Embodying the Mystery: Somatic Wisdom for Emotional, Energetic, and Spiritual Awakening

by Richard Strozzi-Heckler

• Follows the author’s apprenticeships with masterful teachers, out-of-body experiences, meditation retreats in Asia, martial arts in Japan, facing his trauma at the hands of his father, and his struggles to become emotionally literate

• Offers interpretations of his experiences poised as questions, reflections, and inquiries, inviting the reader to participate in what opened for the author on his quest for self-realization, including successes, failures, struggles, and enigmas

Sharing profound stories, transformative incidents, and provocative situations from across his more than 7 decades of life, founding elder of the Somatics movement Richard Strozzi-Heckler explores the moments of insight and awakening that have been pivotal in forming his unique perspectives within the fields of embodiment, meditation, aikido, and leadership.

Beginning with an early experience with death that revealed the universal principle of impermanence, the author takes us on a rich, textured journey into the inquiry of what it means to embody the mystery of Spirit. As we follow him through apprenticeships with masterful teachers, out-of-body experiences, meditation retreats in Asia, martial arts in Japan, facing his trauma at the hands of his father, and his struggles to become emotionally literate, we’re also taken on a path of learning, healing, and transformation.

For each story, the author offers interpretations of his experiences poised as questions, reflections, and inquiries. In this way we are invited to participate on his quest for self-realization, including successes, failures, struggles, and enigmas. A deeply personal and intimate portrayal of a life’s journey through a somatic wisdom, this insightful memoir depicts the immeasurable wealth that teachers, practices, vulnerability, and community can offer the sincere seeker on an embodied spiritual path.

Genres: Spirituality

192 pages, Paperback

Published July 5, 2022

About the author

Richard Strozzi-Heckler, PhD is founder and Co-Director of Methodology at Strozzi Institute. He has spent over four decades researching, developing and teaching Somatics to business leaders, executive managers, teams from Fortune 500 companies, NGOs, technology start-ups, non-profits, the U.S. government and military.

He was named one of the Top 50 Executive Coaches in The Art and Practice of Leadership Coaching, and in Profiles in Coaching. He is the co-founder of the Mideast Aikido Project (MAP), which brings together Palestinians and Israelis through the practice of Aikido.

Richard is the author of eight books, including The Leadership Dojo, In Search of the Warrior Spirit, The Anatomy of Change, Holding the Center and The Art of Somatic Coaching: Embodying Skillful Action, Wisdom, and Compassion. From 2002 to 2007 he was an advisor to NATO and the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe (SACEUR) General Jim Jones, formally the National Security Advisor.

Richard has a PhD in Psychology and is a sixth degree black belt in the martial art of Aikido.

Reviews

[Ana Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written book full of personal anecdotes which explain different spiritual principles very clearly. Richard Heckler-Strozzi helps readers understand the connection between energy, emotion and the physical body. I have been using this book to illustrate principles of embodiment with my own clients.

You can watch Richard discussing his book on In The Light-Growing Your Soul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5moC...