Many of us distrust our physical selves, focusing too much on our minds, too much on our ability to think and rationalize to solve all our problems. We walk around like stressed-out heads on sticks, neglecting the mind-body connection. Somatic therapy seeks to heal the split between body and mind (often caused by trauma) and uses breath work and body movement to help people settle their nervous systems. In his book, “My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending our Hearts and Bodies,” Resmaa Menakem describes somatic work as not about reducing stress, but increasing our body’s ability to manage stress. Breathing exercises and meditation won’t make your commute shorter, your co-workers less difficult, your bills easier to pay. But it will help you be less resentful or reactive when your commute, your co-workers, your bills make life more difficult. Menakem’s grandmother inspired his study and use of somatic therapy. “My grandmother was a strong and loving woman. But her body was frequently nervous. She often had a sense that something terrible was about to happen. It was an ancient, inherited sensation that rarely left her — a traumatic retention. She would soothe that sense of impending disaster in a variety of ways. When she was in the kitchen, she would hum — not a steady tone, but entire melodies. As a small child, if I knew the song she was humming, sometimes I would hum along with her, and my body would experience safety and settledness. It felt like a sacred ritual, imbued with meaning and purpose.” Isaiah 12:2-6 is a hymn, a song sung by a people in exile that anticipates their return home. Even though Isaiah 12 falls within the first division of the book of Isaiah, it is unlike the material around it... You can find the rest of the commentary on our website. | 
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