Understanding Ourselves at the Cellular Level
Concepts on the EmbodiYoga Path
It’s one thing to understand something with the mind, quite another to know it with the body. Currently enrolled in EmbodiYoga Advanced Teacher Training, I decided to write about embodiment weekly, at a minimum, to document the process and hopefully make others curious about it. If you haven’t already, read last week’s post here. It details concepts that will be useful for today’s post. And be sure to view all posts in the series here to get a bigger picture of this amazing practice.
Did you know that all of your cells have ‘tone?’ Cellular tone is a documented, researched fact. When you were born, you grew out of one cell. That one cell became many ‘things.’ Each cell knows all of the other cells intimately and is constantly in communication with the whole. And yoga balances the tone in our bodies — through breath, movement and constant communication with the Earth.
We have what is known as movement intelligence, and we grow it consciously through intention. What’s more, by using the body we program the mind. Kinda crazy, right? We live in a world that believes the mind controls all. It doesn’t. Quite the opposite, in fact.
And let me share another well-kept secret (or possibly something you never thought about before): The nervous system only records. With our intentional movement, we inform the nervous system. We bring the body back into alignment through this movement, thereby repatterning our entire system. In the process, blank spaces and confusion often sets in. This is new information entering the system. This is EmbodiYoga! But there is more (lots more!) ….
Cellular Breathing
Cellular breathing begins in utero. Each cell of our body is expanding and contracting in vibratory movement. External respiration is a very important part of breathing, but the primary breathing process is the internal respiration, which is the exchange of gasses at the cellular level.
Breathing is a process. When we say ‘breathe’ into the feet, it’s a reality, not just a visualization of a procss or imagination. In actuality, we do breathe into our toes, skin, organs, bones, hair … Respiration (breathing) is taking place everywhere in our bodies all the time. ~Lisa Clark, EmbodiYoga
It’s hard to separate the thinking mind from anything we do, but in EmbodiYoga, that is the goal. We use thinking mind to start the process, and with practice and awareness our Soma takes over. Our asana practice takes on a whole new level.
The steps include: (1) visualizing, (2) intellectualizing, (3) somaticizing, (4) embodying. In visualization the brain images the cells. In somatization, the cells know the cells directly. Somatization is not visualization, it is direct experience.
Cellular consciousness is the cell’s awareness of itself.
Let that sink in. Next week’s installment of EmbodiYoga notes will include combining the philosophical underpinnings of the Yoga Sutras with these concepts. Mind = blown, more.
Until then, don’t just live your life. Embody it.
Thanks for reading. Did you enjoy? Please tap the 💚 clappy hands (as many times as you’d like) to recommend it to others. Namaste …
ABOUT & OFFERINGS
Hi! I’m Heather, a writer and yoga educator from SE Ohio. I share daily-ish here as part of my spiritual practice, and am working on my first book, Yoga Prayers. Download the first 25 pages, A Prelude to Yoga Prayers, for a brief introduction into yoga history and philosophy — and let me know what you think! Yogis, I’m also looking for stories to include in the full version of the book — how you came to yoga, what you’re learning, how you’re applying the 8 Limbs. Reach out!
