When you meet someone, do you observe that they are comfortable in their own skin? Exude confidence? Are present in the moment?
If you say someone embodies patience, you may see them pausing before they respond to you in ALL situations, no matter their emotional state.
If you say that someone is present in the moment, you may see them joking or laughing with the group or supporting one person off to the side, speaking softly as they comfort them through a difficult time.
If you say that someone is the embodiment of a quality, you may mean that that is their most noticeable characteristic or the basis of all they do.
Mind-body connection is a gateway into embodiment and working out consistently was my introduction to that journey. Although I didn’t know it at the time, working out was my path to personal growth and unlocking all the knowledge that followed.
Definition: Embodiment may be physical, cognitive or emotional and refers to the processes whereby a person’s life experiences are literally incorporated into their body
It took me a long time to understand the value that being in an embodiment practice brought to my life and it wasn’t until I became part of the Easton community that I really felt the positive effects.
Being part of something larger than myself puts me in a community where I can see leaders who have come before me EMBODY their core values and walk the walk.
What can the Enneagram teach me about embodiment?
I tend to Embody intensity- a lust for life and all their passions, good and bad
Upon first impression, you may see that embodiment show up as square shoulders when entering a room, guarded, thick skinned, hesitant to commit, rushing to be the best.
Jiu-jitsu teaches me patience, groundedness, presence, mental, emotional, physical, financial, and spiritual health
Weightlifting teaches me skills, discipline, commitment, planning, preparing, and prevention of injury, I embody strength as a result of this practice
Competitive sports may bring out both positive and negative embodiment. I can simultaneously embody leadership AND over the top intensity where it doesn’t belong like getting ejected from a coed adult softball team game… I’ll just leave that right there.
Captain of their team, leader of their sales team, “first one to the top wins” as a youth! Although I was one of the smallest in my group growing up, I didn’t shy away from a challenge or competition
Attachment styles and embodiment.
Avoidant style embodies characteristics and tendencies that they take time to show you their true selves. They may give off an air of false confidence or bravado in the beginning and the closer you get to them, the more they embody distance and lack of commitment. They embody fear of intimacy so much that you can almost feel it coming off of them.
Anxious attachment styles embody energy. Grasping energy and it may show up initially as embodying enthusiasm and a zest for life. Eventually, the feelings they embody can show up as “too much” or coming on too strong, too close, too quickly.
This is how the push/pull of the anxious-avoidant trap becomes a part of a relationship. Each person embodies their qualities and tendencies overtly that it activates the other person.
Embodiment practices can actually overcome this relationship pattern. What I’ve found as the avoidant attachment style is that if I embody LEADERSHIP, it creates a container for the relationship that feels safe for us both and can lead to great depth.
As soon as I let go of my embodiment of leadership qualities, it can active the pursuer/distancer dynamic in a relationship.
That brings us to how to embody a Leadership quality and we begin with self-leadership. What practices can I do for myself that will teach me the discipline it takes to embody my greatest strengths and qualities I can offer this world, my relationship, and my community?
The practices I prioritize in my life are…
Martial arts and Jiu-Jitsu in particular
Physical fitness
Nutrition
Meditation
Breathwork
Personal Growth
In our small group coaching program, we guide our members to understand how to embody their core values, build confidence, and lead them through embodiment practices. If you’re looking for more support in your relationships, join us for a free week trial