Bill Wilson - AA Founder and Somatic Practitioner

Although Bill Wilson stopped drinking in 1934, in 1960 he was still battling depression, fear and guilt. To deal with these issues he used some of the basic elements of what we now call Somatic Exercise; intention, movement and breathwork. How fascinating!

This letter that he wrote in 1960 inspired me to dig deeper into the study and application of Somatic Exercise to resolve my depression, fear and guilt - and strengthen my recovery. It is also interesting to note that even though he had been sober for 26 years, he still struggled with serious mental health issues. Neither abstinence or AA solved all of this great man's problems.

As Bill Sees It, Page 92 (AA Publication)

Walking Toward Serenity

“When I was tired and couldn’t concentrate, I used to fall back on an affirmation toward life that took the form of simple walking and deep breathing. I sometimes told myself that I couldn’t do even this—that I was too weak. But I learned that this was the point at which I could not give in without becoming still more depressed.

“So I would set myself a small stint. I would determine to walk a quarter of a mile. And I would concentrate by counting my breathing—say, six steps to each slow inhalation and four to each exhalation. Having done the quarter-mile, I found that I could go on, maybe a half-mile more. Then another half-mile, and maybe another.

“This was encouraging. The false sense of physical weakness would leave me (this feeling being so characteristic of depressions). The walking and especially the breathing were powerful affirmations toward life and living and away from failure and death. The counting represented a minimum discipline in concentration, to get some rest from the wear and tear of fear and guilt.”

~ LETTER, 1960 ~