Thanks to the semicircular canals, the ear ensures a balance function that determines our postural aptitudes. Alfred Tomatis demonstrated that the vestibular (balance) and cochlear (sound decoding) functions of the ear are unified into a single system. Anatomically, the vestibular nerve is present at every level of the spinal cord and is directly connected from there to all the muscles of the body.
It’s for this reason that sensory stimulation of the ear through “the Tomatis effect” (thanks to the use of “electronic ears”) acts on body image by improving awareness and control of all body segments. Furthermore, the vestibular system controls the temporo-spatial awareness required in rhythm and balance, and this has its importance in the field of dance, for example.
Verticality promotes fullness of listening, as reaching out to the ear is also reaching out to the body to listen, in order to provide information on the sensitive areas of our skin covering.
Sessions led by Michela Negro and Marie-Axelle Orset