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Breaking Down Embodiment
We are continuing our deep dive into the philosophic concept of ‘embodiment’ this week. Yesterday, we took a trip back to ancient Greece and heard from the Big 3 Philosophers - Socrates, Plato, Aristotle - on why they believed athletes needed to be physically and mentally oriented when it came to their training and competitions.
Today, I want to help you further understand this concept and give you more tools on how to start living this way athletically first, and then in ways that move beyond the field and arena.
I’m going to break down exactly what the Body / Mind / Spirit do in this embodied conception. That way you have the clarity of thought on how to bring each alive and then I’ll share the biggest secret in using this knowledge in your training but also your day to day life.
All the same but also all different
“Ok Prof, how the heck can things all be the same but also be different?”
Great question, and it’s not one I’m interested in answer to be fair. Instead I’m going to respond that paradoxes exist and trying to solve them creates a sense of existential dread.
For example, if I ask you to tell me where the start or the end of this ‘infinity’ sign lays how would you answer?
I’m not here to make a certain claim on the nature of things, what I’m interested in presenting is how we EXPERIENCE them.
When it comes to Mind/Body/Spirit the way in which we experience them most resembles this infinity sign. Where does one end and the other begin? I’m not sure, nor do I really care to be quite frank.
What I do know for certain is that in our actions, each has a specific part to play that is both independent and dependant on the other parts.
First, let’s take apart what each does on its own.
Armed with that knowledge, we can then start to blend them together in ways that aim us toward meaning, overcoming adversity, gaining moral virtue, and realizing our truest potential through taking responsibility for our lives.
The Body: This is the part of you that MOVES. It’s the active part. The part that gets you from place to place. It’s also a part of you that FEEL viscerally, feels for reals.
The Mind: This is the part of you that THINKS and ANALYZES. It rationalizes. It looks at costs and benefits and either deduces or induces a practical response. It creates the shortcuts in reality to help me move through it with ease.
The Spirit: This is the part of you that WILLS. It’s the determining part. It doesn’t care about what’s pragmatic, it cares about what’s right and good. It’s passion, creativity, ingenuity, and the daring to make it happen. It’s your conscience. That steers you away from the bad, no matter how easy it might look.
Now that we’ve outlined what each part does, it’s time to apply that knowledge in an embodied sense.
Putting the Pieces Together
Here’s the best part of this whole embodiment ideal when put in action. Now that we understand what each part does separately, while also understanding they are all intimately connected (where does one start and end again?), we can begin to transfer knowledge from each area to the other.
This becomes especially important when we aren’t in harmony, and feel like we are being dragged down or drifting aimlessly.
If I’m LOW on will power, not standing firm on my values or being swayed too much by external opinion, I can use courage I gain in the body and mind to bring strength to my spirit.
If I’m LOW on action, not moving towards my goals or neglecting my physical health, I can use fortitude gained in the spirit and forged in the mind to take steps forward when I’d rather not. I can will and think my way towards righteous action.
If I’m LOW on clear thinking, unable to express myself or swirling around inside my mind over the same thing, I can determine my way to clarity through moving my body and using my willpower to break perceived physical limits.
While these are general examples, the specific combinations and permutations are endless and can be applied to any individual situation you may find yourself in.
This is the exact framework I turn my coaching clients onto in my 1-1 embodiment coaching program.
We first start in the body, because often times the inner signal of the spirit is too muted to hear and the swirls of the mind are trappings. While the body is the place of truth, the physical happens whether we like it our not. That’s where the idea of ‘the truth is in the training’ comes from.
A bodily experience is real enough for me to take it into the other areas, courage from a hard run translates directly into courage to have a hard but necessary conversation. Patience from a long run translates directly into patience and presence as a parent. It’s the easiest place to start to use this embodied understanding for you.
This is the promise of embodiment, that it can fulfill the deep ideal of using athletic training for spiritual growth, in willpower, determination, courage, and fortitude.
And the spirit is the place where we find meaning, purpose, and our potential.
I’ve given you all the tools, but if you want more information on how YOU can specifically do this, send me a message using the button below and let’s see what 1-1 embodiment coaching can look life in your life.
Happy Training Team