Summer is upon us, and with it, a powerful sense of transformation is in the air—not just in the world around us, but in my life, too.
We’ve recently moved from Italy to Vienna, I have an exciting new cookbook coming out next year, and I’ve just returned from a whirlwind conference and workshop tour in Finland. It was an incredible experience introducing my book, Embody: The Power of Presence in an Age of Distraction, to the Finnish business community.
My talks and workshops were filled with open-minded entrepreneurs who embraced the concept of embodiment with the same fervor they embrace their beloved nature. At the Futures of Tech conference, I presented embodiment as a practical counterbalance to living in our increasingly digital age. This resonated deeply with many, as it offers a tangible solution rather than just a theoretical idea.
During my workshops and breakfasts with the business community, we engaged in practices and exercises that not only had everyone enjoying themselves with lots of laughter (especially when I gave a demonstration of an exercise that helps clear anger—something we are all need in our unstable world of today—but also vividly demonstrated how embodiment works in practice.
The body is fundamentally real; it exists and interacts directly with the three-dimensional world, processing sensory information through its nervous system to create our perception of reality. Scientific understanding, particularly in neuroscience, confirms that all our experiences, from touch and sight to balance and movement, are deeply rooted in our physical being. This makes tangible changes, like developing a new skill or altering a physical habit, naturally occur through small, incremental steps.
The mind, however, while intricately linked to the brain (a physical organ), also operates in the more abstract realm of ideas, thoughts, and concepts, which can indeed shift with remarkable speed. Our over-identification with this rapidly changing cognitive mind is where challenges often arise. Embodiment isn’t just about body awareness; it’s a physical process that helps you step out of the constantly fluctuating mental landscape and return home to the body, which is where we belong!
If you haven’t seen my TEDx talk about how I learned about embodiment click here
This profound connection to the body is precisely why I believe embodiment resonated so deeply with the Finns. For them, the body and nature are paramount. I absolutely loved that the country boasts more saunas than cars, and that its citizens spend 70% of their time immersed in nature is my kind of place. Yes, the taxes may be high, but the results are clear: it’s no coincidence Finland has been named the world’s happiest country for eight years running.
As I reflect on Finland’s pragmatic resilience, I’m reminded of a powerful insight from Philip Shepherd, one of the great teachers of embodiment: “The body’s intelligence is not separate from the world—it belongs to it, and it only knows the present.” When we come home to our bodies, we come home to the world itself, able to meet challenges not with fear, but with grounded presence and openness. This, for me, is the true heart of embodiment—a vital path through uncertain times.
I’ve gained so much from my experience in Finland, insights that will undoubtedly guide my next steps. I’ll be taking a brief break over the summer as I embark on a new direction, focusing on providing even more practical approaches that will help everyone embody – naturally.
I wish you all a wonderful summer, and I look forward to reconnecting in August.
Love,
Andrena