The Intuitive Body: Discovering the Wisdom of Conscious Embodiment and Aikido - Couverture souple

From the Introduction: How This Book Works

In this book I am presenting my approach to rediscovering the part of ourselves that is wise, kind, and capable of clear and powerful embodied action. This way of being arises out of what I call the “intuitive state,” a spontaneous, intelligent, and creative aspect of ourselves which has not been distorted by our fear and confusion.

Intuition usually arises in a nonlinear fashion. In our Western culture, the habit of sequential thought has been given a superior role in respect to the way life is viewed. In my opinion, based on living in this culture and experiencing the result of this priority, it does not work. It has not made us happy. There are millions of years of evolution in our cells. A deep store of wisdom lies within and we must look within to access it. We can use our discomfort and dissatisfaction with life to investigate other possibilities or ways of living. We can invite our intuition, our wise knowing, to govern or lead our choices toward a full embrace of life.

The first part of this book deals with becoming grounded in our bodies. Without a firm root system or foundation, intuitive perceptions cannot be focused into embodied action. The second section discusses mental perception and working with the movement and power of our thoughts. This paves the way for us to find how to create a spacious environment from which the wisdom of our intuition can arise, as discussed in the third section. The fourth part addresses the nature of embodied action: irimi, entering fully into life situations, and how to work with our perceptions during the many activities and pressures of life. The practice guides at the end of the book are provided as outlines for quick reference to the techniques described in the previous sections.

It is my hope that you will feel free to take these ideas and make them your own by adjusting them to suit your inner needs. The techniques can be used as they are or changed and integrated into your already existing practice. Each of us is a unique individual. When we are sensitive to our own personal experiences, we lend compassion and support to ourselves by being creative. If we can live in a way that promotes a little more kindness and a little less greed, we will have served ourselves and our planet beautifully.

The Intuitive Body draws on the principles of the non-aggressive Japanese martial art aikido and meditation to present a fresh approach to cultivating awareness, attention, and self-acceptance. Author Wendy Palmer shows readers through basic practice and partner exercises how to become more aware of the body and trust its innate wisdom. She introduces exercises from the Conscious Embodiment and Intuition Training program she pioneered, connection movement, meditation, and breathing. These exercises form a daily practice that can help the process of integration, of deepening and unifying the self, and learning to deal with fear and anger. Written in a direct yet nurturing style and based on the author’s many years of practice and teaching, this revised edition of The Intuitive Body contains new material on Conscious Embodiment movement and meditation practices. Also here are new chapters on advocating without aggressing and the wisdom of not knowing — embodying the qualities of dignity and integrity in everyday life. The book is ideal for readers who are already engaged in the process of becoming, as well as for those who are looking for ways to find the courage to begin.