The 12 Somatic Knots of Trauma: Untying the Body’s Hidden Memories

by Stephanie Bucklin

Our bodies remember what the mind forgets.

The silent language of trauma is carried not only in our stories but also in our muscles, fascia, and breath. When energy is blocked, it shows up as tension, posture imbalances, digestive discomfort, or even a muted voice. These blocks — what some traditions call somatic knots — are both guardians of old pain and gateways to healing.

From the sacrum to the jaw, twelve primary knots shape how we breathe, move, love, and create. When they begin to release, life-force flows again where it was once held back. What if the knots were never permanent — only misunderstood codes waiting for us to listen?

What Are Somatic Knots?

Somatic knots are areas where trauma and survival responses crystallize in the body. Each knot is not merely tension — it is a memory, an emotion, or an incomplete protective reflex.

Bessel van der Kolk writes in The Body Keeps the Score:

“Trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on the mind, brain, and body.”

Peter Levine, founder of Somatic Experiencing, reminds us:

“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.”

By moving with awareness, we can invite these knots to unwind in safety and presence.

The 12 Knots: A Map from Sacrum to Jaw

1. Sacrum – The Root of Safety

Here lies our primal trust. Trauma here feels like hypervigilance or frozen fear. Grounding practices and pelvic release help restore security.

2. Lower Abdomen – Vital Energy & Creativity

This knot holds shame and repression, dimming our creative fire. Gentle hip movement and playful expression reawaken flow.

3. Solar Plexus – Personal Power

Tight diaphragms reveal collapsed will. Breathwork and vagus nerve toning help us reclaim agency.

4. Stomach / Gut – Digesting Life

Unprocessed grief and anxiety often dwell here. Somatic breath and mindful nourishment support integration.

5. Heart – The Portal of Connection

Armoring in the chest signals guardedness against heartbreak. Heart-opening practices invite vulnerability.

6. Shoulders – Carrying the World

Knots here mirror burdens too heavy to bear. Movement and boundary practices lighten the load.

7. Throat – The Silenced Voice

Swallowed words and stifled truths sit here. Toning, humming, and authentic speech restore voice.

8. Jaw – Unspoken Rage

Clenching hides anger or determination denied. Conscious sound release and gentle massage untie the jaw.

9. Eyes / Brow – Perception & Vigilance

This knot forms from hyper-awareness and fear of rest. Soft gaze practices and EMDR help restore vision.

10. Crown – Spiritual Connection

A tight skull base cuts us off from Source. Craniosacral work and meditation invite belonging.

11. Hands & Arms – Reaching Out

Tension here reflects withheld giving or receiving. Gentle touch and consent-based exercises reopen flow.

12. Feet & Ankles – Stepping Into Life

Trauma here immobilizes. Grounding barefoot on the earth and mindful walking restore stability.

Somatic Movement Practices for Release

Untying these knots is not about forcing the body open — it is about awakening what has been asleep. Somatic pioneers emphasize slow, mindful exploration that allows the nervous system to feel safe enough to let go.

🌿 Hanna Somatics: Pandiculation

Thomas Hanna taught that chronic muscular tension can be reset through pandiculation — gentle contractions followed by slow, conscious release. This retrains the brain to recognize relaxation as the baseline.

🌿 Feldenkrais: Awareness Through Movement

Moshe Feldenkrais believed:

“Movement is life, and life is a process.”

By moving slowly and curiously, we expand awareness and reorganize our patterns. Small, exploratory movements (rolling, spiraling, shifting weight) help re-pattern the body at a neurological level.

🌿 Continuum: Fluid Unwinding

Emilie Conrad developed Continuum Movement to awaken the body’s fluid intelligence. Gentle undulations, breath, and sound melt fascial restrictions, helping the “liquid body” rehydrate and flow.

🌿 Body-Mind Centering: Cellular Breath

Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen teaches us to sense movement beginning at the cellular level. By placing awareness in the tissues (bones, organs, fluids), we re-establish a living dialogue between body and consciousness.

🌿 Yoga & Breath Practices

Patanjali wrote in the Yoga Sutras:

“When the breath wanders, the mind is unsteady. But when the breath is still, so is the mind.”

Pranayama, restorative postures, and mindful asana create openings for knots to release safely.

Gentle Principles for Untying the Knots

When approaching somatic knots, the most important quality to bring is gentleness. Go slowly, because trauma is stored in the nervous system, not just the muscles. If we rush or push too hard, the body may perceive it as another threat, tightening even further. Instead, choose micro-movements — like rocking the hips gently, rolling the shoulders in small circles, or releasing the jaw with soft, slow openings. These subtle gestures reassure the body that it is safe, and that healing can happen at its own pace.

Equally important is the invitation to stay curious. Trauma often creates rigid patterns of defense, but curiosity loosens those walls. Instead of trying to “fix” or force release, explore the knot with a sense of inquiry: What does this part of my body feel like right now? Does it change if I breathe here? Can I notice the difference between tension and ease? This gentle questioning shifts us from judgment to exploration, allowing the body to reveal its own wisdom.

The third principle, listen inside, is at the heart of somatic practice. Movement is not about achieving a certain posture or shape; it’s about deepening awareness of inner sensation. By tuning in to subtle cues — tingling, warmth, heaviness, or even emotion rising to the surface — we begin to understand what the knot has been holding. Listening with compassion rather than resistance allows the nervous system to soften and complete the protective response that was once frozen in time.

Finally, after any shift or release, it is essential to pause and integrate. Stillness is not the absence of healing — it is the space where healing takes root. After a knot unwinds, spend time simply noticing the new openness, the flow of breath, or the wave of emotion that may arise. By allowing this pause, the nervous system anchors the change, turning a fleeting moment of relief into lasting transformation. Integration may look like resting quietly, journaling about the experience, or grounding with a walk outside. This closing ritual seals the healing and invites the body to trust that it is safe to stay open.

Resources for Your Somatic Journey

Here are a few videos to deepen your exploration of somatic knots and trauma release:

Closing Reflection

Your body is not broken — it is brilliantly adaptive. The knots within you are not flaws; they are guardians of wisdom waiting for you to listen. Through somatic movement, breath, and compassionate attention, you can transform tension into flow, and silence into song.

Namaste,

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Ready to Untie Your Own Knots?

Your body holds the wisdom to heal — and you don’t have to walk this journey alone. If you’re feeling called to release what’s been held and reconnect with your deepest vitality, I invite you to experience a Quantum Healing Session with me. In this one-on-one session, we gently explore the energy knots in your system, bringing light and flow back where tension has lingered.

For those who wish to move through these releases more consciously in the body, I also offer Private Gentle Yoga Training — tailored to your unique needs, creating a safe and nurturing space to explore mindful movement and breath.

And if you’re ready for continuous support, inspiration, and community, consider joining my Soul Journey Membership. Inside, you’ll receive access to guided practices, group gatherings, and resources designed to keep you grounded and empowered as you untie the knots of body, mind, and spirit — one step at a time.

Your healing journey is waiting. Will you take the next step?

👉 Book Your Session or Join the Membership Here