A Gentle Journey
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Somatic Respiratory Integration (SRI)
SRI, on one hand, is a set of 12 exercises developed by Dr Donald Epstein to give people a simple means of connecting in to themselves. On the other hand SRI is a goal to be reached using these particular exercises, the goal being somato (body) respiratory (breath) integration.
In the field of somatic awareness the integration of breath and body signifies an ease with the brain/body connection. This ease between the connection of the brain and body is essential for ongoing wellness for if the brain, for whatever reason, is unaware of parts of the body then communication between the parts will be weakened. With this weakened pathway vital information regarding this area of the body will be quieted and it will take louder and louder messages (symptoms) to get our brain’s attention. This lack of attention may lead to increased disease.
Ongoing wellness includes being able to keep this innate bidirectional monitoring system free of interference so that our awareness stays keen on our inner and outer environments. With a communication system free of interference we are able to receive clearer messages, which allows us to make incremental shifts and changes as opposed to waiting until crisis occurs.
SRI, as the exercise, helps you to keep this communication system open. Through practice it assists in re-connecting areas that may have become disconnected and it helps you to discover areas that are strong and those that are not. Once learned, SRI is a simple, yet profound, addition to any wellness lifestyle.
The 12 stages of SRI are best learned from a trained SRI Wellness Educator. They can be learned either in private sessions or in a group setting, both ways of learning are unique and each offer something different.