Exploring empowered embodiment as the magical theme to help us grow and train our magic this month... and announcing February's Calendar of Heretical Events!
This was quoted on her Substack and I don't know if it's from her or the person she was interviewing, Diana Evans.
Embodiment - which sounds like a capturing, closing in, no escape - can be the opposite, it can bring freedom. Endometriosis made me aware of my body in a completely different way than how I feel now. Was it the pain that I couldn't just "go into"? Was it fear of something even more "wrong" with me? H*ll if I know. But. This. Is. Different.
I love this, Susan. This idea of menopause not as the end of something, but the beginning of a new journey of freedom really resonates for me. I love the idea of looking forward to this time and finally being free of the expectations of others and all the ways a woman's body was made to serve the greater good. Thank you for sharing. 😊
One of the things I'm noticing about embodiment is that as I age, my body feels more REAL than ever before. Part of this may be because menses and her companion hormoans (ha! hormones) get a big say month to month. Post-pausal life provides a certain freedom that allows me to decide when and where in my body I'm going to be aware (oh my, a-where!). One day it might be this neck thingy, another day it might be that incomprehensible pain in my foot. I mean where did that come from? But I SEE me, and not just visually. It's the sort of SEE that is all encompassing.
I recently read a book by Matt Kahn in which he said that it is ok to dislike something because accepting that you have within you the feeling of dislike makes it possible to accept more of yourself. As in, no need to dislike the dislike. Ha!
Now, I'm not sure I can put this into words exactly, but it seems like we can dislike something about our bodies and still accept them because dislike is just part of us. Does that make sense? In essence, we are paying attention to our bodies (or parts thereof) even if we don't like it or them - whatever *it* or *them* is/are. "It's my body and I'll cry if I want to...cry if I want to" - isn't that the lyrics of the song?
So to go full circle (or spiral as the case may be), we may have been trained by family or culture to be separate from these bodies through dislike, disgust or hate. But we can come home again to them. Or, I suppose - our home away from Home. Many don't like being "here" but all of us got what we wanted, right?
BTW: Reviewing this post, I've decided that a good band name would be "Menses and the Hormoans." :-)
This is so important, Susan! Being able to allow the dislike... or whatever else comes up. We're trained to think some thoughts/feelings/experiences are desirable and others aren't, but in my experience, everything can be beautiful when we finally stop fighting.
Thank you for bringing in this conversation about the ways that women's bodies change through our years. This feels like such a big part of who we are, and it's beautiful that it's finally coming into the magical conversation.
Ahh embodiment one of my favorite topics! Looking forward to the discussion.
Me too!
Just read this bit from Sam Baker and I think it fits with our discussion about embodiment. At least it does for me as a post-pausal woman:
"Menopause is our ticket to freedom... our body is our own again, like it was in the beginning."
sam baker
Feb 19
https://theshiftwithsambaker.substack.com/
This was quoted on her Substack and I don't know if it's from her or the person she was interviewing, Diana Evans.
Embodiment - which sounds like a capturing, closing in, no escape - can be the opposite, it can bring freedom. Endometriosis made me aware of my body in a completely different way than how I feel now. Was it the pain that I couldn't just "go into"? Was it fear of something even more "wrong" with me? H*ll if I know. But. This. Is. Different.
I love this, Susan. This idea of menopause not as the end of something, but the beginning of a new journey of freedom really resonates for me. I love the idea of looking forward to this time and finally being free of the expectations of others and all the ways a woman's body was made to serve the greater good. Thank you for sharing. 😊
One of the things I'm noticing about embodiment is that as I age, my body feels more REAL than ever before. Part of this may be because menses and her companion hormoans (ha! hormones) get a big say month to month. Post-pausal life provides a certain freedom that allows me to decide when and where in my body I'm going to be aware (oh my, a-where!). One day it might be this neck thingy, another day it might be that incomprehensible pain in my foot. I mean where did that come from? But I SEE me, and not just visually. It's the sort of SEE that is all encompassing.
I recently read a book by Matt Kahn in which he said that it is ok to dislike something because accepting that you have within you the feeling of dislike makes it possible to accept more of yourself. As in, no need to dislike the dislike. Ha!
Now, I'm not sure I can put this into words exactly, but it seems like we can dislike something about our bodies and still accept them because dislike is just part of us. Does that make sense? In essence, we are paying attention to our bodies (or parts thereof) even if we don't like it or them - whatever *it* or *them* is/are. "It's my body and I'll cry if I want to...cry if I want to" - isn't that the lyrics of the song?
So to go full circle (or spiral as the case may be), we may have been trained by family or culture to be separate from these bodies through dislike, disgust or hate. But we can come home again to them. Or, I suppose - our home away from Home. Many don't like being "here" but all of us got what we wanted, right?
BTW: Reviewing this post, I've decided that a good band name would be "Menses and the Hormoans." :-)
This is so important, Susan! Being able to allow the dislike... or whatever else comes up. We're trained to think some thoughts/feelings/experiences are desirable and others aren't, but in my experience, everything can be beautiful when we finally stop fighting.
Thank you for bringing in this conversation about the ways that women's bodies change through our years. This feels like such a big part of who we are, and it's beautiful that it's finally coming into the magical conversation.
Oh so much love for this post. It brought up deep sadness and compassion for myself (and for all).
And the absolute magic of that photo of baby with thick snow…I could sit and stare at that photo all day.🥹🪄
There’s so much to unpack with embodiment and how fully we live in our skins. Looking forward to diving in more deeply with you this month, Suzy!
And I love that you enjoyed the baby photo—that’s my little girl. She used to sit in her window seat for hours and just gaze out the window.
Ahhhh I’m super excited too! Really, really am.💫✨🤸♀️