Embodiment is the process of realizing that our bodily sensations serve as critical sources of information from our environment. These sensations evolve into emotions, and our bodies hold a vast spectrum of emotions, all generated by the stimuli we receive from our surroundings. By being fully present to our environment, we can better understand the stimuli that activate these emotions within us.
Over the past 10 to 14 days, I’ve experienced feelings of disconnection, dissociation, and numbness. This brought me back to something I’ve often told clients: when you cut yourself off from your body, you also sever your connection to your emotional world. Emotions are multifaceted and dynamic—not a singular experience. Yet, when I disconnect from my body, my mind becomes fixated on one single interpretation or experience, which then dominates my entire being. Without circulation—be it physical, emotional, or mental—stagnation occurs, much like a pool pump that stops working. In nature, stagnation leads to decay, and similarly, emotional stagnation results in negativity and degradation.
To combat this, it’s vital to engage with our body’s natural circulatory processes, allowing the multifaceted nature of our experiences to flow freely. This flow dilutes the intensity of negative emotions by integrating equally valid, pleasant, and joyful experiences. Without this movement, we risk becoming stuck and overwhelmed by negativity.
For me, spending time in nature, where stimuli are pure and inherently connected to positive emotions, has been transformative. Nature’s presence floods my bodily experience, helping to balance and dilute the negativity in my mind. This reconnection with my body has opened my mind again to embodiment and the richness of emotional circulation.
The image of circulation—of cycles and systems cleansing and renewing—is a universal principle. We see it in nature, the cosmos, and our own bodies. The emotional body operates in much the same way, and experiencing both deprivation and release with heightened awareness has deepened my understanding of this process. It’s a profound reminder of the importance of staying connected to our bodies and the natural cycles that sustain us.
