PT581 – Kama Flight: The Healing Power of Somatic Movement, Communication, and Trust, with Jeremy Falk & Dr. David Rabin, MD, Ph.D.
Jan 14, 2025
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Jeremy Falk, a certified Kama Flight instructor, and Dr. David Rabin, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, dive deep into the world of somatic movement and healing. They explore the transformative power of Kama Flight, a fusion of yoga and contact improvisation that enhances trust and communication between partners. The duo highlights the importance of play, consent, and the joy found in mistakes, showcasing how these elements facilitate healing. They also discuss the benefits of switching roles in the practice and the significant growth clients experience over time.
Kama Flight integrates somatic movement and communication to enhance trust and relational dynamics between partners, crucial for emotional healing.
The practice prepares individuals for psychedelic experiences by reinforcing consent, body awareness, and safety through dynamic partner interactions.
Deep dives
Overview of Kama Flight
Kama Flight is an innovative wellness practice that integrates elements from acroyoga, Thai massage, and contact improvisation to create a unique partner movement experience. The practice involves two roles: the base, who leads the movements, and the voyager, who receives and communicates feedback during the session. This dynamic encourages collaboration and enhances relational intelligence as participants learn to listen to each other’s needs through physical touch and movement. The experience is designed not just for physical engagement but also fosters emotional connection and understanding between partners.
Neuroscience and Body Awareness
The practice emphasizes the importance of partner touch and movement in fostering a deeper connection to one’s own body and emotions. Neuroscientist Dr. Dave Rabin discusses how these types of interactions can activate the vagus nerve, promoting relaxation and recovery by signaling safety to the body. This physiological response helps participants transition from a state of anxiety and stress to one of calmness and openness, which is crucial for emotional healing. Such movement practices provide a safe space to explore sensations, release stored tension, and enhance overall well-being.
Building Trust and Redefining Leadership
A crucial aspect of Kama Flight is the development of trust between participants, which is foundational for both therapeutic practices and personal relationships. The dynamic dance encourages the base to lead with strength and sensitivity while helping the voyager learn to let go and trust in another's guidance. This duality of leadership and receptivity is viewed as a means to challenge traditional power dynamics and foster healthier relational patterns. As participants engage in the practice, they often discover insights about their communication styles and personal growth, influencing their lives beyond the sessions.
Integration with Psychedelic Therapy
Kama Flight is proposed as an effective adjunct to psychedelic therapy, preparing individuals for their experiences by reinforcing trust, consent, and body awareness. The method emphasizes the necessity of establishing a safe environment prior to engaging in psychedelic sessions to mitigate the risks of trauma and enhance therapeutic outcomes. By practicing consent and communication within the structure of the dance, individuals can better navigate their emotional states and sensations during and after the psychedelic journey. This holistic approach encourages participants to integrate their experiences, making the healing process more comprehensive and meaningful.
In this episode, Joe interviews Jeremy Falk: certified instructor and training program developer for Kama Flight; and Dr. David Rabin, MD, Ph.D.: board-certified psychiatrist and neuroscientist, co-founder & chief Medical Officer at Apollo Neuroscience, and advisor to the non-profit, Kama Flight Foundation.
Kama Flight is a wellness modality for partners, inspired by the movements of Watsu therapy, Thai massage, 5Rhythms, tango, improv dance, and Acroyoga. At the heart of it is the dynamic between the two people engaged in the dance (the ‘base’ and the ‘voyager’), which touches on collaboration, leadership, receptivity, strength, surrender, and most importantly, trust. The communication and instant feedback shared between the partners mixed with the healing energy of the somatic movements results in moving stuck energy out of their bodies while also making them more comfortable with touch, agency, and consent – which could be extremely beneficial toward preparing for a psychedelic experience.
They talk about:
The four principles behind Kama Flight: permission, presence, polarity, and play
The humility and humor in people trying (and failing) some of the movements, and how that is healing in itself
The huge benefit in people switching between the roles of base and voyager
What kind of growth they’ve seen in clients over extended periods of time
The importance of making time for pleasure in our lives