"Embodied" or "embodiment" are terms that have made more frequent and persistent entries into my life in the past decade. I have regular, intense conversations on the subject of embodiment with my dear friend Leeat; I am currently acting as a "shadow-facilitator" in a course on "Embodied Intuition" at the Earth Song Mysteries School; and I am reading Paula Reeves' stellar book Women's Intuition: Unlocking the Wisdom of the Body. My own graduate research was on the topic of embodiment and its possibilities for transforming both the individual and society. In many ways, the very title of this blog, Remembering the Ancient Deer, is a direct reference to returning to, and remembering the sacred animal that is us, and healing our disembodied fantasies and addictions.
Like one of my great teachers, Marion Woodman, I have resisted the call to dig into the humus of my own being and get acquainted with what I might find there. Wouldn't it be easier to just keep the mind-body split that is at the heart of our culture going? Who wants to dig so deeply into our flawed humanity and face our imperfections? Let's face it - unless one is possessed by a deep passion for truth or is forced by life circumstances (or both) - it does not present itself as a compelling pathway. At least, not in a culture that thrives on perfectionistic ideals and efficiency.
Embodiment means that we remember the wisdom that lives within us, and also acknowledge that spirituality can only be cultivated within this precious human vessel. I believe it also means that we remember what an incredible guide our body truly is, and how its intuition can reveal knowledge and information that our rational mind is, ironically, too slow or limited to grasp.
It is through our bodies that we express our love, do our work in the world, make our mistakes, and experience all the beauty, sadness and wonder that life on Earth has to offer. How tragic that we so often create, or feel overwhelmed by, the hostile environment our bodies have become.
Can we turn within and make peace within our own hearts? Can we go inside and find the truth that resides in the cells and tissues of our very being? Can we find the courage to honour that truth and live it? If our embodiment is what lies in the shadows of this culture, can we find the strength to step outside into the light and claim our birthright?
Can we acknowledge and honour what lies deep within our bones?
BY MARIA VAMVALIS
photo of a healer, Elaneet Barclay-Jones
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