Human existence rests upon the fact of embodiment.
Embodiment is, in fact, the terms of a person's existence.
~Stanley Keleman
As human beings we are a somatic entity: a living, breathing creative process in action. As such, we are equipped with an innate somatic consciousness. It is called Embodiment. Simply put, embodiment is the state of being awake and aware of one's existence expressed through a physical body. The ever changing physical form of our body is where we experience Life and share our presence with others. [1] Our Presence with a capital "P" is a continual process of internal and external growth. Embodiment is then a form of internal and external communication expressed to the world through conscious awareness.
Through embodiment we become aware of: The subtle energies that animate our body - Is it flowing or stagnant? Is energy clogged in a knee thereby limiting our movement through space? Maybe our energy is bound to an emotion (grief, hurt, sorrow) not allowing us to move forward; Our breath - Is it shallow? Deep? Fast? Slow? Breath is life...are we holding our breath?; Our muscular or skeletal holding patterns established unconsciously in response to stress, emotions or thoughts - Are our shoulders loose, limber, hunched over or stiff? Are we protecting an emotional state through our bodily expression?
As a shy teenager I walked hunched at the shoulders, caved in chest, head tilted down towards the feet walking in a guarded state for self protection...this is a form of embodiment. I was not consciously aware of the body armor [2] I created for protection...I just did it instinctively. As I curved my body around my core I pulled in my energy in an attempt to protect my emotional core...call it chakras/body armoring...I tried to shrink into invisibility...to become unnoticed.
My senior year I lost my best friend and being the loner that I am..I made a conscious decision to change my form to show that, "I'm strong and confident on my own. I am self reliant. I don't need anyone."[3] I raised my 5'8" frame upright, head held high, shoulders square to create this illusion of confidence. By changing my bodily form I transformed my energy into an outward projection. I wasn't aware of what image I was projecting at the time. My hope was simply for confidence. Years later I met a guy from school that filled me in on what I actually projected...he thought I was a stuck up bitch who was above everyone else. Me? You've got to be kidding...I was terrified inside! Yet..that's what many interpreted my projected image/energy/embodiment to be. I created the terms of my existence without being consciously aware of what I was doing. Yikes! (Please tell me this is starting to sounds familiar and make sense)
The sensations within our body is a language we should know so that we are not only aware of what we are projecting with our body, but so we can authentically express our presence...this is who I am. We often ignore this internal language or more likely we were never taught the language and therefore do not understand it or how it could be used to our benefit.
Our body is the inseparable vehicle that houses our mind and spirit - it is our home. It is where we live. We cannot escape our bodily existence. Learning it's language is then essential to our personal growth and physical health. Through learning to live our lives in a state of embodiment we ground ourselves within our own presence which allows us to interact authentically in relationship with self and others.
That all sounds great, or maybe even a bit confusing. Right? How do we learn to embody our selves?
The first step is awareness and the topic of my next mind bending step into embodiment. Until then...may the odds ever be in your favor.
Kristy
Sources
[1] Stanley Keleman, (n.d.), The Body We Are, Retrieved from http://www.centerpress.com/ [2] Victor Daniels, (10-05-08),Victor Daniels' Website in The Psychology Department at Sonoma State University lecture notes on Wilhelm Reichand and His Influence, Retrieved from http://www.sonoma.edu/users/d/daniels/reichlecture.html
[3] Anodea Judith, Eastern Body Western Mind - Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self, Celestial Arts, first edition, 1997, rev. 2004, 458 pp.
[1] Stanley Keleman, (n.d.), The Body We Are, Retrieved from http://www.centerpress.com/ [2] Victor Daniels, (10-05-08),Victor Daniels' Website in The Psychology Department at Sonoma State University lecture notes on Wilhelm Reichand and His Influence, Retrieved from http://www.sonoma.edu/users/d/daniels/reichlecture.html
[3] Anodea Judith, Eastern Body Western Mind - Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self, Celestial Arts, first edition, 1997, rev. 2004, 458 pp.
