Writing From The Senses
A key component of somatic writing is engaging the senses. This is powerful because it brings our body to the page, offering awareness and presence to the very moment. It is not uncommon to disconnect from the body because of ongoing stress or triggered trauma experiences. Please know, you are not broken by disengaging from the difficult moment, you are employing a brilliant biological response in protecting you from what you are unable to currently handle in that moment.
For a long time, I judged the dissociation in me, the parts of myself the would break off and numb out for survival. I thought, what’s wrong with you? Why can’t you remember certain things? Why can’t you stay present during sex? Why can’t you let your body relax while binging Netflix? The shift began when I converted the question from one of contempt to compassion, when I begin to be kind and curious about my body’s response to being in the moment. By changing the accusatory question at my body’s response to one of care with words like, “your body is protecting you, your body resilient, your body is healing,” I was finally able to trust that where I am in the moment is enough. And when we can create that safe space of being, then we can awaken to our sensory experience.
“When I feel the steadiness of ground beneath my feet, the wind in my hair, the warmth of a fire, snowflakes melting on my nose, I recognize that I’m more than just a brain, more than my thoughts or self-definition. Instead of defining myself narrowly, I begin to expand.” ― Amanda W. Jenkins
When we engage our senses we are, in a sense, able to return from the place we were once lost. By writing touch, sight, smell, listening, and taste, we are creating space to understand our body’s visceral story. This is powerful not only for your healing journey, but also helps expand your writing voice. Have you heard the phrase “show, don’t tell?” This is a common teaching tool for writers to help them bring story to life by adding detail, expression, sensation, aka (the senses). When we write from the senses we are, in tandem, healing our body’s story and painting a world with words.
“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” ― Anton Chekhov
So how do you write from the senses? Here are few tips for you to begin:
First, bring sensory experience into your writing space. Such as writing by hand to engage touch, activate smell with essential oils, candles, or incense, snacking or drinking to engage taste, listening to ambient music for sound, and imagery (nature or art) to encourage sight.
Next, try writing from the senses, both in your journal writing and also in your specific writing projects to bring the words to life.
Lastly, if feeling stuck, invite movement into your writing practice (this can be incredibly simple), but will awaken an embodiment element that will draw you in to the moment. We will speak more about this in our next article in Soma writing Part 3: Intuitive Movement.
As you begin bringing compassion and sensory awareness to your soma writing practice, you are moving one step closer to the work of integration. This is sacred, you are sacred. Write and heal on.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT IN WRITING YOUR BOOK, THEN CHECK OUT MY 1:1 BOOK COACHING WHERE WE WILL WORK TOGETHER TO TAKE YOU FROM BOOK IDEA TO COMPLETE DRAFT.
Megan Febuary is an author, trauma-informed book coach and creative mentor. Helping women write their books, heal their stories, and understand their unique human design. You can learn more about working with Megan at yourbookyear.com
