#interoception

#interoception

I've been practicing massage therapy for almost 30 years. I'm aware, likely more than most, how important touch is. Social affective touch: the kind massage therapists offer ― the kind we get from a friendly hug or a compassionate hand on our shoulder ― has been shown to reduce feelings of social isolation. In our increasingly disconnected world, this kind of touch is becoming even more essential.

In my conception of the Affect Management Framework (AMF; Haynes-LaMotte, 2025), affect is defined as an evaluative common currency in consciousness that is attached to the brain's goals and can be swayed by a combination of interoceptive senses, meaning-making processes, the processing dynamics of exteroceptive senses (sight and hearing), and the proprioceptive signals used to control the body. My previous post provided an overview of the framework. This post will explore additional principles of the AMF.

We as subjects cannot be aware of ourselves as objects unless we consist of two distinct things. The brain receives signals from the body to control internal body environment. These signals are also interpreted as subjective emotions in addition to perceptions of body state. Since our microbiomes differ from us, their signals have a distinct nature from other body signals.

Unlike other styles of yoga, somatic yoga shifts the focus from external alignment to personal sensation. It emphasizes feeling each posture from the inside out, letting intuitive movement guide your alignment and intensity. These mindful, unhurried movements also help hydrate and release your fascia, the connective tissue network that surrounds and supports your muscles so the body can move with more ease.

Interoception, often called the 'hidden sense,' allows the brain to receive and interpret internal body signals, crucial for emotional self-awareness.