The Gift of Embodiment

As we feel the delicate emergence of life starting to happen since the last year of the pandemic, I can sense my body saying “easeful please, go slowly, slowly.”

We know that trauma is the nervous system’s adaptive response to overwhelm, feeling “too much,” and having little to no sense of choice. How can we begin to cultivate the practice of slowing down, deep listening and responding with mindfulness to what is right here, in relationship with ourselves, our friends and family, community and the natural world?

Embodiment is the center of wellness in all relationships.

My twin sister asked me the other day what embodiment meant. I responded “it’s when we slow down, to get mindful and curious in the present moment, notice, sense, feel, think and then choose to act.” She says “like feeling calm?” In a way, yes, embodiment is a practice that can empower a sense of calm when we aren’t rushing, forcing, urging, asserting, managing, doing and doing more. 

Embodiment practice can cultivate our natural innate state, which is calm.

As I write my first blog post (which is an effort of embodiment practice in itself for me), a thunder cloud rolls overhead. The skies begin to pour trickling raindrops cascading a beautiful streaming dance over the windows. The light of the sunshine simultaneously shines through the glistening waters as the smell of fresh pine rises from the earth and fills the cool air brushing my face. I take a moment to tune into all senses external and internal. I notice that my body senses a deep vibration down my spine into my belly. Next, my breath opens in my chest, after from being stuck and constricted, to feeling more openness. Next, I feel ease and gratitude. I follow what arises is my ability to be more connected to my environment expands, and I can relate to the people around me with more clarity and presence.

Embodiment is this. Tuning into the present moment, sensing the moment through 5 senses, internal sensations, movement, emotion and thought. It cultivates safety, choice and presence. If you can just notice one of these, you are embodying your true nature, if you can follow the weaving thread of all of these precious experiences through the vessel of the body, how wonderful. To me, embodiment is a spiritual practice.

Try it out.

Start small. Small and simple lets the body know you care, and are taking your time. We will have other blogs around communication with the body cultivating deep listening practices.  

For now, you can imagine somewhere safe in nature or go to an actual place in nature.

Start with tuning into the feet. Just bringing awareness to the feet grounds us.

What senses do you notice? What sounds do you hear? What do you see? Smell? What can you touch?

Now bring your awareness to your body, is there one sensation you notice? Maybe another follows?

As you follow the sensation, what emotion arises? Is there an image with the emotion?

As you stay with the emotion, what is the emotion saying if it had words?

Now being right here. Taking your time to just be.

Embodiment awakens and enlivens our relationship to all of life. Without it, we are disconnected and separate from ourselves, one another and the living earth. Embodiment is a revolutionary gift of kindness to the world.

 

An Invocation to the Body with the Earth

This body wants to just Be

Into the Earth

Resting and Heart open

To the Skies

Unveiled and held

Under the stars

Sacred support

Immersed down into the Soul of the Earth’s soil

Darkness and roots

These Bones begin to Breathe again

Exhaling ancient soundscapes

Remembering

Their ancient songs

To be heard and danced

Into the earth

Under the stars

Together, we return

Through our bodies, with the Earth, one another

Once again

This Body can now just Be