While ‘enlightenment’ has always been about accessing states of consciousness beyond the boundary of the physical body, the focus of many spiritual seekers today is on ‘embodiment’ – how we 'feel’ in our body, how we ‘relate’ to others, and how we ‘do’ things in the world.
There has been a move toward spiritual practices that help us become more present within our bodies, more connected to humanity, and more grounded upon the Earth. It’s a shift that can help us heal our personal and collective trauma, at a time when many are struggling to resolve painful family or childhood issues, and stress and fear are rife in our society.
As the ‘depression epidemic’ would indicate, an unprecedented number of souls are feeling disconnected and many have lost interest in the pleasure of physical and material life.
According to Dr Caroline Myss, medical intuitive and author of Anatomy of the Spirit, these particular issues are the domain of the base or tribal chakra. And, without attending to our base energy issues, our efforts to heal ourselves and evolve spiritually will always be thwarted.
While the concept of chakras (spinning vortexes of energy), which arose from Indian Yogic traditions, is a different paradigm to the dan tiens (energetic elixir fields) described by Ancient Chinese Taoists and referred to in Qi Gong, it is easy to see the parallels between the two.
In both systems, energy is depicted as becoming less dense and more refined as it travels from the base of the spine up towards the crown of the head.
Indeed, the saying in Qi Gong, “Transform Jing to Qi, and Qi to Shen” brings attention to the transformative nature of energy and our inherent ability to shift the denser energy of the physical body (Jing) to higher vibrational states through the energy of the heart (Qi), which in turn creates the ‘inner alchemy’ that opens us up to higher states of consciousness (Shen).
The chakra system, similarly, can be likened to a ‘ladder’, which each rung representing a different stage of psychological and spiritual progression. We can think of this ladder as being divided into three distinct parts.
The first, second and third rungs on the ladder represent the first three chakras – base, sacral and solar plexus - and are responsible for survival, sense of Self, and inner power, respectively. The fourth rung, and the mid-point on the ladder, represents the heart chakra, where personal and universal energies alchemise to create transformation. The fifth, sixth and seventh rungs on the ladder represent the higher chakras – throat, third eye and crown - connecting us to universal energy and awakening us to Divine self-expression, insight and wholeness.
As Dr Myss writes: “For all the many complex energies that run through our system, the first chakra is by far the most complex, because it is the beginning or root energy centre of your body.”
Whether we speak in terms of the first chakra or the lower dan tien, we’re talking about the frontline of our inner resources, the filter through which life-force energy passes on its way to the higher energy centres.
With embodiment, there is no place for spiritual escapism or wishful thinking. Instead, we must accept responsibility for the circumstances of our lives.
The goal is not about becoming ‘more spiritual’, rather, it is about becoming ‘whole’, which, not coincidentally, shares the same root word as ‘heal’.
To heal the aspect of ourselves that is linked to our most primal, survival-based energy, we can start by forgiving any family members we feel have erred us, and release the wounds of traumatic childhood memories that have become embedded in our energy body and continue to keep us stuck.
That means working through difficult emotions, such as anger, abandonment, shame and despair, or whatever comes up for us, allowing ourselves to fully feel our emotions, and then allowing ourselves to let them go.
Unfortunately, many people hold the belief that strong emotions like these are ‘bad’, ‘dangerous’ or ‘unspiritual’. This is simply not true. When we deny, ignore or repress any part of our human experience, we are essentially lying to ourselves. This constricts the amount of vital force energy that can flow through our energy system as a whole.
Since dealing with family issues and emotional trauma is never easy, it can help to work with a trained practitioner and find support from trusted friends. In addition, committing to a discipline such as Qi Gong or Yoga enhances the energetic communication lines between all the cells of the body and unites our physical form with the formless energy of our mind, heart and soul.
Enlightenment is achievable for every one of us, but rarely can it be fast-tracked. It’s a high-vibrational energetic space that becomes more and more available to us as we work through our personal challenges in the world of matter and form.
As human beings, we cannot bypass embodiment to get to enlightenment, nor would we want to, as that would be missing the point. Embodiment is about honouring our body as our sacred temple, and accepting all of our life experiences as holy offerings, so that we can uncover, bit by bit, more of who we are, as both a physical and spiritual being.
About the author: Kerrie Womersley is a Certified Advanced Holden Qigong Teacher and Advanced Soul Realignment ‘Akashic Records’ Reader, helping people discover their true Divine nature. Connect with her by visiting www.findyourselfnow.com.
The Find Yourself Qigong Online Studio is a safe and sacred space, especially for empaths, introverts and highly sensitive people who struggle with the negative energy of others and their environments. Become an Online Studio Member and refine your natural intuition for a divinely inspired life.
This is an edited version of an article published in the February/March 2020 issue of Connect Magazine, North Queensland.