Embodiment Movement - Awakening the body
Embodied movement is a creative, free flowing, formless movement practice for the physical body.
Embodied movement is an invitation for personal empowerment, a practice where the flow is free and intuitively led by your own body's wisdom. This practice is about finding freedom in movement, motion and flow. To expand freedom in your mind, and awaken from within.
What is Embodied Movement?
Embodied movement is creative experimentation. It is an exploration of your inner world of feeling sensations, emotions, and expressions. It is rooted in the understanding that change happens from within. It intends to help you to access more of the wisdom and intelligence that’s inside of you by bringing awareness to the way you move, feel and think.
Embodied movement is a conscious “dance” experience - a practice of withdrawing from the external world and arriving inside of yourself to awaken and be moved from a place of depth within.
There is no set movement or sequence, you are invited to explore through sense feeling, and emotions your way into the awakening of your body. The practice intends to move to heal, expand, liberate, open, feel, release and arrive so you may become more connected to yourself, others, and life.
The body is a physical reference point by which we can learn a lot about our lives.
In the dance, we move the body to discover and learn to engage our minds to be a facilitator of our own personal growth and awakening. Whatever your level of experience, age, or ability, embodied movement practice is a journey of expression beyond ability and experience.
How can I start my embodied movement practice?
Embodied movement practices work specifically with the fluid feminine nature of the body by lubricating the hips, softening the belly, and deepening the breath to encourage healthy circulation in the pelvis and spine, as well as establishing a deep connection with the yoni root of the body and pelvic bowl. Creating circular movements in the pelvis does magic for the kidneys, chi energy bones, and reproductive organs. It ensures that the hips remain fluid and supple
Embodied Moves and Positions to get you started
You can start this practice by sitting cross-legged (root to earth). Sink the sit bones down and allow the spine to sway side to side, circling the spine left or to the right. You can rock or sway the body to the rhythm and beat of the music.
You can begin in a tabletop position, on your hands and knees. Spread your hands wide and sink your knees into the earth. Relax the head down, relaxing the jaw. Begin to rock the body from side to side, left to right, and forward and back. Rocking the spine forwards and backward or moving in a cat cow-style position will support the rocking and swaying of the hips
You can start your practice in a standing position. Legs wide stance or hip-width apart. You can stretch the sides of the body or inhale arms up to the sky – bending to the left and the right as you exhale and sigh. Start by rocking the hips side to side or drawing a figure of eight with the hips. Soften your knees and slowly bounce through the body.
Hip and pelvic circles can be done in any position. These circles can be big and include the whole spinal column up to the crown of the head. These circles can also be smaller in expression, focusing motion on the lower spine and hips. Whilst standing, make circles around your pelvis, pubis, right sit bone, coccyx, left sit bone, and back around. Go clockwise through time and counter-clockwise to unravel time.
Your embodied movement practice is unique to you.
Your dance is your dance.
Your movement is your movement.
Your body is your body.
Often we practice with our eyes closed or wear an eye mask. This is an inward journey and it is not about what it looks like, it is about how it feels. This makes this practice accessible and available to everyone. All we need to do is arrive into motion – however big or small.
One of my fondest memories was at a retreat, when a woman in her 70s came into my retreat space using crutches. She found it difficult to walk and sit for long periods of time. She laid flat on her mat or was seated for the majority of the journey and practices, but there was an inner movement. An inner dance that was happening for her. This dance lived in her hands, her fingers, her feet and her toes.
She felt the universe expand within her as she met the dance within.
Embodied Movement - Awakening the body Journal Prompts for you to explore
Explore the lighter textures of the feminine in embodiment movements
Joy Bliss Laughter Fun Playful Innocence Curiosity Silliness Surrender Softening Ecstasy Opening
How do they feel in your body?
What feels comfortable?
What feels uncomfortable?
What feels habitual?
What feels like a story?
Move with the experiences these textures bring into your embodiment practice
Explore the darker textures of the feminine in your embodiment movements
Rage Anger Disgust Disappointment Hate Seductress Power
How do they feel in your body?
What feels comfortable?
What feels uncomfortable?
What feels habitual?
What feels like a story?
Move with the experiences these textures bring into your embodiment practice
Embodiment Movement Playlists
You can access all my embodiment playlists on Spotify.
To read more I invite you to read my blog How to embody your awakening?
Please share your experiences with me on Instagram, I welcome them all.
Love + Embodied Awakenings
Rebecca x