Embodiment as a Practice
“Our bodies are our
vehicles
for change”.
The body holds all of our thoughts, emotions, memories, and experiences. Connecting to them provides a gateway to our hearts and our souls.
There is so much stigma around our bodies and for many it is a terrifying place to reside from.
Many walk around in a state of shame and constantly berate themselves and their human form. The disconnect from our bodies sensations and needs is rampant.
Disordered eating, body image issues, and all-encompassing disconnect and abuse of the body is epidemic and greatly interferes with our ability to heal. Trauma embeds in our tissues and it takes patience and skill to unwind from them.
The body never lies. Our bodies are our messengers and must be treated with reverence and care as we navigate our healing process.
What is embodiment and what does it mean to live embodied?
The term “embodiment” and “embody” have become tremendously cliché and overused terms, yet important to understand and palpably bring awareness to.
To me, embodiment and living embodied is about living in alignment with exactly who we are. There is no gap and no discrepancy. It is about living from a fundamentally connected place and our embodiment being representative of that.
There is a sense of being at home. Of being able to breathe into your wholeness, no matter what your physical or mental state of being is in the moment.
It means to engage oneself with the world through the experiences we receive through our body and perceive through our body.
To embody oneself involves unconditional loving acceptance of the whole of who we are. When we love and accept ourselves unconditionally and show up from that integrated place there is no disparity– we are who we are in every context. We are embodied.
Being embodied means to move through life connected, grounded, and at ease with oneself in every capacity. There is a sense of an experience of being comfortable in your own skin and at peace with who you are.
We can take those deep breaths into the core of who we are and feel a calm, grounded, loving existence. We can remember these moments at times we may forget and we can hold ourselves in the space of loving kindness.
Is this an effortless and straightforward way of living? Absolutely not. It requires consistent practice, a deep self-awareness, and the ability to ride the waves of life remaining connected to yourself.
It is a way of moving through the world that requires a rooted commitment and devotion to the continuous unfolding of your healing, your growth, and your unfolding.
Being embodied doesn’t mean that everything feels good all the time. It just means that we can stay connected to ourselves as we navigate life’s terrain. We learn how to come into our breath, even in the hard times. We can consciously choose to not numb but rather to allow things to circulate as they need to and give permission for them to just be what they are.
We do not turn on ourselves but rather turn towards ourselves.
To embody who we are means to honor ourselves in the deepest sense of the word. It means to listen to what we need and desire and to take action in alignment.
It means being able to locate yourself in midst of the swirls of life. It’s about tapping into that inner compass and cultivating that access point deep within yourself.
Everyone has their own personal flavor and recipe for feeling that sense of embodiment. The process of exploration in this realm is an important aspect of the practice. Trying new avenues, new actions, and new ways of approaching yourself. Exploring unique and creative ways of taking care of yourself, of engaging with the world, and feeling into how they feel in your body and in your heart.
Do these approaches feel aligned with the truth of who you are?
What do you know supports you in accessing this connection?
What practices can you bring into your day-to-day to bridge the gap between what’s going on around you and what’s going on inside of you?
Embodiment is the cornerstone to my work and is a subject that is near and dear to me.
It is also a very dense topic to encapsulate through words in one newsletter. It is my hope that this piece shed some light on this vast and significant subject and perhaps inspired you to explore your own personal embodiment as a practice.
*Interested in going deeper into your own personal embodiment practice in 2020 and seeking some guidance? I would be honored to support you. Please click here to schedule your complimentary 15 minute call to explore your options.