Could Reclaiming Your Body Be the Ultimate Act of Resistance?

Mar 19

Reclaiming Our Bodies: From Power Over to Power With

In our modern world, the dynamics of power over have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, including how we relate to our bodies and health. We often find ourselves caught in a cycle of suppression, seeking external validation and quick fixes, rather than honoring the innate wisdom that resides within us.

This disconnect not only affects our physical health but also our mental and emotional well-being. In my work with Embodied Rebellion, I strive to liberate individuals from these internal oppressive systems, advocating for a transformative relationship with our bodies rooted in power with rather than power over.

The Power Over Dynamic

The concept of power over manifests in many ways—pushing down uncomfortable emotions, numbing ourselves with substances, or distracting our minds with constant scrolling or watching television. We often find ourselves saying, “I can’t feel this now” or “Why am I feeling this way,” suppressing our natural responses in an attempt to regain control.

Even in the best of intentions, such as engaging in meditation or breathwork to regulate our nervous systems, we risk falling into the trap of control. These practices, while beneficial, can sometimes reflect a power over dynamic when they become mere tools to manage discomfort instead of invitations to explore our authentic experiences.

In the realm of mental health, this dynamic can be especially pronounced. We turn to therapists and doctors, seeking answers and solutions to our symptoms, often expecting them to prescribe or tell us what we need rather than trusting ourselves to know what our bodies require. This creates a cycle of dependency on external authority, reinforcing the belief that someone else knows better than we do about our own bodies.

The Importance of Spontaneity and Self-Trust

A key aspect of my approach is encouraging the people that I serve to allow their bodies to express themselves spontaneously. In my sessions, I often observe clients experiencing discomfort. Their habitual pattern might be to stretch or move, but I remind them to pause and ask: “Is this movement truly spontaneous, or am I trying to control the discomfort?” It is in these moments that I see the struggle to surrender, to let the body finish its own process without interference.

Real somatic work invites us to create space for our bodies to unfold naturally, to witness and honor what arises without judgment. This requires a deep trust in the body’s intelligence—an understanding that our bodies know how to heal, how to move through discomfort, and how to express what is necessary for our well-being.

The Language of the Body vs. the Mind

It’s crucial to recognize that the body communicates in a language entirely different from that of the mind. While the mind operates in a logical, linear fashion, categorizing and organizing experiences, the body speaks through sensations, symbols, and metaphors. This felt sense often eludes rational explanation, which can lead to frustration in a culture obsessed with quick fixes and definitive answers.

When we experience anxiety or discomfort, our pattern may be to label it and create a narrative around it, further distancing ourselves from the authentic sensations within. Instead of leaning into the experience, we seek to categorize and control it. We turn to professionals for diagnoses, desperately hoping they can tell us what’s wrong and how to fix it. Yet, this perpetuates the disconnection from our bodies and reinforces the notion that we must look outside ourselves for answers.

Cultural Conditioning and Capitalism

The cultural conditioning surrounding our relationship with our bodies is deeply intertwined with capitalism and the over-prioritization of the mind.

Capitalism thrives on efficiency, productivity, and control—values that have led us to disconnect from the natural rhythms of our bodies. This disconnection is also tied to the severing of the feminine, the suppression of intuition, emotion, and the body's innate wisdom.

We have inherited a world where logic is prized above feeling, control is prioritized over flow, and where the body is often treated as a machine to be optimized rather than a living, breathing entity to be honored.

This is deeply reflected in our systems—our education system conditions children to ignore their bodies. Sitting in chairs for hours, suppressing movement, being shamed for needing to fidget—this teaches us early on that the body's natural impulses are to be controlled rather than listened to. Even as adults, this power over dynamic persists. In training programs and professional settings, there remains an expectation to conform to societal norms, often at the expense of our own bodily truth.

This deep conditioning teaches us that emotions must be regulated for the comfort of others, that moving freely can be perceived as disruptive, and that expressing our full selves—through movement, sound, or authentic emotional expression—is something to be embarrassed about. This is the legacy of a culture that has severed us from the feminine, from spontaneity, and from our embodied wisdom.

Somatic Work: A New Language

When we begin working somatically, it is like learning an entirely new language. For many people, this can feel deeply uncomfortable at first. Some feel embarrassed because we are conditioned to always want to "get things right,"especially in cultures like the U.S. where competency and appearing in control are highly valued. Many people struggle with looking silly or feeling self-conscious when beginning this work.

As a somatic practitioner, my role is to track where you are in your relationship with your body and sensations. From the first session, I can often see the patterns of how someone engages—or disengages—from their body. My job is to help facilitate a different experience, one where the body is given the space to complete its own processes without interference.

This does not happen overnight. The body moves at a slower pace than the mind, and true somatic work requires patience, curiosity, and a willingness to explore the unknown.

This work is particularly challenging because we live in a world that has conditioned us to seek control and avoid discomfort. It is understandable—feeling our sensations without assigning meaning to them can be difficult. But when we allow ourselves to be with sensation, without attaching a narrative, we notice that sensations shift and change. The body knows how to move through emotions if we allow it the space to do so.

Listening to the Body as an Act of Resistance

When we start listening to our bodies—our emotions, feelings, and sensations—we reclaim a lost language. These internal signals are not random; they are our compass, guiding us toward alignment and away from what drains us.

Our emotions exist for a reason. They are our GPS. They tell us what is for us and what is not. They help us discern, helping us move toward what nourishes us and away from what harms us. When we suppress discomfort, we suppress all feeling—including joy, excitement, and expansion.

When we develop power with our bodies, we begin making choices that align with our deepest values. Instead of operating on autopilot, influenced by oppressive systems, we pause and ask: Does this feel right for me? We start noticing: Every time I put my attention here, it zaps my energy and leaves me depleted. Is this worth my attention?

This embodied discernment is an act of resistance. It disrupts the systems that rely on our compliance. When we reclaim our bodies, we stop feeding the cycles that deplete us. We choose where to engage, where to divest, and where to build something new—in community, in alignment, in power.

A Call to Action: Power With the Body

To cultivate a power with dynamic, we must:

Slow down and listen. Instead of overriding discomfort, we sit with it, curiously exploring what our sensations are telling us.
Honor basic bodily needs. Take breaks, drink water when thirsty, move when your body calls for movement, rest when you’re tired—these simple acts are profound disruptions to systems that demand constant productivity.
Track our emotions and sensations. What patterns arise? What signals do we consistently ignore? How does the absence of stress feel in our body?
Engage in somatic practices. Whether it’s breathwork, movement, or stillness, we experiment with ways to let our bodies express what they need.
Develop discernment. We ask: Is this choice in alignment with my values? Does it nourish or deplete me?
Reclaim joy and pleasure. Feeling fully means welcoming all experiences—including those that expand us. Savor moments of joy, take in beauty through your senses, and allow pleasure to be a guiding force.
Allow natural regulation. If you feel the urge to sigh, hum, stretch, or sway, follow that impulse. Your body knows how to regulate itself if you let it.
Listen to signs of overwhelm. If engaging with media, conversations, or environments leaves you feeling drained, honor that cue. Step back when needed.
Trust your rhythms. Productivity guilt robs us of true rest. Trust that energy will return in its own time, and that deep rest is an act of defiance against burnout culture.

The Gifts of Power With the Body

When we shift from power over to power with our bodies, we open ourselves to a more authentic, aligned way of living. Instead of viewing the body as something to control, we begin to recognize it as a source of deep wisdom, guiding us toward greater well-being. This shift brings profound benefits:

Enhanced Emotional Resilience
By listening to our bodies instead of suppressing discomfort, we develop the capacity to navigate emotions with more ease. Instead of being overwhelmed by anxiety, stress, or grief, we learn to move through these experiences with curiosity and self-compassion. This builds resilience, allowing us to meet life’s challenges with greater steadiness rather than reacting from a place of fear or avoidance.

Greater Physical Well-being
Honoring our body’s natural rhythms—eating when hungry, resting when tired, moving when called to—creates a foundation for deep health. Instead of overriding signals with caffeine, rigid schedules, or societal expectations, we learn to trust what our bodies need. Over time, this fosters more energy, vitality, and a sense of inner balance.

More Authentic Self-Expression
When we allow our bodies to guide us, we free ourselves from self-consciousness and suppression. Power with invites us to move, express, and experience emotions fully—whether that means laughing freely, crying without shame, or moving in ways that feel good. Instead of conforming to external expectations, we reclaim the right to express ourselves in ways that feel true.

Liberation from External Control
A culture that thrives on disconnection teaches us to look outside ourselves for answers. But when we develop power with our bodies, we cultivate discernment. We start asking: Does this feel nourishing? Is this aligned with my values? This embodied awareness allows us to make choices that serve us rather than defaulting to systems that drain us. In doing so, we disrupt patterns of compliance and reclaim our autonomy.

Power with the body is not just about personal well-being—it is a radical act of self-liberation. When we stop outsourcing authority over our bodies and begin to trust ourselves, we create the conditions for a more authentic, connected, and empowered way of being.

Conclusion

In a world that often prioritizes control and quick fixes, it is crucial to recognize the wisdom of our bodies. Healing is not about imposing authority over ourselves or seeking external validation; it is about cultivating a relationship grounded in trust, respect, and curiosity. As we reconnect with our bodies and the earth we can embark on a journey of liberation that honors the intelligence of both. By doing so, we not only reclaim our health but also reclaim our power—disrupting the systems that seek to keep us disconnected.