The Body’s Role in Self-Sovereignty
Part 2: Pathway to Self-Sovereignty: Reclaiming Your Freedom from Within
by Katie Simons, PharmD, BCPS
Our Bodies are How We Experience the World
The body is our interface with life, the foundation of how we exist in and relate to the world. It is through the body that we feel, process, and interpret the world—physically, emotionally, and energetically. Every single second we are taking in enormous amounts of sensory data through our bodies, both externally and internally. Remarkably, we are consciously aware of less than 1% of that data in any given moment. The bottom line is that we feel so much more than we are aware of. Our bodies experience all of this sensory data, and although only a fraction of this information reaches our conscious minds, we are still impacted by it.
Through the senses, we experience every aspect of living. Externally, we can experience the wind brushing against our skin, the grounding warmth of a hug, the constriction of stress held in our shoulders, or simply the scratch of a shirt tag on the back of our neck. Beyond these conscious external sensations, we also pick up on subtler cues, like the tension in the air when we walk into a room where people were just talking about you, the unspoken energy of someone’s mood before they say a word, or the subtle shift in atmosphere when a group collectively shares excitement or sadness.
At the same time, we have internal sensations ranging from hunger pains, a headache, sore muscles, or emotional sensations such as waves of grief or surges of excitement. As all this information comes in, there is an evaluation process in the brain, looking for threats or challenges and determining what to bring to the awareness of the conscious mind.
These subconscious processes orchestrate everything from sensory filtering to emotional reactions and habitual behaviors, operating as a sophisticated system of real-time evaluation. For instance, your body may instinctively adjust your posture when you feel discomfort or quicken your breath in response to a perceived threat, often before your conscious mind has registered what is happening. This automatic responsiveness is part of the body’s constant flow of information—a dynamic, largely subconscious dialogue that informs how we perceive and respond to the world.
Recognizing and understanding these cues allows us to move beyond mere survival and into deeper connection with ourselves. By becoming attuned to the body’s signals, we gain access to a wellspring of emotional and physical signals that often go unnoticed. This awareness helps us decipher the subtle ways our body communicates—whether through the clench of a jaw signaling frustration, the heaviness in our chest hinting at grief, or the lightness of ease when we feel aligned with our truth. Bringing the language of the body into our awareness is transformative. When we consciously engage with this dialogue, the body becomes a trusted guide, helping us navigate life with clarity and authenticity.
Despite its fundamental role, the body is often overlooked in discussions about personal growth and healing. We’re frequently encouraged to focus on shifting our mindset or cultivating spiritual practices, but true transformation cannot happen without the body’s involvement. It holds the wisdom of our lived experiences, the signals of our needs, the anchor to the present moment, and the power to guide us toward wholeness.
Self-sovereignty begins in the body. When we become attuned to our physical being, we tap into the potential for presence, intuition, and emotional regulation. This embodied connection fosters an awareness that allows us to navigate challenges with greater clarity and intention. By grounding in the body, we can create the conditions to reclaim the power and authenticity that lie dormant beneath layers of external conditioning and internal doubt.
The Consequences of Disconnection from the Body
When I started this path to my own self-sovereignty, somatic work was a challenging concept for me. I had been an athlete my whole life and understood my body only from the narrow perspective of needing to stay in shape. My connection to my body was limited to how I looked in the mirror. Practices like yoga, ecstatic dance, or breathwork all seemed foreign, difficult, and so far outside my comfort zone that I avoided them completely. I lived entirely in my head—avoiding difficult emotions, distracting myself constantly, and ignoring my body’s signals. When dysregulated rage would hijack me out of nowhere, I felt deep shame, but I didn’t know how to change. This was my life until I hit a wall—burnout and a failing marriage made it impossible to ignore that I was neglecting my biggest ally: my body.
In modern life, it’s easy to become disconnected from the body. In fact, many of us were probably raised to never connect with the body to begin with. We are taught that we are our minds, and the body is taken for granted from the very beginning. We live in a culture that values mental agility over somatic or emotional awareness and prioritizes productivity over well-being. Sensations and emotions get in the way, especially when they are challenging or not understood, so we unplug from them. This disconnection can take many forms: ignoring physical discomfort, suppressing emotions, numbing sensations with distractions like screens, food, or substances, avoiding feelings by staying overly busy, or even disconnecting through perfectionism or overachievement to name just a few.
For women, this topic goes even deeper as this disconnection is exacerbated by systemic neglect of the female body’s natural rhythms. Many women are completely unaware of how our hormonal cycles influence not only energy levels and moods but also cognitive function, physical strength, and sleep quality. I know I was - I was simply never taught these things, and it took me until adulthood to even get curious. Our hormonal fluctuations can shape memory and focus, alter exercise performance and recovery, and even affect the immune system's responsiveness.
Society not only ignores these profound cycles in the workplace and broader structures, it also encourages suppression through birth control and other interventions. Bleeding every month is inconvenient and painful, so let's just make it stop. And I don't want to get pregnant right now anyway, so hormone suppression is the responsible option, right? It's the only option we, as women, are often presented with.
I do not mean any of this as a personal criticism to anyone - this is how I thought and I lived, as well. However, this conversation is essential. The dismissal of hormone cycles teaches us to disregard the natural ebb and flow of our bodies, fostering a deep disconnection from the wisdom and rhythms that serve as a guide to understanding ourselves more fully. The impact is enormous: we are left navigating a world designed without consideration for our unique needs, completely detached from the very signals that empower us to move through life gracefully. And guess what, Gentlemen - this impacts how we interact with and relate to you all too.
For everyone, over time, disconnection from the body comes at a cost. The body’s subtle signals—the tightening of muscles, the heaviness of fatigue, the flutter of anxiety—go unnoticed or are dismissed. Without this awareness, we lose the ability to respond to our needs in the moment. As we ignore the messages from our bodies, the nervous system suffers, becoming rigid and stuck in patterns of hypervigilance or shutdown. The more we avoid what our bodies tell us, stress compounds, and unprocessed emotions get stored as physical tension or even pain, further disconnecting us from ourselves.
It is often said that “the body keeps the score,” a concept that underscores how chronic stressors and trauma leave imprints on our physical being. These unresolved experiences become embedded in the nervous system, shaping how we feel and behave. As they continue to play out in our bodies, these past experiences dictate what information is perceived as a threat or challenge to the system moment-to-moment. This state of survival mode often leads to a loss of agency and further disconnection from the body.
Over time, all of this disconnection comes with consequences. Physically, this can manifest as chronic tension, physical pain, illness, or exhaustion. Emotionally, it can lead to anxiety, reactivity, depression, or a pervasive sense of chaos. The more we disconnect, the sicker we become. Understanding the body’s language is crucial. Feeling is healing, and reconnecting with the body and its sensations is the first step toward breaking free from this cycle.
When we cultivate the ability to listen to our body, we begin to interpret its messages as opportunities for self-care and growth rather than obstacles to be overcome. This attunement allows us to meet our needs before they escalate into crises, fostering a sense of safety, agency, and well-being essential for self-sovereignty.
Reconnecting to the Body as a Building Block for Self-Sovereignty
Safety as a Prerequisite for Growth
Healing and growth can only occur in an environment of safety. When the nervous system feels threatened, the body’s resources are directed toward survival, leaving little room for exploration or transformation. This state of survival mode makes it difficult to access creativity, intuition, or the ability to connect authentically with oneself or others. The key to moving out of survival and into a state of safety lies in nervous system regulation.
Nervous system regulation is a dynamic balance, not a stagnant state of being. As we take in sensory data and respond to it, we naturally fluctuate between activation and rest. This ongoing dance between these states is normal and necessary for processing life’s experiences. However, what defines our capacity to stay present and engaged during these fluctuations is what we call the nervous system’s window of tolerance. This is the range within which we still have access to the freedom of choice, even as we move between moments of heightened activation and calm.
As we reconnect to our body and begin to practice somatic awareness and exercises, we have the opportunity to expand our window of tolerance. As the window of tolerance expands, our ability to feel physical and emotional sensations without becoming overwhelmed by them becomes larger. This means we develop greater flexibility and adaptability, enabling us to stay grounded and responsive in a wider range of experiences.
Without this sense of safety, the mind and body remain reactive, stuck in cycles of hypervigilance or shutdown. Often times, the mind will make stories to fill in the gaps and keep us even further mired in nervous system dysregulation. However, when the nervous system begins to feel safe, the body can shift from survival mode into a state of balance, where growth and transformation become possible. From this place of regulation, self-sovereignty emerges naturally as we gain the capacity to feel our feelings and to respond to life with clarity and intentionality.
Somatic practices play a vital role in calming the nervous system and establishing a foundation of trust within the body. Techniques like breathwork can help regulate the breath and heart rate, grounding exercises can reconnect us to the earth and present moment, and gentle movement can release stored tension. These practices send clear signals to the nervous system that it’s safe to relax and re-engage with the world from a place of ease.
Unblocking Stuck Energy
Don’t get me wrong, dysregulation is an absolutely natural part of being human, and it is often necessary to allow our bodies to let go of stuck energy from the past. Emotions are energy in motion, and it is a deeply ingrained mammalian instinct to physically shake off big emotional events—not just metaphorically, but literally shake. This instinct is evident in animals who shake after escaping a predator—it’s the body’s way of releasing the surge of stress hormones and returning to a state of calm.
Many spiritual outlets would have us believe that we should all look, act, and feel like monks—calm and composed at all times. Nothing could be further from the truth, and in fact, this is what we call bypassing. Unfortunately, avoidance doesn't work. Our bodies require the allowance to move through dysregulation to signal back to the nervous system that the threat is past and it is safe.
Stress and trauma don’t just affect the mind; they leave imprints in the body. These unresolved experiences create blockages that can manifest as tension, pain, or a sense of being stuck. Our nervous systems continue to perceive that we are being threatened or challenged, perpetuating cycles of stress or emotional numbness. Releasing these blocks often requires that we allow our bodies to respond in a natural, animalistic way. And what does that look like? It looks like feeling the dysregulation and expressing it.
Somatic work provides the tools and spaces to access these stuck emotional patterns and express them in a healthy way. Expression can look like crying, screaming, laughing, shouting, smiling, moving, shaking, sweating, and an array of other actions associated with the emotion. By giving ourselves a space and permission to express, we release these blockages, allowing energy to flow freely and restoring the body’s natural capacity for creativity, resilience, and intuition.
The Body as Our Anchor for the Present Moment
The body is always in the present, while the mind often drifts into the past or future. By tuning into bodily sensations—the feeling of the breath, the ground beneath the feet, or our back against a chair—we anchor ourselves in the here and now. These physical sensations serve as a constant reminder that, regardless of what has happened or what might happen, we exist in this very moment.
Anchoring in the body interrupts fear-based narratives and reactive patterns. When we connect with our physical sensations and express what wants to be expressed, we create space for calm, clarity, and intentional choice. For example, noticing the weight of your body on a chair or the gentle rhythm of your breathing can help disrupt a spiraling thought pattern or an emotional overreaction. With practice, the simple act of reconnecting to the body establishes a sense of presence and groundedness.
The practice of grounding through the body also fosters resilience. Each time we bring our awareness back to a bodily sensation, we are teaching our nervous system that it’s safe to relax and be present. Over time, this builds a reservoir of inner stability that we can draw upon in challenging situations. The body becomes not only an anchor but a refuge, a safe harbor amidst the storms of life.
This relationship becomes more complex for folks living with chronic pain or physical dysfunction. For some, the body may feel like a source of distress rather than refuge, and anchoring in the present through physical sensations might seem counterproductive or even triggering. Chronic pain can make it difficult to trust the body’s signals, as they often feel like persistent reminders of discomfort or limitation.
In these cases, grounding practices can be adapted to focus on sensations that feel neutral or comforting rather than directly engaging with pain. For instance, focusing on the rhythm of the breath, the gentle pressure of hands resting on the lap, or the warmth of sunlight on the skin can provide alternative ways to reconnect with the present moment. These subtle shifts in awareness create opportunities to gently build a new relationship with the body—one that prioritizes trust and safety over judgment or avoidance.
Furthermore, somatic work can offer valuable tools for navigating the emotional and physical layers of chronic pain. Practices like guided visualization, slow movement, or trauma-informed breathwork can help release some of the nervous system rigidity that often accompanies chronic discomfort. By cultivating this gentle attunement, we may begin to find moments of ease, reclaim a sense of agency, and discover the body’s capacity to support presence, even amid discomfort.
The practice of grounding into the body is foundational for self-sovereignty, as it allows us to respond to life’s challenges from a centered place rather than reacting impulsively. By staying connected to the body, we strengthen our ability to meet the moment with intention and authenticity, paving the way for empowered choices and meaningful action.
Agency Through the Body
Agency is the capacity to act intentionally and make choices that align with our values, needs, and authentic self. It is the ability to navigate life with clarity and purpose rather than being passively driven by external circumstances or internal fears. When applied to our body, agency becomes the power to listen to and trust the body’s signals—its sensations, emotions, and needs—and to respond to them with care and alignment.
Self-awareness and self-trust are the cornerstones of this process. Self-awareness requires tuning into the body’s cues—recognizing sensations, emotions, and needs as they arise. It is the practice of being curious about what the body is communicating without judgment or suppression. For instance, noticing a flutter in the chest may indicate anxiety, excitement, or even intuition, while tension in the shoulders could signal stress or the need for rest. This awareness creates the foundation for self-trust, as it strengthens our ability to interpret and honor the body’s messages while cultivating curiosity about what our body is telling us.
Self-trust grows when we act in alignment with the information our body provides. By meeting the body’s needs—whether through rest, nourishment, movement, or emotional expression—we build confidence in our ability to care for ourselves. This process reinforces the understanding that we are capable of navigating life’s challenges with integrity and authenticity.
When we cultivate self-awareness and self-trust, we reclaim a profound sense of agency. Somatic practices such as breathwork, grounding exercises, and mindful movement teach us how to listen to and respond to the body’s cues, fostering a partnership with our physical selves. This embodied agency allows us to make choices that align with our authentic selves. Over time, this deep connection to the body empowers us to live with greater intentionality and freedom.
Embodiment as a Path to Authenticity
Being fully present in the body reconnects us with our authentic selves. Through embodiment, we shed societal conditioning and fear-based behaviors, returning to a state of alignment with our true nature. This alignment allows us to live in integrity, where our actions reflect our deepest values and truths rather than external expectations.
Embodiment is more than just awareness of the body—it is the integration of physical, emotional, and energetic states into how we show up in the world. This process supports authenticity by allowing us to move beyond reactive patterns or conditioned roles into a place of grounded presence. By engaging with the body’s signals, we can identify what feels true and right for us in any moment.
A key aspect of living authentically through embodiment is learning to self-source our emotional stability. Rather than reaching for external outlets or validations to feel safe, loved, or connected, we turn inward to access our internal resources of safety, joy, peace, and connection. This self-sourcing process reduces dependency on external circumstances for emotional regulation. For instance, instead of seeking validation from others, we cultivate self-compassion; instead of numbing discomfort with distractions, we stay present with our emotions and process them through the body.
Embodiment also reveals the body’s innate wisdom, which serves as a guide to authenticity. As we deepen our connection to the body, we gain clarity on what truly aligns with our values and desires. This clarity fosters resilience, as we learn to trust our ability to navigate life from a place of integrity. Examples of embodiment in practice might include the empowerment felt when setting boundaries, the freedom in expressing emotions fully, or the joy of moving without self-consciousness.
Ultimately, embodiment ties directly to self-sovereignty. By aligning with the body’s rhythms and messages, we develop a profound sense of freedom, integrity, and self-trust. This embodied state allows us to move through life with confidence, knowing our choices stem from our truth rather than external pressures. In every step, we embody the essence of our authentic selves.
Pulling It All Together: The Body and Self-Sovereignty
Reconnecting with my body has been the biggest gift I have ever given myself, and it is also a daily practice. Each morning, I begin with movement and meditation, tuning in to what my body has to say and grounding into my day through my breath. I find gratitude and expansion in the sensation of my breath as it flows from the crown of my head to my tailbone along my spine. Grace and presence emerge through the sensations of my body in motion, stretching and feeling what is there to feel. This practice is a ritual, keeping me connected to myself and setting the tone for my day.
Self-sovereignty is the practice of aligning mind, body, and spirit, with the body as the foundation. When the nervous system is regulated, and the body is listened to, we gain access to a deeper sense of presence and clarity. This alignment enables us to make choices rooted in authenticity and freedom.
The journey to self-sovereignty begins with small, daily practices like the one I described. By prioritizing safety, releasing blocks, anchoring in the present, and cultivating embodied awareness, we reclaim our power. These practices might seem small at first, but over time, they create profound shifts—unlocking greater freedom, integrity, and self-trust.
Self-sovereignty is not a destination but a lifelong journey. Each day we commit to listening to the body and living in alignment with its wisdom, we deepen our capacity to meet life with authenticity and clarity. The more we engage with this work, the more we uncover the profound potential of being fully embodied, authentic, and free.
Call to Action:
Begin your journey toward self-sovereignty by choosing one simple practice to reconnect with your body today. Whether it’s a few moments of mindful breathing, a short walk, or a body scan meditation, these small steps can create profound shifts over time. Listen to your body—it’s the key to reclaiming your power.
