What is Embodiment?
In the context of human development, embodiment is a perspective of the mind-body connection that does not view the mind as separate and apart from the body, but as an integral component.
For many years, we viewed the brain and mind as the enigmatic epicenter of human behavior and consciousness. What we have learned is that the mind is not sending commands to the body, but rather the body and mind engage each other in conversation.
In other words, you cannot divorce the body from the mind or the mind from the body. The mind and body are working together to achieve homeostasis - healthy or unhealthy, balanced or imbalanced. While there are modern theories and applications for the mind-body connection, the concept is much, much older.
The reason why most change initiatives fail is because they are trying to control either body or mind. Or they are trying to use one to control the other. But the issue is that conversations - at least in the context of mind and body - are not about power and control. They are about reciprocal relationships.
When I practice embodiment it is about building a relationship with body, mind, and soul to have a more active role in the conversation. It is about flow, not control. It is about attunement, not domination. It is about disciplined practice, not forced labor.
Now, it is not lost on me that there are many relationships that DO seem to be about power and control. I may say more about that in another post, but the point I want you to grasp is that when we engage our mind, body, and soul from a place of domination, it’s like trying to keep a wave upon the sand. BUT, when we observe the ebb and flow of the tides - when we start to understand the conversation - we can learn to dance with the waves.
As you develop this reciprocal relationship with your mind and body, remember to be playful. Most of all, stay curious. Sometimes there are monsters under the bed and skeletons in the closet, but they aren’t always as scary and malicious as they seem.
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