All about embodiment

My Tip for You

• Choose an emotion or an idea that you want to use to impact a situation. It should be how you want others to feel in your presence. (ie: inspired, motivated, playful, calm…)
• Once you have it, stand up and walk around the room. Begin to embody this emotion or idea by moving your body AS it. (ie: how do you move when you are motivated, playful or calm…)
• Do this for 2 full minutes. Give yourself time to really feel this state in you.
• Keep moving whilst repeating the word yes. Let the way your body feels as this emotion or idea be fuel for your voice. Let your voice out from that energy.
• Now repeat the word no whilst still moving.
• Now repeat the sentence, “It’s all about my vibe!” whilst still moving. Do this for 2 full minutes.
• Slowly come to standing still. Close your eyes if you wish, and be present to this experience.

Embodiment Matters

Through learning to fully inhabit our physical body, by embracing our senses, and by accepting our emotional state, rather than resisting it, we learn to living fully in the present. It’s a practice that involves feeling grounded in our bodies by choosing to completely BE in our bodies. Through anchoring ourselves consciously through our roots into the earth and by using breath awareness to help guide us back within ourselves, we learn to become more and more comfortable in our physicality.

For our voice, when we can be in our body, feeling into our physical form and the sensations, we have the chance to share our authentic expression with the world. A part of that involves experiencing the emotional state that we’ve in, or that we choose to connect to, and verbalising from that space. We essentially channel emotion, using it as fuel for the voice.

This practice involves letting go of the judgements we hold about “how we sound” or “who we should be.” It involves allowing ourselves to be as we are, now, and speaking from this space. This is authenticity – verbalising and expressing our truth in the now.

By doing so, you’ll unlock the true power of embodiment and live your life in a way that is light, joyful, and deeply fulfilling.

The concept of embodiment has become more popular in recent years, but what does it actually mean? In essence, embodiment is about being fully present in your body—feeling, sensing, and experiencing the moment with a conscious awareness of your physical self.

In today’s fast-paced world, many of us are disconnected from our bodies, spending most of our time in our heads. Developing a sense of embodiment can help shift that, allowing us to connect more deeply with ourselves and others.

Let’s explore what embodiment is, what an embodied practice looks like, and how you can incorporate these ideas into your everyday life. By the end, you’ll have simple, practical tips to help you feel more grounded, aware, and connected.

Being embodied is essential because it helps us reconnect with our physical selves, bringing us into the present moment. In a fast-paced world, we often live in our heads, disconnected from our bodies. Embodiment allows us to feel more grounded and aware of our surroundings.

This practice also improves emotional awareness by tuning into physical sensations tied to our feelings. When we can recognise and process emotions through the body, we gain a deeper understanding of ourselves. This can lead to better emotional regulation and overall well-being.
Moreover, embodiment can enhance our relationships by helping make us more present and empathetic. By being aware of our own bodies, we can connect more deeply with others. This awareness improves communication and fosters stronger, healthier connections.

Finally, being embodied helps us manage stress and find stability. By focusing on the body, we activate our natural calming mechanisms, reducing anxiety and overwhelm. This grounding effect gives us a sense of balance in our everyday lives.

The soma is “the body as perceived from within.” It addresses becoming more tuned in to the internal felt experience of the physical body, and the connections between the physical body, emotions, and mental realm.

Singing and vocalising are somatic practices as is yoga and mindful breathing. Developing somatic awareness involves increasing our sensitivity to our inner world—to the felt experience of our bodily sensations and the interplay between mind and body.

Increasing our own somatic awareness helps anchor more deeply inside our own livingness. We can become more somatically aware through becoming more embodied. The more anchored in our own body we are, the better we can honestly tune into ourselves, our current state, and the world around us. The more we can fine-tune this skill, the more deeply connected we can become to our true voice and the way we wish to express that voice into the world at any moment.

This is a skill we do using our felt sense rather than our mind.

Perception plays a vital role in how we connect to and express our voice. It’s through perception—both of ourselves and the world around us—that we begin to understand the nuances of our physical and psychosomatic being. At the heart of this lies the interplay between our senses, emotions, and thoughts, all of which inform the quality and authenticity of our vocal expression.

To perceive deeply is to tap into the soma, or “the body as perceived from within.” It is an act of tuning into our internal sensations and becoming aware of the subtle interconnections between our physical body, emotions, and mental states. This awareness is not only foundational for somatic practices like singing, vocalizing, yoga, and mindful breathing but also for achieving a harmonious flow of the voice.

When our perception sharpens, we become more embodied—more deeply anchored in our present, lived experience. This embodied awareness enables us to move beyond force or strain, allowing the voice to emerge naturally, as an authentic extension of our being. The more connected we are to this felt sense, the more fluidly we can align with our true voice and express it with clarity and presence in the world.

In essence, perception is the bridge that links our internal awareness to our external expression, creating the conditions for a voice that flows freely, authentically, and harmoniously.

Interoception refers to our awareness of internal bodily states. This information is transmitted by receptors in our internal organs to the brain and includes sensations from the cardiovascular system, lungs, gut, bladder, and kidneys. Whilst we might not consciously perceive all internal signals, such as those regulating blood pressure, we can feel others like muscle tension, stomach clenching, or our heartbeat.

The way we interpret these sensations plays an important role in our emotional and physical well-being. Enhancing our sensitivity to interoceptive signals can improve our ability to manage emotions and maintain mental well-being. It can also deepen our felt experience of breath and the vibrations from our vocal folds resonating through us. This can allow us to have a truly embodied experience of our own voice, bringing us closer to ourselves at any moment.

Proprioception is our body’s ability to sense its own position, movement, and force within space. This is done through receptors located in muscles, tendons, and joints. This sensory information is processed alongside cues from other systems like vision and balance to help us maintain posture and coordinate movements. This sense is fundamental to all mobile animals and it varies slightly across different species.

As vocalisers, proprioception helps us become aware of the way we hold our body—our posture—in any moment. It can help us to adjust as needed, further supporting our vocal expression.

Exteroception involves sensing stimuli from the external environment. It happens through exteroceptors, which include the senses of vision, hearing, touch, temperature, pain, smell, and taste. This process requires focusing our attention outward to perceive external cues.

The interplay between interoception, proprioception, and exteroception creates our felt sense of self in relationship to the world around us and others within it at any given moment. Deepening our awareness of these experiences helps us become more embodied.

1. Yoga

Yoga is an ancient practice that combines physical postures, breath control, and meditation to promote balance, flexibility, and mental clarity. Originating in India over 5,000 years ago, yoga is much more than just a form of exercise—it is a holistic approach to wellness that connects the mind, body, and spirit. Through a regular practice, yoga helps reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being, making it a powerful tool for living a more mindful and harmonious life.

Three foundational yoga poses to start with are Mountain Pose (Tadasana), Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), and Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II).

Mountain Pose grounds you by encouraging proper alignment and posture, while Downward-Facing Dog stretches the body and promotes circulation. Warrior II strengthens the legs and opens the chest, helping to build both physical and mental endurance.

Practicing these poses can offer a great introduction to the benefits of yoga, whether you’re new to the practice or deepening your journey.

2. Breathwork

Integrating breathwork with mindfulness and meditation creates a powerful synergy that enhances mental well-being and cultivates profound inner peace. This combination allows individuals to become more present and self-aware, amplifying the calming effects of each practice. Breathwork, in particular, deepens the connection to the self, whilst mindfulness and meditation build on this foundation to foster tranquillity and emotional clarity. Together, they offer a holistic approach to mental health, creating a sanctuary of peace amidst life’s chaos and significantly improving one’s quality of life.

The Power of Breath Work and Voice

To understand how powerful the tools of breath and voice are for our own self-connection, expression, and internal state regulation, we must first understand how stress is regulated in the body.

3. Mantra Singing

Mantra singing is a deeply embodied practice that fosters a strong connection between mind and body. As we sing mantras, we become more attuned to the physical sensations involved—the vibrations in the chest, the movement of the mouth, and the resonance of the sound. This heightened bodily awareness helps anchor us in the present moment, shifting our focus away from anxious thoughts and into the felt experience of the body. Through this process, mantra singing cultivates a deeper sense of embodiment, promoting relaxation and reducing stress.

The rhythmic repetition of sounds in mantra singing not only calms the mind but also grounds us in our physical being. By focusing on the sensations and vibrations within the body, we become more mindful of how our emotions, like anxiety, manifest physically. This awareness allows us to address anxiety from a holistic perspective, as we tune into the body’s signals and use the healing energy of the mantra to release tension. Mantra singing, in this way, creates a harmonious balance between body and mind, fostering both emotional and physical well-being.

Singing or humming in general helps to calm us down through toning the Vagal Nerve, which is a key component of our Parasympathetic Nervous System, the rest and digest system. 

Through learning to fully inhabit our physical body, by embracing our senses, and by accepting our emotional state, rather than resisting it, we learn to live fully in the present. It’s a practice that involves feeling grounded in our bodies by choosing to completely BE in our bodies. Through anchoring ourselves consciously through our roots into the earth and by using breath awareness to help guide us back within ourselves, we learn to become more and more comfortable in our physicality.

By doing so, you’ll unlock the true power of embodiment and live your life in a way that is light, joyful, and deeply fulfilling.