SOMATICS

AHSE Reflex

The Green Light Reflex

The green light reflex refers is an action posture which involves activation of extensor muscles to rise and go forward. It emerges from a postural event that begins at around six months of age when an infant first contracts the extensor muscles of the back. This reflex, originally called the "Landau response", includes arching the back and extending the neck, arms and legs. It looks much like a sky diver's posture during a freefall descent. The Landau response enables the infant to crawl, sit, and then to stand in preparation for walking. It is the activating influence for our anti-gravity muscles.

The Red Light Reflex

The red light reflex, more commonly known as the "startle response," involves a set of postural changes which happen rapidly when there is a sudden change in our environmental stimulation. A loud noise, or an unexpected sound or sight can trigger the response which includes: shutting the eyes, contracting flexor muscles, holding the breath, etc.

It takes a while to release these responses and to return to normal. Repeatedly triggering the startle reflex leads to chronic muscle holding. This contributes to a forward bending posture. The knees are bent and held together, arms are bent, and the head is thrust forward. Eventually the opposed muscles become contracted, leading to a viselike grip on the body and then to pain.

The Trauma Reflex

The trauma reflex is a protective posture which occurs in response to any physical or severe emotional trauma -- accident, surgery, long-term stress, etc. This postural reflex presents with coupled sidebendings and rotations among the pelvis/trunk/shoulders/head. These postural compensations, which generally appear as lateral tilting or twisting of the body, may be slight, or very noticeable, but their effects can be devastating.

Unfortunately, some people stay in the extremes of these postural reflexes out of habit. In practice, Hanna Somatic Education® resolves these problems through a process of reeducating the brain to correctly direct the balance and control of our muscles.

During this process, a person learns how to regain control of his/her body's voluntary muscles.

And most wonderfully, a person learns how to successfully and automatically keep the musculoskeletal system in a state of balance. This in turn allows maximum freedom from pain and promotes comfort and ease of movement.

You can deepen your understanding of the basic principles of Hanna Somatic Education® by reading the book Somatics and by doing the Somatic Exercise Lessons 1-8 in the book. These 8 Lessons (known as "The Myth of Aging") and other Somatic Exercises are available on audio tape.