Embodiment…as a way to return.

Hi friends, I've missed you. It's been a while since you've heard from me...
 

There's so much to tell you. I wonder how you've been?

I thought the best place to start would be to share a story.

With the next few Inbox Inhales, I'll share some stories from my past season in hopes that they may offer you space to feel and consider your own. Our stories are ever-unfolding, and I have found that when life moves fast, or our circumstances are demanding...or overwhelming....even despairing... we can lose touch.

Lose touch with a sense of our true self. Our sense of being inter-connected. With feeling steadied by Divine Love that is alive and pulsing, even as storms rage around or within.

This past season has felt a bit stormy. I've had moments of feeling disconnected....disoriented...and even here -  I've felt my body offering me a way to return. 

To return to a felt-sense of "okay-ness." Of God-with-me. Of God-with-us...even as my mind and heart is yelling loudly..."what the heck is going on right now?"

And this is what I'd like to offer you....

Parts of my story and some small embodied experiences that helped me to return. Return to myself. To a sense of other people's care. Of God's care, even as I've felt stuck, scared, exhausted or elated. 

Why offer these to you? 

Maybe it’s because I’m an enneagram 8 - who feels and experiences the world through my gut, a place deep within my body. Or that I’ve more recently been given permission to acknowledge this inherent bodily wisdom thanks to teachers, spiritual direction and somatic trauma training. We live in a western culture that values "thinking" as the main way to know things, and so I haven't experienced a lot of permission to listen to my body or heart...and on top of that, I've heard a loud narrative from the church telling me that my body is sinful - or bad - and so it feels dangerous to lean into its wisdom.

I'm not saying our mind is not a gift to be used in making sense of the world... or that it's not possible for us to cause harm towards ourselves or others with our bodies or in reaction to our emotions. Because we can. We can cause harm. 

But does this make our bodies inherently bad? 

I don't think so.

I'm drawn to the wisdom of Scripture that says, 

"Love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength."

We are invited to love with all the aspects we've been given as a human. Our hearts. Our minds. Our souls and our bodies. 

And in the ups and downs of this past season I discovered the gift of my body. That my body has knowing that is different than that of my head or my heart.

In fact, my body has been offering me a way to return.

Return to the steady place within where I can feel ok. Where I can touch the heartbeat of Life that says -

"Here...right here...you are living." 
And here, right now....
"You are loved. You are not alone."

This is what I've learned is called embodiment.

It's your lived and felt experience of being in your body — not just having a body — and how your experience is shaped by your engagement with yourself, others and the world.

My own experiences of embodied awareness have been so deeply helpful that I wanted to share. From one normal person to another!

Inbox Inhales will offer you invitations towards embodiment through my own personal experiences, discoveries and stories, that I hope will resonate with you and open you to the heartbeat of Divine Love that pulses within you and around you, connecting you to God and each other.

So here's the first. A story and a small invitation to be opened and tried...if you like.

A few months ago - I remember looking at Lj across the table and saying “we need the mountains.” And he nodded and booked something because he’s our best travel agent!

The spot had looked familiar when he passed me his phone to check it out - but it wasn’t until we pulled off on the gravel road, heading towards the river, that I was overwhelmed with the memory of wanting to stay here as a little girl. We’d pass this cluster of log cabins nestled up against the river every year, as my family would drive up to the YCAMP for summer break. I’d dream of waking up to the sound of the rushing river and run down to play near the water - feeling the mountain valley walls hold me on all sides.

This time, all grown up and with my own son and daughter in the back-seat… my body seemed to know this was the medicine I needed.  These last few months have been a really hard season and it’s felt like we’ve been facing one big metaphorical mountain after another. (I’ll share more of my story in the coming weeks) but leading up to fall break,

my body was beckoning me to just go.
....to feel.

And as we pulled up to our cabin - the sound of the rushing river was as good as I dreamed it would be.

It seemed to rush to remind me that Life continues to flow…… regardless of how much or how little that I do.

I suspect you've encountered some metaphorical mountains of your own. Watching and listening to the lives of people I love - it seems we’ve all been trying to survive the jagged edges of life these past few years - whether the two-year pandemic, fertility struggles, financial hardships, health scares,  personal or relational loss…

And getting into the real mountains was medicine.

They seemed to gently whisper…

“It’s beautiful here, even still.”

Even with the steep drop offs and piercing night-time winds…the days still bring warm afternoon sun and a soft carpet of golden leaves.  It seems that everything has its place here. Everything belongs (thank you, Rohr).

This was the medicine I needed. And what I wish for you…

• That today as you face mountains of your own, might you remember that everything has its place.

• That Love is ever-flowing - and you are apart of this flow. (Truly - humans are made of more water than anything else!)

Even as you struggle…feel stuck…or can’t see a way through…may you remember that Love’s flow is IN you as much as it’s AROUND you.

Love's is carving a way forward.

Reviving dried bones.

Restoring old stories.

—Maybe today you find some mountains or some water - and settle there.

Even if it’s for a micro moment, perhaps you open yourself to feel. To be moved. To receive this ever-flow of love.

Not sure how? Or where to start?

Friends tell me all the time, "Dev, I don't know how to connect with my body!"

I get it. And that’s what I’d like to offer you today. 

Something small that you can try anywhere. All you need is 12 minutes.
 

Click below for a 4-part embodied centering, where you might come back to your body and experience Love pulsing alive and well, right here, where you are.

Blessings of returning friends,

PS - I have taken a small break from guiding yoga, but have a video coming soon! Also look for some zoom in December and in-person classes returning in January. I'd love to flow with you.

Check out the yoga page for updates!

PPS- I really have missed you and I'd love to hear from you, like really. Reply in the comments....let me know how you're doing. Any of your own metaphorical mountains you've been facing? What's your life has been like? Maybe some of this resonates? Or something else entirely different you want to share!