"Embodiment is the practice of attending to your sensations. Awareness of your body serves as a guiding compass to help you feel more in charge of the course of your life. Somatic awareness provides a foundation for empathy, helps you make healthy decisions, and gives important feedback about your relationships with others. Embodiment in somatic psychology applies mindfulness and movement practices to awaken body awareness as a tool for healing." -Dr. Arielle Schwartz

When I first learned of somatic movement in 2014, I did not want to touch it. In my head-centric ways, I was focused on "moving on" from my past using both spiritual and mental bypassing. When I would meditate, I would initially ground my energy into the earth. But I also loved to explore the universe and astral realms. In yoga classes, I would grunt through the class, always self-conscious. I compared myself to the most flexible yogis in the room. I heavily identified with my inflated animus. At the time, feeling into the body felt very uncomfortable and unknown, so I didn't want to go there.