This workshop uses embodied research methods to introduce the idea of embodied knowledge. The aims of this session are to
- Introduce the idea of embodied knowledge
- Introduce embodied research methods drawn from somatic practice
Plan
Introduce myself/workshop aims. 2 mins
Movement Tasks – 10 mins
# 1 leaning forwards
Can we all move forward in our seats?
Introduce connections between movement and learning
# 2 – rest your head in your hands.
Use this position to introduce different ways of inhabiting and drawing on the body such as
- Formal externally measurable properties (what it looks like from a distance)
- Representational or positional qualities (gender, age, etc)
- Felt sense (emotional, affective sensations)
- Situated and temporal conditions (the temperature in the room etc)
Jot down notes about the experience
Place 3 words that resonate for you from these notes into the chat
Introduction to conceptual frames (7 mins)
- Concept of the term Somatic and embodied knowledge and how these challenge traditional knowledge forms
- Western forms of analytic knowledge and Other (and othered) forms of knowledge
Show example of body story – Andrea Olson (2014) ( 1 min)
Question for discussion: How do you bring embodied experience into your practice/research/teaching?
key decisions
I indicated that I was not going to ask participants to share their reflective notes with the group. Instead, I invited them to share just 3 words from their notes. This is something I often do. If you know you have to share your thoughts – you write things that are shareable, potentially missing less formed, and more vulnerable insights. Selecting three words also prompts people to refine their initial thoughts, decontextualizing their findings and encouraging a shift from autobiographical insights to shareable findings.
Responses and reflection
mindfulness, awareness, relaxation
relaxation, soothing
heartbeats, calm
[Key words offered by participants in the chat]
People fed back that the workshop made complex ideas understandable and could be applied to a variety of contexts. They noted the calm delivery and how the work brought them into focus.
Jumping into language
People were positive about the way the workshop led from embodied exploration into theoretical frameworks but noted the step between the different modalities (movement to words). I rushed this transition from sensing to conceptualising – potentially reinforcing the potential for embodied research to be positioned as relaxation/soft findings and the slides/text to be the real knowledge. Perhaps moving from sensation to private notes, to verbal articulation to written words in the future might act as a better bridge between knowledges.
Another factor was that although I followed the lesson plan quite closely, I forgot to share slides pointing to key definitions and further references. This was important because people mentioned they wanted reassurance that we would return to the more theoretical concepts and these slides would have helped with this.
Another part of the feedback involved recognising how unnerving it can be to decenter what we know. Going forward, it would be useful to situate my practice and acknowledge the place of privilege, and expertise from which I speak. The concepts introduced in the work are specialised. Take one step outside of this highly specialised area, and I know very little and it would be useful to acknowledge this.