Living An Embodied Life
Part 2 of 3-part Series
We’ve all been there before. We start fitness regimens with high hopes, sometimes inspired by a friend, or after joining a new gym, or making a new resolution. We make commitments to ourselves and buy new shoes and workout wear and start eating better. We make some progress, but sooner or later something stops us. Injury, lack of time or motivation, life events, boredom, or a plateau.
But what really stops us? Why do we quit?
Perhaps it has nothing to do with the workouts themselves, but instead all the other things that constitute a truly healthy lifestyle. Perhaps it’s those elements around the workouts—the psychological, philosophical, and spiritual aspects of why we want to work—that must be amplified in order for us to stick with it.
Such is the cornerstone of Coach Eli’s fitness and lifestyle philosophy, called Embody. To achieve the results we truly want, to have both the mental and physical strength we aspire to, to have the body we want, we must adopt a completely new way to live. Now, while this may sound extreme, it’s not. It’s all a gradual and beautiful process. As an Embody trainee now in my fourth month with the program, I can validate how those small lifestyle changes amount to big progress.
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“If you neglect the part of you that desires quiet time,” Coach Eli says, “you’ll keep putting off taking care of yourself.”
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As part of his Embody coaching program, Coach Eli shares the wisdom he’s amassed as a physical trainer, while weaving in how to live what he calls an embodied life.
“An embodied life means being aware of your body,” says Coach Eli. “A lot of times we are in our heads. Our body is where we store our emotions, our past traumas. To be embodied is to get out of our heads. When we are in our body, we are present. We are really there. With someone. With another person. Attentive. Relaxed. That’s powerful.”
To achieve the embodied life, Coach Eli talks about the Ten Pillars.
These are:
1. Sunshine (light is nutrition our body absorbs)
2. Sleep (we recover and grow better from it)
3. Quiet time (stay balanced in a chaotic world)
4. Playtime (stay aligned with what has always brought you joy)
5. Movement (use it intentionally or lose it)
6. Nourishment (food, hydration)
7. Community (authentic conversations, belonging)
8. Purpose (something you’re committed to creating in life that goes beyond status quo)
9. Breath (breath work, mindfulness, breath is life)
10. Spirit (your soul, connection to the energies of nature and others, a higher working order to the universe)
“The best part is each of these pillars can be 100% completely unique to you,” Coach Eli says. “Your free will allows you to make each pillar mean something to you. That’s how you cannot only get in shape, but stay in shape long term. It’s not about diet fads, or lifting the most extreme weight. It’s simply about choosing who you want to become in life- and the ten pillars are a path to get you there.”
New to the program, I can say that quiet time has been critical to my success. Whether that’s going for more walks, more sitting in silence, or simply meditating, finding more quiet time is a godsend.
“If you neglect the part of you that desires quiet time,” Coach Eli says, “you’ll keep putting off taking care of yourself. Balance rules the universe, and by prioritizing quiet time, we can listen to what the body is telling us.”
Coach Eli encourages finding that quiet space for ourselves, whether it’s early in the morning or late at night. He says quietude is the language of the gods. Being quiet allows us to hear our heartbeats and the sensations in our bodies. Quiet grounds us in an otherwise chaotic world.
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“We talk about working out, but working in is just as important.”
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And as important as quiet and solitude are, movement is just as important. “Our body is our physical foundation. The better we can treat our bodies, the better we can show up for ourselves and others. Caring for our bodies and minds allows us to be more present. When you’re present, there’s more possibilities and potential.”
The same is true for playtime, Coach Eli says. We must prioritize those things that bring us joy. We must remember the carefree and exuberant nature of our inner child. Whatever that is for you, make time for it.
“We talk about working out, but working in is just as important,” Coach Eli says.
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This Post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: Eli James
