Our bodies are inseparable from nature.
Ecosomatics is best defined by its parts. Soma refers to the body as its perceived from within. Rather than the human body being observed from the outside, the human soma is a distinct phenomenon. These two viewpoints allow humans to be equally internally self-aware and externally aware. Eco points to the environment and the phrase in its entirety encapsulates the fact that ecology, the natural world, and the lived experience of the body are inseparable.
This awareness has been a part of Indigenous cultures across the world for centuries, and the mere naming of ecosomantics illustrates the ways in which we have moved away from our connection to nature as a result of capitalism, colonization, white supremacy, and patriarchy. Practicing ecosomatics through a Western lens must honor Earth's true caretakers. It can be through restoring sovereignty to the land and Indigenous people; learning about the cultural contexts of where we live and understanding that places hold deep meaning, living history, and knowledge; being truly present by tuning in to textures, sounds, and smells of nature within us; or by simply planting a seed.
Planetary health and human health are entwined—what benefits the planet, benefits our minds. How do you reconnect with nature?
