In our previous two blogs we’ve taken you on a journey to explore how to ground ourselves as we lead unprecedented complexity, ambiguity, vast opportunity, and uncertainty.
We spoke about Living our Questions with curiosity and patience when answers are not yet available to us. Honouring our Rational Intelligence and then holding what we know lightly. We then explored the power of embracing our emotions as leaders and the positive impact it can have on our nervous systems, on our ability to connect with self and others and access the Intelligence of our Emotions.
To round off our series on Grounding, today we unpack the power of Embodiment to support our grounding as we tap into our Body Intelligence.
But before we go there…we invite you to take a deep breath, noticing the air flowing in and out your body for a moment or two…
Grounding by Accessing Our Body Intelligence
So, what is embodiment and why bother?
WHAT
Embodiment refers to living life grounded in the body, expanding our awareness to include our bodily experiences. It involves moving away from an over-reliance on rational thinking and reconnecting with our sensory, emotional, and physical sensations.
WHY
Dr. Amanda Blake, a renowned somatic leadership coach, highlights in the ABC for Embodied Transformation that the brain evolved for safety, connection, and social navigation. She emphasizes that our brain is distributed throughout our body via the nervous system, making our body asocial and emotional sensing organ. Dr. Blake stresses that we often neglect the embodied aspect of our experience, missing out on valuable intelligence communicated through subtle sensations, postures, and positions. By exclusively focusing on thinking or talking about challenges, we may overlook important resources for addressing them.
To deepen embodiment, we must acknowledge that the mind has limits and become curious about what the body knows that the mind does not. This requires receptivity and deep listening to the body's non-conceptual language, which many in Western cultures may not be accustomed to.
HOW
Rather than get trapped in talking about it, let’s have an experience of how to embody.
Take a moment to reconnect with a memory of a situation where you had a challenging conversation with a colleague, client, or a team member that didn’t go well. We invite you to embody that memory.
Step 1 – Becoming Aware
Scan your whole body and notice the sensations. Maybe your shoulders are heavy? Is there pressure in your chest? A lump in your throat? Knots in your stomach? Are there any emotions present for you?
Step 2 – Shifting State
From this place, what can you do to shift these sensations?
Take a deep breath, shake something out, sigh to relax, get up and move?
Step 3 – Accessing your Body Wisdom
Now bring your mind and your heart to work with your body. Is this sensation familiar and a pattern you experience? What is it trying to tell you? What is it trying to protect or bring to your attention? For example a tight throat might mean you have unsaid words or tight shoulders might be telling you that you feel responsible for the outcome.
Don’t overanalyse here, hold curiosity and explore what might come up trusting your mind, heart and gut.
Step 4 – Purposeful Embodiment
Take another moment to reconnect with a memory of a brilliant exchange with a colleague, a client or team member. What is happening in your body now? Maybe your chest is expanded? You are sitting straight and tall? Legs are strong and grounded?
Holding these sensations, step back into your first memory when the interaction was challenging. What do you notice?
Grounding through embodiment helps us come back to the present moment, the here and now where action is available to us, instead of wandering into the past or future like our mind. Sensory information can also help us better analyse inner and outer circumstances, shift in the moment and make wiser decisions.
The challenges and opportunities we face as leaders requires us to have the courage to bring forth all facets of our being— embrace our ‘whole self’. By doing so, we can connect more deeply to our sense of purpose and lead authentically, drawing upon all our senses, emotions and knowledge.
Reflection: What steps can you take to lead from your ‘whole self’ more fully?
Photo by Fabian Moller on Unsplash
