Blog

Emotions & Somatic Experience

Emotions are one of those things we all experience every day, but they can still feel like a bit of a mystery sometimes. Where do they come from? Why do we feel them? And how can we even tell what’s going on inside us when things get messy? Let’s break it down into simple, digestible bites.

What We Know About Emotions

Emotions aren’t just in our heads — yes, the senses of the body actually get sorted in the brain, mostly in a part called the limbic system. Think of it as the control room for feelings. The amygdala, for example, is like a little alarm bell that tells you when to be scared or alert. But emotions aren’t just brain signals — they show up in our bodies too. Ever felt your stomach twist before a big presentation, or your heart race when you’re excited? That’s your body joining in on the emotional experience.

Now, what’s the point of emotions anyway? Well, they’re kind of like your inner guidance system. Fear keeps you safe, joy makes you want to connect with others, and sadness can help you process loss or change. “Good” emotions (those we prefer and welcome) — like happiness, love, or excitement — make life feel fuller and more meaningful. And yes, even the tough ones have a job to do. It’s when we bottle them up or don’t deal with them that problems pop up or even blow up!

Senses and Emotions

Our emotions and our bodily senses are closely tied together — in fact, a lot of what we feel emotionally starts as something we sense physically. The body picks up signals from the world through the senses (like sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell), and these signals can trigger emotional reactions before we’ve even fully processed what’s happening.

For example:

• A sudden loud noise might make your body jump, heart race, and trigger fear or startle.
• The warmth of a hug can activate a feeling of comfort, safety, or love.
• The smell of a favorite meal might stir up nostalgia or happiness.
• Harsh bright lights and loud crowds can overwhelm the senses, creating stress or anxiety.

In addition to the “normal” external senses, somatics identifies three additional internal senses: vesitibuloar, proprioception and interocpetion. The vestibular sense tracks orientation with gravity. Proprioception senses the body’s relationship in space. Whereas interoception sends internal sensory signals — things like your heartbeat, breathing, stomach sensations, or muscle tension. These inner cues are one of the main ways we sense and recognize our emotions. For example:

• Tight chest, shallow breathing — might signal anxiety.
• Heavy, sinking feeling in the stomach — might be sadness or dread.
• Light, energetic feeling — might be joy or excitement.

Our brain reads these signals from the body and labels them as emotions. That’s why tuning into your body — noticing how your breath, muscles, heart, or gut feel — can help you become more aware of what you’re emotionally experiencing.

Awareness and Embodiment

Both somatics and yoga therapy prioritize:

• Interoception – the ability to feel and sense what’s happening inside the body (e.g., heartbeat, breath, tension).
• Embodied awareness – being present in and with the body in real time, not just thinking about the body.
• Self-regulation – developing the capacity to manage stress, emotions, and physiological responses.

In somatics, movement is typically slow, mindful, and exploratory—this aligns beautifully with trauma-informed or restorative yoga therapy, where the nervous system is gently guided toward safety and balance.

Somatic Experience

The word somatics comes from the Greek word “soma”, which means “the living body as experienced from within.” Unlike the body viewed as a mechanical object (like in anatomy or fitness), the soma is understood as a subjective, felt experience. It emphasizes the body as a living, sensing, conscious organism.

Somatics is a field of study and practice that focuses on the internal experience of the body—how we sense and feel from within—rather than just its outward appearance or function. It integrates movement, awareness, and bodywork to support healing, personal growth, and embodied presence. Somatic practices aim to reconnect individuals with their inner bodily sensations, often to release tension, heal trauma, or rewrite habitual patterns that may be held in the body. Common somatic modalities include:

• Feldenkrais Method
• Alexander Technique
• Somatic Experiencing
• Body-Mind Centering
• Yoga therapy (with a somatic approach)

Somatics in Yoga Therapy

Yoga therapy is a holistic, individualized approach to healing that uses the tools of yoga—movement (asana), breath (pranayama), meditation, lifestyle guidance, and philosophy—to support one’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. When yoga therapy is approached somatically, the focus shifts even more deeply into the inner experience of the body and mind and their inter-connection.

1. Trauma Healing: Somatic practices are foundational in trauma-sensitive yoga therapy. They help clients restore a sense of safety and control in their bodies through grounding, gentle movement, and tracking sensation.
2. Chronic Pain or Tension: By increasing awareness of habitual holding patterns, clients can learn to release unnecessary effort, find ease, and reorganize movement patterns more efficiently.
3. Stress and Anxiety: Breath awareness and body-based mindfulness help downregulate the nervous system, supporting emotional resilience and calm.
4. Movement Re-education: Especially for those with injuries, neurological conditions, or mobility issues, somatic approaches in yoga therapy can reawaken movement potential through neuroplasticity and sensory learning.

Somatics enriches yoga therapy by offering a framework that honors the body as a wise, sensing, self-healing organism. It invites a shift from “doing” yoga to “being” in yoga. This internalized, compassionate approach fosters deep healing, nervous system balance, and authentic embodiment.

The Soma and the Subtle Body

In yoga philosophy, the human system is described through the koshas (sheaths or layers), ranging from the physical body to the bliss body. The somatic concept of the soma aligns most directly with the pranamaya kosha (energy body) and manomaya kosha (mental/emotional body)—it encompasses felt sense, breath, sensation, emotion, and awareness. While traditional yoga practices may sometimes emphasize alignment or performance, somatic yoga therapy emphasizes:

• Felt sense over form – movements are guided by sensation rather than external shape.
• Personal agency and choice – clients are empowered to listen to their bodies and make intuitive decisions.
• Slowness and subtlety – helping the nervous system shift from survival modes (fight/flight/freeze) into regulation and flow.

Understanding our Emotions

Emotions don’t just happen because we are human with a brain and a body. Emotions are at the heart of the interplay and yet are also heavily influeced by our context and our circumstances in addition to our biology.

1. Culture: Different cultures have different “rules” about emotions — what’s okay to express, how intense it should be, and when it’s appropriate. For example, some cultures value emotional restraint and calmness, while others encourage open, passionate expression. This shapes not only how we show emotions, but how we even recognize them in ourselves and others.
2. Family & Upbringing: The way we were raised plays a huge role in how we understand emotions. If you grew up in a family that talked openly about feelings, you probably learned how to name, express, and manage emotions early on. If emotions were ignored, judged, or suppressed, it might feel harder to understand or express them now. The good news is that we can learn these skills!
3. Personal Experience: Life experiences, both “good” and “bad”, shape how we feel about emotions. Someone who’s been through tough losses might be more familiar with grief, while someone who’s had a lot of encouragement might easily recognize pride or joy. These experiences also teach us which emotions feel safe or unsafe to feel.
4. Biology & Personality: Some people are naturally more emotionally sensitive or expressive, while others are more even-keeled or private. Our nervous system, brain chemistry, and temperament all play a part in how emotions are experienced and understood.
5. Social Environment: Friends, schools, workplaces, and communities influence emotional norms. If you’re in a circle where vulnerability is seen as strength, (Join us for Women’s Circle or Guru Circle!) you’re more likely to be in tune with your emotions. If it’s seen as weakness, you might have learned to avoid or mask them.
6. Language & Emotional Vocabulary: Being able to name what you feel is a big part of understanding it. The richer your emotional vocabulary, the more accurately you can label what’s happening inside you. For example, being able to tell the difference between annoyed, frustrated, and angry gives you clarity to express yourself and increases comprehension from others when asking for what you need.
7. Mindfulness & Self-Awareness: Practicing things like mindfulness, journaling, or therapy increases emotional awareness. These practices help you slow down, notice what you’re feeling, and trace it back to what’s causing it — which deepens understanding over time.

How to Tell What We Feel

So how do we actually know what emotion we’re feeling? It usually starts with paying attention to how your body feels. Tight shoulders might mean stress. It could also mean you carried too many heavy things (literally or metaphorically).

Butterflies in your stomach? Could be nervous anxiety or excitement.

Consider what’s happening around you, both on the local level and even the global. Are you about to try something new? Have the rules or expectations changed? Maybe it’s anxiety — or maybe you’re pumped! Over time, with practice, we get better at this, especially when we practice things like journaling, mindfulness, or just talking things out with someone. Have you ever considered working with a Coach? This is what Inspired Shift Somatic Coaching is all about!

In the end, emotions are a natural (and pretty fascinating) part of being human. The more we understand them and listen to what they’re telling us, the better we can handle whatever life throws our way — and hopefully experience a little more grace, humor, and compassion in the process.

Emotions and Needs

Emotions and needs are deeply connected — like messages and messengers. You can think of emotions as signals or clues that point us toward our underlying needs. When a need is being met or unmet, emotions naturally show up to let us know.

For example, if you feel joyful and connected when hanging out with a good friend, it’s probably because your needs for belonging, love, and companionship are being fulfilled. On the flip side, if you’re feeling lonely or sad, it might be your emotional system’s way of saying, “Hey, I need connection, support, or closeness right now.”

This connection is true for every emotion:

• Anger might show up when your need for fairness, respect, or safety isn’t being met.
• Fear can be a signal that your need for security or certainty feels threatened.
• Excitement might mean your need for growth, adventure, or challenge is being fulfilled.
• Gratitude often points to your needs for support, care, or kindness being acknowledged.

Once you start seeing emotions as helpful messengers about your needs, rather than annoying visitors that arrive without warning, they make a lot more sense — even the uncomfortable ones. Instead of pushing feelings away, you can ask yourself: What need is this emotion trying to show me?

Behind every emotion is a need, either met or unmet. Learning to recognize the need behind the emotion helps us respond in healthier, clearer ways — whether that’s reaching out for help, setting a boundary, or simply appreciating a good moment.

In short, our senses are like messengers, feeding the brain information about the world and what’s happening inside us. Emotions are the brain’s way of interpreting and responding to that sensory information. How we respond has been shaped by a mix of culture, upbringing, life experiences, biology, social norms, language, and self-awareness practices. It’s something we build, refine, and sometimes have to relearn as we grow. It’s one beautiful, interconnected system — our bodies don’t just experience emotions, they create and inform them.

My invitation to you is to consider not so much HOW you feel but WHAT you feel. For me this has been a powerful shift in building my somatic awareness and quieting my mind’s energy of assess and evaluate.

What do you feel?