Embodied and Embedded Identity

Abstract

This chapter addresses the physicality, the embodied nature of our identity, and our social and other forms of embeddedness that shape our identities. Our sex, body type, relationship with our bodies, body image, race, sexual orientation, gender identification, all of them influence our relationship with our bodies and part of our identity is inextricably tied to our bodies. We call it the embodied identity and discuss how embodied identities lead to some -isms such as sexism, and racism. The chapter addresses body image, trauma, and the weaponization of our own bodies by society and how all this affects our embodied identity. The chapter discusses social embeddedness, tribal identities through geography, ecological embeddedness, and how sometimes social identities connect to -isms such as racism, and jingoism, and how to be grounded in our embedded identities and yet transcend them through edge-walking and the intentional embrace of marginality. From a leadership perspective, particular attention is paid to the dynamic of emotional self-awareness through body awareness and anchors this in neuroscience research on meditation, insight, and the physical manifestations of meditation. It connects embodied leadership and somatic practice literature. The chapter provides a body scan meditation script.