How redefining embodiment got me better physical results

Embody (v): be an expression of or give a tangible or visible form to (an idea, quality, or feeling).

I’ve struggled to use the word “embodiment” in my work for a while now because it hasn’t felt authentic to the work I do.  There’s a sense of fluidity that’s open to interpretation, vagueness perhaps, even an element of spirituality.  But our bodies aren’t an idea or feeling looking to be defined.  They are always there and we are always in our bodies!  The problem is that we are not always in dialogue with our bodies.

So, to me, embodiment is less of an idea that needs expressing and more an experience already happening that is searching for the right words to put to it.

Embodied Mother Workshop Poster

I have so many conversations with people who immediately say “I am not good at sensing my body.”  But even without working with you, I know that’s not true - assuming you don’t have neuropathy or are paralyzed in some way.  If I asked you to pick up a cup you would feel the cup.  If someone punched you in the stomach, you would feel that pain.  So the issue isn’t really your ability to feel, it’s knowing what to do with that information.

Usually, when we go to work out or do any sort of physical activity we’re modeling the mindset of “no pain no gain” or “just gotta push through the pain”.  There’s an extra layer that, as a woman, life that reinforces this idea that pain is just part of our lived experience.  It never occurred to me there was another way to live.

When I was pregnant I felt like my whole body was turned up.  I could feel every movement of the fetus.  I could feel the changes happening in real time.  And once I gave birth… that never really went away.  I mean, it probably could have if I put myself to the task of ignoring my body or telling myself whatever I was feeling I just needed to push through - as many people do!  But I didn’t.

In some ways it was a bit overwhelming feeling ALL of yourself, but I also had a background in many modalities of body awareness.  I grew up as a dancer and spent years doing yoga before I started working with the Alexander Technique in 2013.  In fact, it wasn’t until I started practicing the Alexander Technique that I really understood what having a conversation WITH your body meant.

I recommitted myself to working with the Alexander Technique after my son was born, in large part because I was in a lot of pain.  I hurt my back 2 months postpartum because I was trying so hard to show the world I was strong.  It took me over 6 months to fully heal from it - and the reason it took so long to heal was because I was truly listening to my body for the first time.  Instead of just glossing over when things felt good enough, I really spent the time to rebuild what needed support.

And with that I redefined what embodiment looks like for me .

The dialogue I have with my body now isn’t “can I push through this to get shit done?”, it’s “how can I move so that I’m not in pain? How can I make this easier and more enjoyable for myself?”  It’s an exploration of what IS available.

It’s a softer and slower way of being… and yet I’m stronger, more capable and more resilient than ever.  I’m currently in the process of healing from the first of TWO ACL surgeries and despite conscious effort to not push myself through this healing I am still making amazing progress.

Am I embodied now?  Absolutely.  But it wasn’t being disembodied that hurt me… it was not listening to what my body was saying.  It was trying to show everyone else I was capable. It was pushing too hard too soon. It was focusing on what wasn’t possible instead of what was.

Redefining what embodiment looks and feels like has allowed me to get better physical results than I could ever have thought possible - both for me and my clients. Finding the softness and ease in the every day. And that’s my work in a nutshell - focusing on what’s already there… and staying curious enough to find an easier, faster, less painful way to do the thing!

If you're interested in how an embodiment practice can change your physical results, send me a message to schedule an intro call. I'd love to share how this work can help you too!