Michigan staffer explores somatics and organizing [Video]

Are there exercises you do that are part of this somatic work?

There’s a group exercise we do in the AFSC office called “rowing.” When things get out of whack around here, we row together.

We get in a circle and start rowing. We all rock back and forth and use our hands like we’re rowing a boat. When it starts out, everybody is rocking and rowing to their own rhythm. Some are going really slow – like, “I’m tired and don’t really want to do this.” And some are going really fast, like “Let me hurry up and get this over.”

But if you ground yourself and continue to row, and you all keep rowing – when you look around, you’re all rowing at the same pace, and we’re rowing together. What that does is create unity – us being able to come together and move forward together. So …