One of the key pieces to understanding–and changing–your patterns with food is being truly, deeply in your body. We call that embodiment. “But,” you might say, “I’m always in my body. Where else would I be?”
It’s a good question. The answer is, “In your mind.” That’s where most people spend the bulk of their lives.
The mind is bright, active, witty, cunning; it spins a clever yarn, makes up exciting or sometimes scary stories about the future, dramatizes the past. It’s sexy, loud, compelling, and that’s where we’re most comfortable.
Meanwhile, from the neck down, we’re numb. We drag the body around all day like a dog on a leash. We pay attention only when something goes dreadfully wrong.
Much of the work we do in the practice of embodied eating centers on the body, not the mind: listening to its cues, attending to its needs, noticing how and where our thoughts and feelings impact it.
In consultations, you might learn meditation practices, embodiment work, traditional Sivananda yoga postures, breathing exercises, inquiry, or other forms of mindfulness that will help you become more present, more aware, more there in your body.
By being fully present, by becoming skillful at attending to the body, you can learn to feel–not think–when you’re hungry, when you’re full, and what you really need. You can learn to stop binge eating, shift the way you use food, and make peace with your body.
For more on embodiment, read Listen to Your Body and Out of Your Mind on the articles page. Or try a free introductory session. And enjoy the pleasure, excitement and presence of really being in your body.
“I had no idea what embodied meant. I had never even heard of it. Now, I can’t believe I went for so long not being in my body. Thank you for your warmth, wisdom and insights. You have changed my life!” —M.K.
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