Are you disconnected from your body?
Have you been hearing everybody talk about embodiment lately?
The 'somatic workouts' and 'nervous system regulation techniques' you might have come across are nothing new but have certainly gained traction in the wellness sphere over the last 3-5 years.
It feels like people trying to re-brand yogic philosophy to something more appealing for the average Westerner dabbling in self-help because they cry too much (hi, it's me).
It's not entirely 'woo-woo' - it is drawn from thousands of years of indigenous wisdom.
Embodiment is a term to describe practices that encourage us to tune in to our body's signals and allow them to guide self-expression so that we can live more authentically and with more presence.
These days, it is an act of rebellion to be truly connected to our bodies, when denial and restriction are praised as a form of martyrhood. Hustle culture, 'no-pain-no-gain' mentality, diet culture, purity culture, xenophobia, homophobia and transphobia are the external forces that tell us to suppress what we truly desire to meet the demands of a society that expects us to fit a certain mould of being.
Of course, it is a struggle to 'listen to our bodies', like we are so often told to when in so many other aspects of our lives we are essentially told the opposite.
Whilst nervous system regulation, breath work, yoga and somatic exercises are ways that we can practice embodiment and re-claim autonomy over our sensational experiences, it's ironic when they are somehow marketed as tools to make us 'hotter' and 'more efficient workers' when the pressure to be such things is what dysregulated our nervous systems in the first place.
I think it is great that we are talking about how to calm our nervous systems when many of us are permanently in fight-or-flight mode, but for true change to happen, we really must examine the external reasons why we are so out of touch with our bodies and what that is doing to our health.
Because it is also impossible to love your body when you don't enjoy being in your body.
Even if you reach your goal weight, or you achieve a huge milestone with your fitness - your body image correlates with your level of body appreciation.
My challenge for you this week...
1) Start paying attention to ways that you are grateful for your body. Journal, write a note, or take a mental log of things that your body continues to do for you that you appreciate. It doesn't have to be anything 'impressive' either.
2) Start practicing embodiment by pausing throughout the day to pay attention to the signals your body is telling you. As you're typing on your computer, notice if you're tensing through your jaw, neck or shoulders. As you're eating, pay attention to your heart rate, hunger signals and taste sensations.
I expand on the topic of embodiment in my latest podcast, which is an essay titled How did we become so disconnected to our bodies? I would love for you to listen <3
