is to turn your attention to your somatic self and become aware of the sensations in your body. Sensing means to connect to the energy in your nervous system and experience the unique way it is vibrating. To sense is to actively notice physical sensations such as muscle tension, shallow breath, tingling in your legs, or butterflies in your stomach. It is to notice if your head feels heavy, if your shoulders want to collapse, if your face feels flushed, or if you have a lump in your throat.

SENSE

To observe is to sit in awareness of your body sensations without judging them. It is to notice and accept what is happening in your body as it is happening, without pushing it away. Observing the energetic shifts in your body keeps you anchored in the here and now and awakens you to your felt sense experience.

OBSERVE

To articulate your sensations means to describe them. It is to put into words the experience of the felt sense you observe. For example, as you bring your attention to your body you might sense a lump in your throat. As you sit and observe the lump you may begin to feel that it has certain characteristics, such as a rough texture, a green hue, or a shape like an almond. Articulate these characteristics out loud as you observe them and see what happens next.

ARTICULATE

To reflect is to sit in contemplation of your felt sense experience. It is to explore with curiosity the messages embedded in your sensations so you can begin to cultivate a deeper understanding of your anxiety. Learning about your felt sense experience becomes an important part of understanding the origins of your fear and how it contributes to your anxiety.

REFLECT

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