What is it to consciously connect to your embodiment and what makes up your embodiment? Can a person be disconnected from themselves, and does that change their embodiment? We are all embodied through our experiences, our way of living our lives, our traumas, and our beliefs about ourselves and the world we live in. This means that whatever happened to us previously, and whatever we keep reinforcing with our thoughts, we embody as information in the body right now. You can be very aware of your soma, but you can also be completely unaware of your soma, which results in a different life experience, where your body remains a mere object. You have to choose to consciously have a communicative relationship with your body.
Conscious of all that you embody
When you connect to your body, you connect to everything that you embody. It is not only flesh and bone; it is the past, present and future. Consciously connecting to yourself allows you to connect to all of who you are, and all of what you are experiencing. It opens up nuance and new understanding for yourself and your environment.
Consciously connecting to your embodiment gives you access to your body wisdom, your true power and inner strength. Isn’t that beautiful? Your embodiment is intelligence, and so many people are completely unaware of it, treating their bodies as if the world is a beauty pageant, when there is so much more to it.
Feel deeper connected with life
Society doesn’t leave much room for its people to be connected to their soma, because it requires us to be hectic, in a hurry, obedient, unaware of our actual needs, unconscious of what values are your own and which ones are being fed to you. Consciously connecting to their embodiment has more people changing their values, belief system, habits and self-awareness. People are desperate to feel a deeper connection to their life experience, their purpose, and pursuing what makes them happy, rather than running around stressed, purposeless, highly performing, yet disconnected from themselves. When we consciously connect to our embodiment, consciously show up for ourselves, intentionally connect to our body and life experience, we show ourselves dignity. When we consciously connect to ourselves we establish a deeper connection to bodymind and soul, which connects us to our strengths and has us living life from a place of resourcefulness.
6 practical ways to connect
These are some practical ways you can show up for yourself:
1. Hold yourself throughout your day. Place your hands on your belly, chest, head, take a moment to connect to what is present. Practicing to connect to your body and inner being, is to make the intention to be there for yourself.
2. Breathe for yourself. Notice how it makes you grow and take more space. Feel your ribcage, your intestines, your lungs move with the breath. Give yourself permission to expand and connect to your senses. Becoming big in this way is difficult for many, if we are taught to not take space, or to be small and look thin!
3. Name a physical sensation, a present emotion, and a thought playing in your mind. This makes you aware of the relationship between the thought and physical reactions you might be having due to thought patterns.
4. Follow the good feeling and that what brings you joy. Call it your self care routine, mindfulness, meditation, or taking time for yourself, by following what makes you feel good you show up for yourself.
5. Self-regulating your nervous system when you are stressed or worried is also a way of showing up for yourself. Cultivating calm and interrupting stress and anxiety loops creates space for your self-healing abilities. Your body needs nurture and calm, a sense of safety to stay healthy.
6. Up-regulate your state to get energized. Take a few quick conscious breaths into your chest to enter a perspective from within, waking up your senses, allowing your body and mind to become more alert and your environment to become more noticeable.
Conscious connection fosters empathy
When you connect to your body you learn how to be in your skin in a new way, which means that you get more sensitive to experiencing life in your body. Connecting to your embodiment fosters empathy, compassion, love and sensitivity for others and your surroundings. This makes you enjoy the little things more, because you become aware of them in a new way. You enjoy sensations more, physical pleasures such as the sun on your face, the wind pushing on your back, the taste of food, the touch from a friend. You will feel more connected to your friends and people who are in your environment, because as you connect to your body you will be able to sense them and be present with them in a more authentic way. Connecting to your embodiment lets you feel more connected to the world, nature, and the people in your environment. Conscious connection foster a relationship with your soul and intuition. This makes you more present which improves the quality of your relationships and lets you feel connected rather than lonely.
People long for deeper connection
If consciously connecting to your embodiment or your authentic self has piqued your interest, you are likely longing for a deeper soul connection with yourself, knowing that this will translate into your work life, your perception of purpose, any visions for your future, and into your relationships. Yes, investing in our self-development and growth is important, and when we include the body we will grow at a much more profound level.
Somatic Coach and Non-violent Communication Trainer David Weinstock said ”Living more fully in the body increases the capacity to relate compassionately, align what we say with our deeper intentions, manage mood and emotion, and take skillful, decisive action. These skills are essential for any of us who want to deepen the quality of our relationships, generate community, cultivate reverence for the sacred, and effect positive change; whether it’s personal, social, environmental, or political.”