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Signature Success - SOMA Sessions
After multiple years of a chronic depressive episode, and more or less falling off of every healthy habit that I had ever worked towards mastering, I now find myself invited to return to a foundation that I know well, SOMA-Training.
Through the awareness that SOMA-Training brings, and despite a long gap in training, I could still feel foundational gains in my body’s structure as a result of past efforts. I could also notice some not so good signs of new injuries, in absence of training, and after a bit of investigating and sharing about my symptoms, I decided to book into see my Osteopath.
Over the past few years the decision to go see my Osteopath was one that I had not been respecting. I could hear this decision, when it had popped up, but had not listened to it. While wallowing in intense schemas, perpetuating triggers, and generalised Not-Self conditioning, I was complexed by my own humility and circumstances to be able to appropriately make this decision, and when this decision was made recently from a place of recognition and invitation it was also a huge moment in my own Human Design experiment, in terms of being able to distinguish and recognise the sincerity of the Splenic-Center, which is my own personal Human-Design-Authority.
As a Splenic-Authority it’s easy to be drowned out by the buzz of the Sacral-Authority, or the enthusiasm of Emotional-Authority that both dominate the world’s energetic hierarchy above my own, but this decision was heard loud and clear while even being directly one to one with this energy - in aura. This was amongst someone who recognises me and invited me to be acoustic about my struggle, and through awareness of my Human Design experiment, I am starting to find a sense of self amongst others to better make decisions for myself.
Most importantly when I was sharing about my new injuries, I heard myself in this moment, my True-Self perhaps, high amongst the clouds in what was a certain ‘Yes’ to go see my Osteopath. A decision that made no financial or logistical sense as it bankrupted me for weeks to come on an already saturated budget. My mind had no idea that I would have also been issued a tax return a few days later, as I ‘thought’ I’d received all of last years rebate and so despite my mind’s certainty to tell me don’t book this appointment now, the stars had other plans for Alex. I even reconciled the matter later that day in my mind that there would not be availability any time soon, which was also untypically wrong to say in this instance, and there were some availabilities asap.
Remaining true to the awareness of my Splenic-Authority I decided to file my mind’s chatter into the draw of no concerns and sided with this on-going ‘Yes’ that I had felt and ignored for so long, which continues to remain with me in the moment of now, as a yes.
Reflecting further, this was a particular ‘Yes’ that I had made previously - almost 8 years ago and long before I knew of Human Design - it was here where I was introduced to SOMA-Training, and where I had initially met my Osteopath at a Floatation-Therapy Shop, that I used to work at in British Columbia. They started up a conversation with me and we talked about my injuries, and they suggested that they could help…
Astrologically studying the transit of the first appointment with this Osteopath, we see a large Sixth-House in it’s Natal-Chart. It seems rather relevant in context to the Natal-Chart of my first appointment with this health practitioner, even with my ruling planet Mars in there… The results I have experienced since this appointment in 2016, through SOMA-Training and working with this Osteopath have achieved great success in my physical rehabilitation, well being, and fitness, and so I am grateful to find myself on the other side of a seven year cycle of this experience, despite having not trained in years.
I was especially elated to find the date and time of this initial visit to still be logged on my file, and that the foundations of the work was still felt in my body.
This Aries season has much felt like a retraction of my recent multiple year ditch of depression, and while I still continue to struggle in this way, my Aries like gaze now warms fondly towards something that feels like an old friend. SOMA-Training. Though daunted by the task ahead, SOMA-Training is an intense focus of the now, which I can work with and through my lived experiences of this practice I can remind myself that the darker the shadow that is cast, the brighter the lifeforce of light, as I did make tremendous gains through this training after what felt like a hopeless battle of injuries.
“Behind every dark cloud remains the sun.”
★ Acoustic Mutation - Alex The Aries
In Astrology the Sun-Sign seems to be spoken about as a ‘light’ - that translates in my eyes - as to an ego that we relate to consciously which shines light on the path we take in life.
Since Aries season has recently passed, spring has sprung, and we are all waking up from a slumber to reorient our attention and lantern light focus that is warming up our surroundings and paths forward.
Entering into my fourth year of my Human Design experiment I can sense how I am really tuning into my body, with this recent decision being a key factor. I’ve had enough experimenting with discerning other people’s insights or energy about how important this training is to me, to be able to trust into SOMA-Training as a way of life that encourages deep awareness of my body’s imbalances and foundational core strength.
“A form of exercise therapy based on a methodology of rehabilitation, strength, and conditioning. It is built on the Osteopathic principles of connected complexity as well as functional form… Based on precise analytical segmental exercises such as ELDOA, Myofascial Stretching and Proprioception and Awareness exercises, these exercises create physical awareness and work to train and strengthen individual segments of the body.”
★ SOMA Training - Alex’s Osteopath
The awareness part of SOMA-Training really forces me to focus into the body and its skeletal foundation, its structure. My Osteopath always wants you to go away with some basic exercises and put high rep numbers behind them with ‘quality of movement’ being above the number of and speed of the movements.
My Osteopath believes we can use the body to heal the body, and achieves this through various postures and exercises that they teach. In my experience SOMA-Training safely builds strength in our most foundational components of the body and really helps bring together a bigger picture of our overall ailments or lack of functional form, rather, our body’s imbalances of strength.
Over the 8 years, since discovering SOMA-Training, I’ve had the pleasure of attending some of my Osteopath’s classes, when once again they walked into my life as a third party to the gym I was attending (again because of Flotation-Therapy I might add - being the reason I first joined this gym - with my Osteopath coincidentally renting a room there shortly after I had joined). They were also offering group classes this time.
Alike to any training session you do with them, their classes are always mind melting with the types of movements and add-ons they can bring to the table. There’s always one more adjustment, layer of awareness, or ‘push’ that you can make in what feels like an ever increasingly difficult stance and posture. Whether tucking your chin while getting tall from the crown of your head and ‘pushing upward’… or perhaps from the sole of your out reached palm of your hind or front paw ‘pushing away’ - the better you get, the more is added.
The accented ‘push’ phenomena was so real in their work that me and a regular gym member, who also loved the classes, would chant ‘poooooosh’ at each other in the gym in passing, utilising our teacher’s accented voice for added humorous flair. It sounds lame but the hysteria and smiles we would have with one another prompting this small insight of a shared experience, was genuine, playful, and authentic. Of course in a loving manner for our teacher too - as they are also playful by nature, and capable of laughing at themselves also.
As I shared in my previous post I had an invitation to a local running club, to which in true 1/3 Profile style I required some ‘renegotiation’ and bonds were made and broken… as now the struggle may truly begin with this directly seen invitation.
I have had a lot of injuries, and I am no longer in a place of healthy fitness, so this running group serves as a marker of fitness and therefore a goal. They go for 5km runs, I can barely make it to the start of the 5km run, and to quote my Osteopath - ‘there is room for improvement’.
Running is a struggle for me not just because running is particularly impactful on my ankles and knees - to which I have chronic issues with - but also because it is an aerobic target that I am currently not capable of, and with this new invitation - my adorable Aries visionary - can now ignite a sparked focus of light towards this goal, having broken the bond.
“Bonds made and broken can become a natural mechanism in their life, such as the parent who leaves the house to go to work each day and then returns.”
★ Line 3 - The Definitive Book Of Human Design
My most recent appointment with my Osteopath was because I wanted to check in on some growing concerns about my fitness as well as establish their recommended strategy - as I have learned I can be a bit much when I apply myself to something and so it is best to come from the most secure foundation I know of.
“Investigator Martyrs are very insecure when not standing on a solid foundation and are driven to seek authorities that can provide them with secure grounding for their trial and error process. Their self-absorbed Investigator Personalities are very creative, and are healthiest and most productive when well prepared and well educated.”
★ 1 / 3 Profile - The Definitive Book Of Human Design
I was glad I went to see them. What was booked as a schedule slip up in their availability - was rescheduled to an out of town location - further into the mountains where we had once met over 7 years ago.
During this recent meeting, my Osteopath gave me dense insight into my concerns as well as presented a plan for my rehabilitation, revoking some of the core exercises, reinstating key aspects, as well as clearly instructing me to get aerobic exercise 'with an incline’. I lit up when this was being said to me - as it felt like I was now prepared - armed with my foundational knowledge from my teacher. Not only this but as an Aries-Sun, Energy-Projector, with Active Mountains Environment, this is a heartfelt invitation and one I instantly put into action of investigating my most accessible options, which I am very lucky to be surrounded by outdoor adventure.
Below is the chart from my recent appointment with my osteopath who gave me this new ‘aerobic incline’ invitation.
I felt a strong resonance with my experience that day, as seen above. I had headed out much earlier than the appointment, to take advantage of a facility with a Sauna and an Olympic swimming pool. Later that day when I was at the gym waiting for my session with my Osteopath I got talking with the person at the desk about the Sensory-Deprivation-Tank and whether they would be offering Floatation-Therapy again, any time soon, as they had closed their tank since 2020.
Through my investigations I discovered that they had recently ordered salt and were bringing back the Float-Tank. I also saw a friend I’d not seen in a while, as well as the owner of the gym who even gave me a massive hug. The session with my Osteopath was exactly what I had needed, and I returned home for some more quiet-resting.
A friend who knows me well, called me that evening and after talking implied it sounded like I really liked being up there in the elevation of my experience.
They were not wrong, there were some positive signposts, and I even have multiple passes for this gym on my account which is honourable of them to hold onto - after all this time. I also have multiple invites to go and see my family Dr who works in this location so I am now tuning into my Tribal-Circuitry energy that remains in this location, and have much reasons to investigate this habitat over the coming months, which is a place I knew well - having lived there for nearly seven years previously.
It was here where my journey of SOMA-Training began, and even where my family Doctor is located.
“Those with a defined Splenic Center tend to take their health for granted, and benefit from regular checkups to make sure their hard-working Spleen isn’t concealing potential problems.”
★ The Splenic Center - The Definitive Book of Human Design
I have fallen in-and-out of the path of SOMA-Training a lot, experiencing various phases over the eight years. To begin with the first two years took a long time to recognise the movements, but also adapt a routine, and progress was slow.
This becomes homework six days a week in my books, and so discipline is required to do this. I was 26 years old during this said phase, so not quite as mature as turning 34.
I call these first two years ‘phase one’ and I believe there has been about four or five phases in this process so far, and perhaps writing this today, this is starting out in my sixth phase.
I’ve noticed what a downward low I’ve reached in the upkeep of my body, through the awareness gained in starting the exercises back up again, and how energetically off I feel because of this battered state that I am in.
I’d despair to be recognised for my physical well being right now, and at last after what has felt like multiple years of deep depression I have started to move my body again, and I’ve found SOMA-Training to be a clear ‘Yes’ for a foundation in approaching this new phase.
As a Libra-Rising, April 3rd 2024, (which was the day after I saw my Osteopath recently) had a direct focus on my Sixth-House - with Venus conjoining Neptune indicating a new focus on my health.
“Venus and Neptune together, its other worldy pleasure, it’s really beautiful transcendent spiritual energy, and this is showing that is either happening for you around your physical health and what you are deciding to embark on or change, or this is happening with people you are working with and you are getting along really well.”
★ Libra April 2024 - Maren Altman
It is a rather painfully accurate depiction from Maren Altman as to this change in my life right now. Despite the break in consistency and practice, the gains of foundations of my SOMA-Training are still there, as well as the awareness I have learned through my Osteopath - having practiced the exercises for many years.
The work of the previous phases have endured the test of time, and when tuning into a new phase - now - it is easy to feel the success of many years of work. I feel firmer, thicker, stronger, or as if my frame is reinforced better, and therefore I feel more capable of enduring fatigue in these exercises - that I was set so long ago.
It’s like a body wisdom and feeling I could maybe only really reflect upon as success on a cellular level, as this has been over seven years of my life now.
The techniques used in SOMA-Training really thickened out my upper body in 2019, when my abilities grew in the training - in maybe the third or fourth phase - and my body reached a pique of maturity growth. It did take me a while to get to the upper body stuff, partially confused if not overwhelmed, by life, or amount of exercises there were, but like I said, once I locked this in as a disciplined habit it really attributed to the width in my adult shoulders and posture, and if and when I am doing these exercises consistently I am a lot taller of a 6ft ram-like-man.
I have had chronic tendon dysfunction in my right hind paw - since I was a young pup - and never have I been able to escape this challenge of pain. It would be safe to say this came from skateboarding and playing football a lot in my youth, and very much a consequence of neglecting recovery or treating injury.
A lot of the time when I am walking I feel like I am going to fall over, I can barely stand or walk for long hours, never mind run, but often I do as I don’t have many options. I also like walking, and have loved hiking in the past few weeks or so. It feels better to walk and is ultimately what will help build strength in my limbs and paws so it’s a form of struggle I have that requires sincere upkeep. I have a lot of endurance to this pain but it has real consequences after the fact of exercising as my paw can become limp. I don’t drive and ride a lot of pain in my day to day. Full time work can be challenging due to the consistency of this endurance, in which I may need to move outside of my own pace or capacity.
My Osteopath, upon initially meeting me, recognised me as ‘a bit of a project’ and told me to forget my paw, and that they were surprised no one had ever talked about my core. They of course gave me exercises to add to the piles of paw exercises I have from other practitioners too, but also laid out some simple ones to start working on my core.
In these initial sessions they identified some pain points in my groin and abductors and that the strength in my core would reconcile my paw injury quicker than it would by only focusing on the paw - not to stop doing paw exercises - but that the integrity of the cores strength would result in a better overall body structure and pull the tendons relating down to my hind paw in a better framing and position of torque.
They were right about this and in peaks of my training phases I have certainly experienced an increased arch from seemingly entirely flat feet, however this requires diligence to the practice.
The strength in my butt and other core muscles gained in these exercises, hold my body together better when I walk and do other activities so this in turn benefits other parts of my body - like my hind paw.
In the third or fourth phase I had finally convinced my Osteopath to let me train with them in the gym and this took a lot of work, and we achieved a lot in this time as they added new layers and exercises.
I’m excited as to where this sixth phase will reach. I was hitting some high numbers on my reps in November 2021, like 80 leg lifts in three positions with long holds afterwards… So 240 a leg raises many times a week, with quality of movement being the only measure of a count.
I’d often double, or triple down on this, doing another round in the workout or later that day, maybe not reaching the same height of quantity but pushing through until fatigue. My osteopath said when training with sporting professionals that they train them for many hours and that the exercises they teach are to believe that the body should be capable of doing all day long, for example the muscles that hold us upright. This to me speaks to the foundations they address in their work, and perhaps what gives me these recent successful moments of tuning into my body - and feeling sturdier than what I have previously experienced.
I know a lot of pain and injury in this lifetime. I have been through a long line of practitioners and finding my Osteopath and learning about SOMA and ELDOA training transformed not just my physical but my mental rehabilitation too, as a lot of the stretches create space in the body, which has both physical and mental benefits.
The ‘awareness’ piece of SOMA-Training is staggering, and as profound as Human Design awareness, in relevance to the body’s structure and where the imbalances are.
“Only with good awareness is it possible to ask the body to correct itself.”
★ Proprioception & Awareness - Alex’s Osteopath
As a right handed person when I really get into this as a way of life and observing the imbalances in the body through movement and awareness I can strengthen the weaknesses in my body. From brushing my teeth to whisking a bowl, opening doors, how I walk, or how I get off the floor… Through these exercises I increase awareness of how I am moving or where I may hold imbalance in my body.
Perhaps my Libra-Rising just can’t get enough of it… but it also feels much like a balancing of the body’s structure - which for many we hold a long conditioned torque and strain, often with opposing imbalances and ability.
Once you get into the thick of the movements, set by my Osteopath, you find new strengths in how to move your body which are better serving to your overall ergonomics.
Simple things done with our less dominant limbs can become a challenge - which works your brain more - and for this reason this is why when training with my Osteopath they add steps, as this then teeters between your body and your mind, and identifies where you are weak in the posture and therefore your structure. By adding in the mental challenge, if the support in this stance is not strong, you begin to wobble or become less pronounced. When the body has the structure to perform these holds, the more capacity we have to add to them.
“Structure dictates function.”
★ Andrew Taylor Still D.O.
I really love to use my body, and the relationship with my body is a huge aspect of how I relate to my world and those around me, so being out of shape really deflates my self esteem! I have felt so depressed about this - so it feels good to be back in a place where I can focus on this again.
During this Lunar Eclipse in Libra, I have made a really deep felt connection into the trajectory of my life and how physical well being is perhaps a huge component of my aura and over all vibes, not to put this out there like I need to be ripped or the epitome of fitness and health but calm and comfortable in my own body. As a Projector-Aura it is not surprising that I have burned out many times on this fitness path, so this sixth phase now comes with a new awareness of my True-Self energy and how to listen to that, or what feels right in relation to my training, following my Splenic-Authority.
A final aspect I can feel myself experimenting with is that I want to start building up a tolerance for barefoot, and stop relying on traditional shoes, and or work my way into a ‘barefoot’ design of shoe, as this will improve my paw’s strength but also feel more natural and put me in touch with the earth I walk on, which I feel like is in tune with many aspects of my Human Design whether it is Splenic-Authority, Touch-Cognition, or my Personality-Conscious First-Line’s desire to be connected to the foundations.
SOMA-Training is a good foundational training as it is not hyper energy consuming or impactful on my body in the same way running or weight training is, while also being something I can do periodically throughout the day when I have 5-15, or 90 minutes to spare.
As an undefined G-Center I have to look back and marvel at the magic of my Osteopath finding me. I was on shift at a Flotation-Therapy shop, when they walked into my life as a third party practitioner who rented a room out at the shop. After discussing my injuries they invited me to see them. This then happened again as I already explained.
Having people walk into my life and finding me, seems to present invitations from others that are worth writing home about, and it was a further invite from my Aries-Sun co-worker at the time who also suggested I should seek treatment with this Osteopath, which was important for this lil’ adorable (arrogant) Aries-Sun - as if by chance - advice from another Aries-Sun is about the closest to anyone we will ever listen to, before diving head first at something.
I’ve often wondered what sort of Aries placements my Osteopath has. I would certainly say Manifestor-Aura with fair certainty, perhaps some First-Line in there, and even some Third-Line - so - perhaps, a 1/3 Profile? Potentially a 4/6? A lot of Scorpio energy as their work is transformative and plays in theme to the suspect Manifestor-Aura being closed and unreachable, or a bit on the cold side of things… Maybe they are a Libra-Rising like me, many folks have commented on our resemblance which is more than likely our shared Celtic heritage.
Maybe I will never know their birth data. I feel like they are one who has found great peace in being their own authority which is something I see a part of myself, within their own energy. They have also taken some tumbles in their time which speaks to the Third-Line but also in just how foundational their work is being this feels very First-Line, and more so the 1 / 3 Profile.
“They enjoy their long hours of introspection, and find strength in eventually establishing themselves as an authority so that their personal destiny remains in their own hands. Their Martyr Vehicles or bodies are designed to discover how to navigate the material plane by bumping into things, or being bumped into, literally and figuratively. Adaptable and resilient, they are able to pick themselves up and announce to the world the truth of what does not work.”
★ 1 / 3 Profile - The Definitive Book Of Human Design
I am looking forward to get back into my fitness. It is so imperative for my mental wellbeing and general sense of ease with in myself. I am excited about the prospect of being able to Float’ again soon, as the manager at the gym said they would reach out when it is full and I can help them do some beta testing.
Thank you.
@acousticmutation
#acousticmutation #alexthearies #introspectionadaptation
#humandesignprojector #splenicprojector
#humandesignsystem
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BodyGraph and Natal Charts:
Bcurio.us & Astro-Seek.com
Images generated by: neural.love