Healthy Somatic Identity

Healthy Identity is the foundation of the Soma Path. Before deeper self-inquiry, transformation, or expanded awareness can unfold, a person must first experience psychological and somatic stability. Healthy Identity provides this stability. It is not about discovering a “true self” or dissolving identity, but about strengthening the functional identity that allows us to live, relate, and participate in the world with clarity and resilience. In Soma, identity is understood as a social and cultural structure—formed through family, relationships, beliefs, and lived experience. While this identity is not our ultimate nature, it serves an essential purpose: it protects the nervous system, filters overwhelming experience, and creates the stability required for meaningful life and practice. This course explores what Dr. Jivasu calls a Healthy Somatic Identity, characterized by five essential qualities: • Self-care • Care of others • Healthy boundaries • Trust • Quest (a natural orientation toward growth and meaning) Through reflection, observation, and simple embodied practices, this course helps you recognize how your identity is currently functioning and where it may need support. Rather than trying to change or fix yourself, the focus is on establishing reliability, coherence, and balance in daily life. Healthy Identity is the ground on which all further Soma experiences stand. Without it, deeper work can feel destabilizing. With it, growth becomes sustainable.