Human-Centered Embodiment & Yin Yoga with Amanda Hanna

This week on the podcast, we’re talking embodiment! This is a thought-provoking conversation with my guest Amanda Hanna, whose work navigates the intersections between yoga and movement, mental health, and social justice. We talk about trauma-informed, human-centered perspectives on what it means to be embodied, and how yoga practices (including Yin Yoga) can be part of the toolkit we use to explore and inhabit the body.

We discuss definitions of embodiment, and why it can be valuable for our well-being, and as a way of being in the world. We also talk about the downsides of over-idealizing the concept of embodiment, and how bringing one’s full attention into the body can actually be a very confronting experience at times.

The conversation covers several of the reasons why many of us experience ourselves as “disembodied” (due to cultural norms, familial traits, instances of trauma, etc.). Amanda offers a refreshing reminder that, by disconnecting, our amazing nervous system is sometimes acting to protect us from overwhelming moments.

You’ll hear:

• how yoga from the perspective of outside validation differs from the yoga of embodied choice
• weaving trauma-informed principles into embodiment work and yoga/movement practice
• how to begin the process of re-embodiment in a gradual and sensitive way
• benefits and challenges of Yin Yoga from a trauma-informed perspective
• how social justice connects to embodiment and movement practices

There are a lot of insights to glean from this conversation! Give it a listen and let us know what your favorite take-aways are.

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To connect further with Amanda, visit her website at https://www.somapsych.org/ or follow her on Instagram at @soma.psych.

As mentioned at the beginning of the episode, there is a limited-time special on 6-month memberships to the Moved To Meditate Class Library! It's a really good deal, and a great way to explore practices that align with all that we talk about on the MTM podcast. Info on the Class Library is here.

To connect further with me (Addie), check out my website movedtomeditate.yoga.

And, I’m on Instagram at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, yoga, and pictures of PNW nature and my adorable kitten, Mustache).