Human beings are inherently designed to be embodied. But what does that mean?
Embodiment simply means you’re living in your body. You might say, “Of course I’m living in my body.” But I’d like to suggest you check to make sure. Try feeling where your attention is. Is it in your head, your belly, your feet? Most of the time we don’t stop to notice, but when we do, it can be surprising to find that many of us are actually living only in our heads and our minds.
And, when we do notice, we discover that something is missing. A lot of things are missing, actually. Because when our attention is in our heads, our nervous system is disconnected and under stress. We’re not paying attention to our gut feelings, and we make decisions based more on what’s outside us rather than inside us. This can make us feel anxious and like something isn’t right.
When we live in our heads, we tend to do things for reasons based on an idea that isn’t actually right for us, rather than what truly feels good and right. Living in our heads means we’re living in the past or the future. Being embodied brings us into the present moment, where our felt sense of wisdom can guide us. We all know we are much more than just our thoughts, but we don’t quite know how to get to the rest of us.
Embodiment is the missing piece that gets us out of our head and into the whole. Once that happens, everything works better. We do it by dropping into our body, in a compassionate and connected way. It’s actually very simple to do.
Start by simply feeling into your body. I usually suggest beginning with sensing your feet, legs or lower abdomen. Take a moment and try it now. Sink into your body and allow yourself to feel into the envelope within the outline of skin. You might notice a fluidity within your being or a sense of inner spaciousness.
If you’re doing it now, you probably notice things have slowed down a bit. Perhaps your breathing has slowed, or your muscle tension has dissipated. This is the fastest and most powerful way to experience embodiment, which is unique for everyone depending upon one’s experiences in life. Ultimately, this act of felt connection within is a beautiful loving gift we give to ourselves.
Putting Embodied Sensing Into Daily Practice
Getting into the daily lived and breathed experience of embodiment takes a bit of practice because we’re so much in the habit of thinking, we forget to feel. We forget to be. And that makes us forget who we really are as human beings: sensing, present, integrated in mind, body, and spirit.
We have a whole body to live in, and when we remember to sink into the wholeness of our embodied being, we feel good. Our nervous system can work the way it was designed to. It’s why some people need to exercise to feel okay, others garden, and still others enjoy dance or competitive sports. For many it’s this kind of somatic movement that reminds us of and gets us into our bodies.
What may be surprising to many is we can also be embodied without moving. Profound embodiment can happen through stillness, silence, and sensing. Take a moment again, now, and bring your awareness down inside the framework of your body in whatever way feels right. Trust your own freedom to feel your whole body in a way that feels good. Sensing ourselves within our body gets us into the present moment. The more we sense our embodiment, the more moments we can be truly present. Are you still sensing and feeling your own inner presence?
We have feet that touch the ground for a reason. Our feet are the roots of our body. They connect us to the earth. Strong roots help us not get knocked over by the winds of life, and give us a strong foundation to be steady on our feet. Noticing our feet is a form of embodiment that can ground us, bringing more balance into our lives. Any awareness or small action that fosters sensing, feeling, dropping in and being in your body will increase the benefits of your embodiment.
Dr. Jacey Goddard is a triple board certified, hands-on biodynamic osteopathic and integrative physician, healer and educator. With lessons learned from 25 years of working with complex patients, she’s developed a simple but profound science-backed, wholeness-based, mind-body-spirit integration methodology that anyone can use to calm their own nervous system. Visit www.drjaceygoddard.com.
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