IDEA Conference 2021: Cultural Embodiment
A workshop on Cultural Embodiment: from stereotypes towards empathy took place at the IDEA Virtual Conference 2021. It was a unique experience to facilitate this topic in a predominantly ‘Irish’ setting, and as a trainer, I feel very privileged to have this opportunity to share this topic with everyone present.
During the workshop we explored the general concept of embodiment and moved towards defining the concept of Cultural Embodiment (CE). In other words, through the sharing of personal stories and group discussion, we tried to understand the true nature of this concept and how we become aware of it. In a broad sense, Cultural Embodiment is described as an experience of the culture through our bodies. In different words Cultural Embodiment is all about understanding which part of our personal embodiment has been shaped by our cultures; understanding how cultures we belong to shape the way we see ourselves and the world around us.
In the second part of the workshop, we tried to bring this concept to life, by creating an atmosphere where participants explored their own cultural embodiment. With the support of embodied learning principles, participants became aware of their cultural patterns and were supported in understanding how these link to their daily life. This personal exploration allowed for some deep sharing, many ‘a-ha’ moments and really understanding how this concept ‘lives’ in our body. For some, this only scratched the surface of understanding this part of their identities, but it has also sparked curiosity to explore newfound ideas further. For others, this exploration has resulted in finding a sense of meaning, a feeling of being grounded and broadening perspectives of how we observe ourselves. In the words of the participants: ‘Awareness of Cultural Embodiment is important to understand how our bodies are tools of expression and we can try and liberate ourselves from learned patterns’; ‘Awareness and recognition of CE builds empathy and curiosity’; ‘CE helped me to be more aware of my "irish-isms", and how to recognise and adjust when they counteract those of a different culture I am interacting with’. Other participants reflected on the connections between Development Education and Cultural Embodiment 'CE can be used to reflect and ensure your own facilitation style is inclusive and gives space for everyone to participate!', ' Culture impacts all we do - we don't give it much attention in GCE/DE'.
Based on participants' feedback, this experience enabled them to understand how our educational experiences are much deeper once we include the body in the learning context. On the other hand, this short workshop also allowed participants to bridge their learning with their work environments, therefore questioning how they perform certain roles and practices.
Teaching embodiment and using embodiment tools require a great sense of confidence and understanding. It also ‘demands’ great respect and responsibility, as working with the body can touch sensitive parts of our identity. This should not discourage anyone from trying to include the body in the learning process, but inspire you to do it with great sensitivity. First step in using embodiment is always self–awareness; once we are aware of ourselves, understanding others becomes easier, this includes them and their needs. Therefore, it is enough to become and stay in the realm of self-awareness. Cultural Embodiment can prompt you to reflect on your own day-to-day activities, both in your personal and professional life, and can inspire you to try new things with a greater awareness. More awareness means having more choice in how we respond to people and actions, therefore supporting our adaptability. To take this further, we can also try to use the framework of Cultural Embodiment to understand other complex concepts, such as diversity, inclusion, equity, leadership, etc. These ideas can greatly support adaptation of our practices and activities, so everyone involved can benefit from them in a more holistic way.
From the perspective of trainer, if this workshop has empowered the participants to look at themselves in a new way and has inspired them to be more curious about other people, this is a giant leap towards forging a new path in the way we work with others.
This blog was written by Sandra Gojić
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