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    » Home » Illumination

    Your Body is Sacred: 3 Ways to Practice Embodied Spirituality

    Reading time: 7 mins

    by Aletheia Luna · Apr 3, 2021 · 38 Comments

    Image of a woman dancing in the sun representing embodied spirituality

    Since the very beginning of all religious and spiritual drive, there has been a deep prejudice against the body.

    The body has been called carnal, worldly, lustful, sinful, and illusory. At best, it has been thought of as mere dust, at worst, it has been thought of as a doorway to the devil himself. 

    What’s worse is that when the body has been celebrated (such as in many neo-tantric practices), it has been fetishised and in some ways objectified.

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    There’s no doubt about it: we’ve had a weird relationship with the body as a species.

    On one hand, we either condemn it and try to subjugate it – on the other hand, we indulge it to the extreme. We tend to swing from one side to the other, never seeming to find a middle ground.

    Thankfully, times are changing. We’re sick of treating our bodies as flesh suits to be ascetically denied or endlessly satiated. Instead, we’re beginning to understand and respect our bodies’ wisdom, intelligence, and profound connection to the truth of reality.

    We’re starting to see that the body is a sacred doorway to the Soul and the sacred wild Spirit of Existence. 

    But as always, seeing our bodies as sacred is not easy. There are layers upon layers of inherited beliefs, prejudice, and wounds that obscure our ability to see clearly. Not only that, but modern spirituality – with its tendency to emphasize disembodied “transcendence” – can make it extra hard for us to come into a healthy relationship with our bodies. This is why embodied spirituality is so desperately needed.

    What is Embodied Spirituality?

    Image of a woman standing in front of white flowers

    Embodied spirituality refers to a lived experience of spirituality that is grounded in the body. When we embrace embodied spirituality, we come out of our minds and back into our bodies: into that which is visceral, instinctual, and deeply felt through the senses. We see that the body isn’t just a temple of the Divine, but a living expression of Spirit. As such, the body becomes a source of tremendous wisdom and insight: a doorway to the present moment. Not only do we see the body as sacred, but we see it as a microcosm of the macrocosm – it becomes a path to both the transcendent and immanent nature of the Divine.

    Your Body is a Storehouse of Trauma 

    Image of a woman curled up in a ball carrying trauma

    As psychiatrist Bessel Van Der Kolk writes in his book The Body Keeps Score:

    The body keeps the score: … the memory of trauma is encoded in the viscera, in heartbreaking and gut-wrenching emotions, in autoimmune disorders and skeletal/muscular problems

    Renowned psychologist and trauma-expert Peter Levine goes on to write:

    Traumatic symptoms not only affect our emotional and mental states, but our physical health as well.

    And as psychotherapists C. Zweig and S. Wolf write:

    We may forget an abuse, but the body does not. Like shock absorbers, our bodies absorb the wear and tear of emotional experience. We may defend against it, but our bodies take the heat. And slowly, over years, the patterns of stress and trauma accumulate. Inevitably, if we do not become conscious of the shadows lodged in our muscles and cells, they begin to tell their tales. 

    As we can see, body and mind are not separate. Whatever painful experiences we undergo in life are stored within our bodies as trauma. This trauma manifests as muscle tension, mysterious aches and pains, ‘body armoring’ and holding patterns, autoimmune disorders, and endless other illnesses.

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    Without unpacking, exploring, and releasing what’s within our bodies, we remain frozen and unable to move forward. This is the first reason why developing a friendly approach to our bodies is crucial – it is a core element of spiritual healing and transformation.

    Your Body is a Gateway to Spiritual Wisdom

    Image of a woman in a red dress standing in nature

    Our bodies are also a storehouse of great wisdom.

    As the great German philosopher Nietzsche once wrote: 

    There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy.

    And as Buddha once said:

    The body is anchored in the here and now while the mind travels into the past and future.”

    Although at a core level, we aren’t defined by our physical blood and bones, our bodies are an undeniably powerful gateway to the present moment. Not only do they anchor us into the Eternal Now (hence why many meditation techniques focus on the breath and body), but they are also insanely accurate truth-detectors. They help us to both tune-into what is true and real, on a visceral felt-level, and what is false. 

    Indeed, our bodies are great and multi-layered gifts. They carry an intelligence that predates the mind and an intuition that is directly aligned with the Soul.

    As mythopoetic author and psychologist Marion Woodman writes,

    This is your body, your greatest gift, pregnant with wisdom you do not hear, grief you thought was forgotten, and joy you have never known.

    There is so much potential for healing, revelation, integration, and regenerative grounding on offer when we honor the body; when we practice embodied spirituality.

    But … where do we start?

    3 Ways to Practice Embodied Spirituality

    Image of a woman dancing and experiencing embodied spirituality

    There are many ways to practice embodied spirituality taught by a vast array of people. 

    Such approaches cater to different levels of the human experience ranging from relieving chronic pain all the way to releasing spiritual blockages.

    Some examples include:

    • Massage (biodynamic, huna, etc.)
    • Acupuncture/acupressure
    • Body-centered mindfulness and meditation
    • Somatic experiencing
    • Somatic psychotherapy
    • Breathwork
    • Dance/movement therapy
    • Yoga

    Below I’ll briefly explore three of these practices:

    1. Yoga

    Image of a woman practicing yoga and embodied spirituality

    Yoga is an ancient mind-body-spirit practice that some historians date back to being 10,000 years old. These days, there are a wide array of approaches to yoga – but not all of them are suited for trauma healing and embodied spirituality. 

    When exploring yoga as a way of befriending your body and learning from its wisdom, I recommend sticking to older and gentle forms of yoga – such as hatha yoga. There are also an increasing number of trauma-informed yoga teachers out there who incorporate their particular approach to yoga with modern findings in mental health studies. If you gravitate strongly toward yoga, I recommend seeing whether there are any trauma-informed and/or hatha yoga teachers near you. 

    Restorative yoga is also another approach you might like to explore (although I have little experience with it), as it is said to focus on relaxing the nervous system and centering the mind.

    So, why yoga? 

    Yoga is a wonderful approach to embodied spirituality because not only does it tend to include a philosophical/spiritual element, but it also gives you a direct and visceral understanding of your body. It helps you to develop self-awareness of your strengths and limitations, areas that hold tension and trauma, as well as how to release that. Many people have experienced tremendous healing thanks to yoga. At its core, it has the potential to be a moving form of meditation that gets you directly in touch with the timeless wisdom carried deep within you. It’s no wonder that this modality is so popular and continues to live on after such a long expanse of time.

    2. Breathwork

    Image of a dancing man practicing breathwork

    Breathwork is, quite simply, the practice of working with your breath to calm and clear your mind and body. This is a practice that, like yoga, has been around since the dawn of humanity.

    Benefits of breathwork can include, for example, relaxing your nervous system, enhancing your mental wellbeing, improving your immune function, giving you more energy, increasing creativity and focus, and even inducing mystical experiences.

    As your primal bridge to the Life Force energy, your breath is a powerful way of practicing embodied spirituality because it is always grounded in the moment. And as you probably know by now (thanks to Eckhart Tolle and the like), the present moment is all that truly exists!

    There are many forms of breathwork out there such as pranayama, holotropic, rebirthing, shamanic, and simple mindfulness meditation breathing techniques. 

    If you’d like to learn more about this embodied spirituality approach, read our breathwork article.

    3. SOAR

    Image of a woman dancing in the sun representing embodied spirituality

    SOAR is a technique we devised back in 2017 for highly sensitive and empathic people who struggle with taking on too much energy from others. But in reality, SOAR is a practice that can be done by anyone.

    SOAR stands for:

    Stop – stopping or surrendering to what is here: simply noticing what’s going on 

    Observe – observing your inner/outer experience (what external sounds/smells/colors/shapes can you observe, and what inner textures/feelings/sensations can you pick up on?)

    Allow – allow and lovingly embrace what is arising without resisting (knowing that what you resist persists)

    Rest – rest and release: allow the sensations to dissolve naturally without trying to push or force them 

    SOAR is about remaining open to the painful or uncomfortable emotions/sensations within us without attaching to them or having that energy stay stuck within our bodies. This is a meditative practice that helps us to (1) practice energetic hygiene (2) become more grounded in our bodies and (3) stay connected to the present moment. As such, it’s a wonderful approach to embodied spirituality.

    If you’d like to learn more about it, watch our video below:


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    *** 

    As Clarissa Pinkola Estes writes in her powerful book Women Who Run With the Wolves,

    The body remembers, the bones remember, the joints remember, even the little finger remembers. Memory is lodged in pictures and feelings in the cells themselves. Like a sponge filled with water, anywhere the flesh is pressed, wrung, even touched lightly, a memory may flow out in a stream.

    If our bodies play such a big role in our lives – in both storing trauma and tremendous wisdom – doesn’t it make sense to make them a central part of our spiritual journey? Doesn’t it make sense to see this earthly vessel that we all carry as sacred and worthy in its own right?

    Embodied spirituality is not just a necessity but it is a sign of mature, integrated, and balanced spirituality that doesn’t deny or indulge the body, but honors and respects it.

    So tell me … what role has your body played on your spiritual journey? I’d love to hear below!

    Image of wise old hands
    Your Body is Sacred: 3 Ways to Practice Embodied Spirituality
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    About Aletheia Luna

    Aletheia Luna is a prolific psychospiritual writer, author, and spiritual mentor whose work has touched the lives of millions worldwide. As a survivor of fundamentalist religious abuse, her mission is to help others find love, strength, and inner light in even the darkest places. She is the author of hundreds of popular articles, as well as numerous books and journals on the topics of Self-Love, Spiritual Awakening, and more. [Read More]

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    Reader Interactions

    (38) Comments

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    1. eLFiN LaDy

      January 04, 2021 at 4:40 am

      In 2012 I met a young lady named EML (for her safety) we were talking and all the sudden she looked at me and said “YOU’RE JUST LIKE ME. YOU’RE JUST A KID LIKE ME” it takes a child TO SEE the heart of a child… I busted out bawling when she said that GOD used her and VALIDATED me… “THIS WARRIOR has the heart of a child”. Last Sunday I met my niece’s boyfriend… he told her that “I WAS CHILD LIKE” and the universe needs more like me. . . Again… I cried.
      BLESSED ARE THE CRACKED FOR WE LET OUT/in THE LIGHT

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        December 24, 2021 at 10:00 am

        Maintaining that childlike spirit in this world takes a lot of courage indeed ♡

        Reply
    2. Robert D.

      October 25, 2020 at 1:53 pm

      I would like to add one more very crucial point and proven method of healing the mind, body and soul. I suffered from “bipolar disorder”. After instinctively using what is called hydrotherapy, a.k.a. cold shower, I have released trauma stored in the body and removed chakra blockages, basically holding the water over my most painful areas, where there is pressure, and slowly proceeding to each chakra. This has helped like nothing else. I am still on a small dose of medications, but I feel like a new person already, with unlimited energy and still mind. By the way, the Essenes , Jesus’s sect immersed themselves 3 times a day in a running river water to keep themselves clean. Hope this can help somebody already suffering. Have a great day! Robert.

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        October 31, 2020 at 1:14 pm

        Thank you for sharing this, Robert! I tried cold showers for over three years, and they have an amazing way of refreshing the mind and body.

        Reply
    3. Anne-Kristin Jahn

      October 10, 2020 at 3:09 am

      Thank you very much for the SOAR video. When we came to the last step “rest” I strted to cry out of the blue and felt a great relief and connection to myself, as if I opened a hidden door to enter the whole of my own house. I very much appreciate your beautiful work. It’s amazing how much support you offer. Sending you warm greetings and best whishes, Anne

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        October 10, 2020 at 11:17 am

        This is just beautiful. Thank you for sharing and for your gratitude Anne-Kristin <3

        Reply
        • Nikhil

          February 27, 2021 at 3:05 am

          I observe my left and right inclination of the body and how it affects my thoughts and in turn my feelings. Sometimes i am too much lagging towards left.. this is whr i am usually repating my thought patterns.

          Reply
    4. Robert

      September 27, 2020 at 2:50 am

      Thank you so much for this! It was amazing to go through the meditation. I realized alot of myself when going through this practice.

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 30, 2020 at 1:06 pm

        I’m pleased to hear that Robert! :)

        Reply
    5. Peffs+

      September 19, 2020 at 12:41 am

      Great article + advice!

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 20, 2020 at 3:39 pm

        Thank you :)

        Reply
    6. Olivia

      September 18, 2020 at 1:25 am

      I absolutely love this article, so incredibly important right now. As someone who denied the body as part of my spiritual growth pretty much all my life, working with the body is now a revelation and a necessity. Practicing SOAR quite frequently in recent weeks since discovering it has been completely empowering and magical in such a short space of time for me. I love the idea of “energetic hygiene” as a daily practice. The body is our friend and a vessel that must be taken care of, cleansed and honoured.

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 20, 2020 at 3:40 pm

        I’m so glad to hear that SOAR has been empowering and magical for you in a short space of time. Thank you for sharing this Olivia and thank you for taking care of your wellbeing <3

        Reply
    7. Lindsey

      September 16, 2020 at 11:05 pm

      Can you please explain what you mean by “regenerative grounding” through the body? I love the way it sounds, though I’m not sure I know what regenerative means here. Thank you!! I love this article and the validating message it sends to those who have a strong sense of the importance of our bodies.

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 20, 2020 at 3:41 pm

        By regenerative I mean healing and energizing (with ‘regenerative’ basically being a synonym of those two words). I’m so glad this article was validating for you Lindsey! <3

        Reply
    8. Maha

      September 16, 2020 at 8:06 pm

      “Bodies are an undeniably powerful gateway to the present moment.” WOW! This is ALL I needed to hear right now! Great article! Thank you so much.

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 20, 2020 at 3:38 pm

        Thank you Maha!

        Reply
    9. Maha

      September 16, 2020 at 8:00 pm

      “Our bodies are an undeniably powerful gateway to the present moment” WOW! This is ALL I needed to here right now! Great article. Thank you so much.

      Reply
    10. Rene v.Teerling

      September 16, 2020 at 4:18 pm

      Hay indeed as it has been said even in the Bible your body is your temple ( so care for it) als read the body of pain ( extract from E.Tolle ) it is . so indeed Soar works a bit then try to do exercise ( but not overdo it ) eat healthy ( organic and less meat) .Stop addictions or at least try and work with it ….lesser medication . etc well really we all know ( as our body will tell ) and relax, relax …….

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 20, 2020 at 3:42 pm

        Many thanks for sharing this advice and input Rene <3

        Reply
    11. Twalla Daniels

      September 16, 2020 at 7:43 am

      I truly appreciate this topic on SOAR and Embodied Spirituality. Meditation has helped me along music and dance. Through the years I’ve STRUGGLED with love of self inwardly and outwardly and how I appear through others eyes ( my weight issues and all.) It wasn’t until I made a step by step approach of loving my healing began including losing weight! Though I know I’ve still have some challenges to get through and I always will have challenges because I’m not perfect. Life is truly a journey worth traveling. Thank you Luna and Sol.

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 16, 2020 at 4:05 pm

        It’s a pleasure to be of help, Twalla. And well done for all of the breakthroughs you’ve experienced thanks to practicing self-love – they’re well earned!

        Reply
    12. Kevin

      September 16, 2020 at 5:35 am

      That should say ALL not most…

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 16, 2020 at 4:02 pm

        Hi Kevin, can you please clarify?

        Reply
    13. becky

      September 16, 2020 at 1:48 am

      …so grateful and reassured by your topics, explanations, and direction…thankful for you, and though i know it’s been so very hard at times, thankful for your relation to some of life’s deepest and toughest events…i cannot really find the words, but it is an honor…thank you so…

      Reply
      • Kevin

        September 16, 2020 at 5:32 am

        Thank you for great insight. Great article, like most of your works very informative.. Keep up the great work.. I enjoy breath work, used to do a great online one with alchemy of breath, Anthony and another man Pablo I thought were great, learned so much just from 1 session a week. I now try keep a daily practice and certainly feel more rejuvenated for it, soar is 1 I gotta use more of.. Again thank you.. ✌️

        Reply
        • Aletheia Luna

          September 16, 2020 at 4:03 pm

          I’m glad you’ve found something that has worked for you, Kevin!

          Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 16, 2020 at 4:03 pm

        Thank you Becky ♡

        Reply
    14. Jaime

      September 16, 2020 at 1:29 am

      I had a stoke 2 years ago, i am 41 years old. I have done tremendous healing since my stoke. However in the process of all this i have gained 40lbs. I have always struggled with self esteem. I went from 125lb to 165lbs. With Covid becoming so bad i haven’t been able to go back to the gym.

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 16, 2020 at 4:09 pm

        Hey Jaime, thanks for sharing here. It’s totally understandable that you’ve gained weight during this time – stress and an inability to fulfill our usual routines tend to do that. It’s okay ❤ Have you considered building a home gym, or finding ways to exercise at home?

        Reply
    15. Sally

      September 15, 2020 at 5:36 am

      Hello,

      I was wondering if you have any articles on sexual telepathy, I’m just curious about this subject and there is a lot of junk info out there on the net.

      Thanks
      Sally

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 15, 2020 at 7:47 am

        Hi Sally. No, I try to veer away from anything too extrasensory as it’s not my field of focus. I do, however, have an article on how to be more sensual and increase your sexual confidence: https://lonerwolf.com/how-to-sensuality/ With love

        Reply
    16. Deborah Avelino

      September 15, 2020 at 4:54 am

      Thank you very much
      Unfortunately, I’ve been systematically “indulging” or extenuating my body While trying to “cope” and yes, all traumas, pains (physical or not) are registered ….in me for instance…too fresh and too deep at the moment ….

      I really need to find a balance (now it’s more than urgent….miscarriage + obesity + prediabetes… severe depression (I’m just empty of love I guess I love the stars and flowers iam not so sure I’m loving myself since I was 12 ) + poisoning coping mechanisms, not even breathing I think I do sometimes….

      Long story short, will have to choose if I want to live or die because if I don’t bounce back from comfort eating, or even self-loathing darkness suffering … that affects stress levels, obesity, blood pressure, mood etc etc, I will just fail myself and waste the miracle of life.

      Sorry about sharing too much …

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 15, 2020 at 7:46 am

        Hi Deborah, thank you for sharing. I hear you sister. You have been through so much pain and trauma, and it’s manifesting through illnesses of all varieties. I hope something in this article has spoken to you and given you a place to start. Self-love and self-care will be so helpful to you – I recommend seeking out resources that drawn you in. These two guides can be7 a place to start if you’re looking for that: https://lonerwolf.com/self-care-ideas/ & https://lonerwolf.com/how-to-love-yourself-more/ Sending so much love <3

        Reply
    17. Allen Liszcz

      September 15, 2020 at 12:19 am

      One of the best articles ever. I am a counselor in a prison. Trauma is most certainly stored in the body unknown to the conscious mind. Our emotions impact our physical being in the present as well. I’m recently struggling to let go of anger over a recent disagreement with someone. I’m struggling to let it go but haven’t been able to. As a result I’ve been feeling it physically, fatigue, some aches and pains and I can feel my immune system is affected as well.
      I completely agree with the article. I know that once I let go of this feeling of anger my physical being will soar.

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 15, 2020 at 7:42 am

        Thank you for sharing this Allen. Something immediately came to my mind as I read your message: it’s a practice called TRE (Trauma Release Exercise). I feel that this practice may be of great benefit to you and also those you counsel in prison. You can look it up online (there’s even an app that walks you through the steps). Do check it out <3

        Reply
    18. nirosha

      September 12, 2020 at 6:33 pm

      nice article.

      Reply
      • Aletheia Luna

        September 13, 2020 at 9:16 am

        Thank you Nirosha :)

        Reply

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