How can we turn information into knowledge and true wisdom for personal transformation?
Most conscious human beings are capable of absorbing and retaining information. However, many of us at times find it challenging or difficult to translate the information into action or helpful behaviours and habits.
Why is this?
Because in order to do that we need to learn to traverse that short, but often less travelled, distance between our head and our heart. We need to learn to integrate the information we receive so that it stays in our mind as well as resonates with our entire being.
I remember when I was learning to meditate. A very wise teacher pointed out that meditation is like swimming or driving a car. We can't learn it from just reading books and theories. So, we certainly cannot master it by just accumulating information in our head. The fruit of our labour, the true wisdom comes from trying and trying, and through conscious practice.
Our transformations as individuals is similar. We get to know our own source of knowledge, energy, and power when we practice looking inside ourselves, to explore our inner condition. And when we examine how our inner condition relate to our outside world, our relations and our lived experiences. Our personal transformation begins when we learn to integrate our learnings and connect them with our entire being--our mind, body, and heart. Essentially, our personal transformation can begin when we learn to embody our mental, physical, and spiritual states.
What is embodiment?
Simply put, embodiment is the subjective study of the body and understanding how the body is an aspect of who we really are. Embodiment is a form of intelligence that involves our entire being as well as concrete skillsets such as mindfulness, body awareness, self-regulation, empathy, compassion, and leadership. Some examples of embodiment practices include walking meditation, yoga, martial arts, dance, running, sports, etc.
What are the benefits of embodiment?
Among its many benefits, embodiment can enhance every aspect of our lives and teach us about how to express our authentic self and well-being (e.g., self-acceptance, self-care, establishing clear boundaries, confidence, clear communication, etc.)