When the body, mind and spirit are operating in disjointed and disconnected ways, we get physical symptoms we can’t figure out, life crises’ that repeat themselves over and over again, patterns, habits, and addictions we can’t break, a lack of self-compassion and acceptance and have trouble figuring out where we’re going or why we’re here.

Through reconnecting to our body and spirit and learning to observe and direct the mind, we remember who we are and what our potential is and are no longer cut off from the innate goodness that allows us to feel happy, joyful, present, and satisfied with ourselves and our lives.

In other words, when we no longer need to run from our pain and wounding, what we find is a kind of freedom that surpasses a life without pain, because it allows us to find joy, love, connection, and compassion, not in spite of - but inside of - life’s difficult moments.

The concept of embodiment refers to how present or grounded in our bodies (and how they feel) we are able to be in any given moment.

For those of us living with chronic or traumatic stress, being inside our bodies often feels more like a war zone than a safe haven. We might feel overwhelmed and tense on a regular basis or trend more toward feeling numb and shut down, perhaps even dissociated, but regardless of how our experiences show up in our bodies, one thing remains the same: Being “inside ourselves,” with our thoughts, feelings and emotions, feels scary, confusing and painful.

When we feel fully confident in our ability to navigate the worlds both inside and outside of us, our bodies and the feelings and experiences they contain start to feel like home. Purposefully creating a sense of safety, security and vitality inside ourselves after trauma, loss or crisis can be likened to “returning home'“ and it’s a journey of reclamation of your body, your mind, your soul…your life.