Module 5: Cultivating Presence
We've talked about cultivating presence through mindfulness and connecting with nature. Now, let's bring that awareness into our bodies. Our bodies hold the imprint of our experiences – not just our personal experiences, but also the collective experiences of our ancestors and the ongoing impact of societal forces. This includes the experiences of oppression, trauma, and marginalization.
Embodied practices are ways of working with the body to release trauma, cultivate resilience, connect with our power, and challenge internalized oppression. They can help us heal from the wounds of the past and show up more fully in the present. They also remind us that liberation is not just a mental concept; it must be lived and felt in our bodies.
Why Embodiment Matters
Our bodies are not separate from our minds or our social and political realities. They are deeply interconnected. Experiences of oppression, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, and ableism, can have a profound impact on our physical and emotional well-being. These experiences can get "stored" in the body as tension, pain, anxiety, and other physical and emotional symptoms.
Embodied practices offer a way to:
Release Trauma: Help release trauma and tension held in the body.
Regulate the Nervous System: Help regulate the nervous system, reducing stress and anxiety.
Cultivate Resilience: Build inner resources for coping with difficult emotions and challenging situations.
Connect with Inner Power: Reclaim a sense of agency and empowerment.
Challenge Internalized Oppression: Help us become aware of and challenge the ways in which we've internalized negative messages about ourselves and our bodies.
Interrupt Bias: Help us notice and interrupt our own biases and conditioned reactions as they are happening in our bodies. For example, noticing the physical sensations of tension or discomfort that might arise when we encounter someone from a different background.
Practices
Here are some examples of embodied practices that can support anti-oppression work. It's important to approach these practices with self-awareness, compassion, and a willingness to listen to your body's signals.
Yoga (with a Trauma-Informed and Social Justice Lens): Yoga can be a powerful tool for cultivating body awareness, releasing tension, and building strength and resilience. However, it's crucial to be mindful of cultural appropriation issues and to choose teachers and styles that are explicitly trauma-informed and anti-oppressive.
Look for:
Teachers who are knowledgeable about trauma and its impact on the body.
Classes that offer modifications and variations to suit different needs and abilities.
Spaces that are inclusive and welcoming to people of all backgrounds.
Teachers who acknowledge the roots of yoga in Indian culture and avoid appropriative language or imagery.
Avoid: Classes that are overly focused on achieving "perfect" poses or that promote a competitive or judgmental atmosphere.
Dance and Movement: Free-form dance and movement can be a powerful way to express emotions, release tension, and connect with your body's wisdom. There's no "right" or "wrong" way to move; it's about listening to your body and allowing it to express itself.
Put on music that you love and let your body move however it wants to.
Pay attention to the sensations in your body as you move.
Notice any emotions that arise and allow yourself to feel them.
Explore different types of movement – fast, slow, gentle, strong.
Consider exploring traditional dance forms from your own cultural heritage or from other cultures (with respect and appropriate attribution).
Breathwork: Conscious breathing practices can help regulate the nervous system, reduce stress and anxiety, and increase self-awareness.
Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing): Inhale deeply, allowing your belly to expand. Exhale slowly, allowing your belly to contract.
Alternate Nostril Breathing: A yogic practice that involves alternating breaths through each nostril.
Box Breathing: Inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four.
Somatic Experiencing (SE): This is a therapeutic modality developed by Peter Levine that focuses on resolving trauma by working with the body's natural capacity to heal.
Focus on Interruption
One of the most powerful aspects of embodied practices is that they can help us become more aware of our physical sensations and how these sensations relate to our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This awareness can be a powerful tool for interrupting our own biases and conditioned reactions.
For example, you might notice that you feel a tightening in your chest when you encounter someone from a different racial group. This physical sensation might be a sign of unconscious bias or fear. By becoming aware of this sensation, you can pause, take a breath, and choose a different response – one that is based on understanding and compassion, rather than on unconscious prejudice.
Embodied practices are not a quick fix, but they can be a powerful pathway to healing, liberation, and social change. They remind us that our bodies are not just vehicles for carrying our minds around; they are sources of wisdom, resilience, and power.