Your Body Is Not What You Think: Looking Beyond the Physical and into the Energetic Heart

March 6, 2020

This model of a multidimensional body applies directly to the theme of the Deep Heart. I would not write about the importance of the heart unless I knew it intimately firsthand and also understood its critical role in psychological healing and spiritual awakening. If there are, as I propose, layers to the heart ranging from the relatively gross, through the refined, to the transcendent, then many of us will be able to directly or indirectly sense this in some way.

One of the easiest ways to sense the emotional and energetic reality of the heart area is to notice what we sense and feel when we fall in love or, conversely, when we lose someone we have loved via death or a painful breakup. Heart openings are intoxicatingly joyful, and heart breaks are extraordinarily painful. Have you ever wondered why this is the case? Are the opening and closing of the heart purely physiological, or might something else be going on? We will explore romantic love in a later chapter, but for now I’ll just acknowledge the central role that the heart area plays in human relationships and in genuine spiritual openings. The majority of popular songs and a large number of our most compelling stories revolve around love found and lost.

In order to explore your heart in any depth, it’s helpful to sense your whole body with as few ideas as possible. Clear the slate—be open to the possibility that your body is not what you think it is. Rather than approaching your body as a familiar solid object made up of skin, bones, muscles, organs, tissues, and cells governed by neural and hormonal networks, I encourage you to approach it differently—as a field of vibration filled with space.

In the next exercise, you will experience the body as a field of vibration. This meditation is inspired by the Vijnanabhairava Tantra, a key experiential text in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivism that was authored over a thousand years ago. It’s a good idea to record this guided meditation on your smartphone, and I recommend pausing between the steps outlined below for at least twenty seconds. Including the pauses, please allow for at least ten minutes in total. Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed, sit comfortably, and close your eyes.  

BODY SENSING PRACTICE 

Sensing the Body as Vibration  

Take a few deep breaths and allow your attention to settle down and in.

Feel the weight of your body being held by whatever you are sitting on and let yourself be completely held.

Sense the bottoms of your feet, the tips of your toes, and notice a lively vibration. Imagine it growing stronger, gradually enveloping both feet, and then moving up both legs.

Sense the palms of your hands and the tips of your fingers. Notice a subtle vibration—a sense of aliveness.

Feel it enveloping both hands and slowly spreading up both arms.

Feel this sense of vibrant aliveness growing into your hips and shoulders.

And then into the belly and the chest, including your back.  

Sense this lively vibration moving up the neck and into the head, suffusing the mouth, ears, eyes, and brain. Take your time.

Now let go of any focusing and sense your entire body as a diffuse field of lively vibration. Notice that it is difficult to tell exactly where your body ends and where the so-called world begins. Allow this sense of vibration to extend out into space in all directions: front … back … left … right … up … and down.

Rest in and as this expansive sense of vibrant spaciousness as long as you like.  

Journey into the depths of your own heart with Dr. John J. Prendergast’s guide, The Deep Heart: Our Portal to Presence.

John J. Prendergast

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John J. Prendergast, PhD is a spiritual teacher, author, psychotherapist, and retired adjunct professor of psychology who now offers residential and online retreats. For more, please visit listeningfromsilence.com.

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John J. Prendergast: Meeting Your Deepest Ground

At a time when things feel utterly groundless for so many of us, Dr. John J. Prendergast offers a practical approach to “meeting your deepest ground”—a stabilizing core of awareness and truth that is at once within and all around you. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with the retired therapist and spiritual teacher about his new book, Your Deepest Ground: A Guide to Embodied Spirituality

Settle back for a fascinating conversation filled with both practical insights and esoteric wisdom for anyone on a path of growth and transformation. Tami and John explore overcoming deep inner resistance to what we would rather not face; how traumatic “material” becomes frozen in the body; Kundalini awakening; how to attune to your body’s “subtle sensitivity” to receive the wisdom it has to offer; relaxing the mind; touching reality through and beyond the body; the “underground dimension” that is both personal and collective; the work of Carl Jung; becoming more intimate with the archetypal dimension of life; the challenge of defining the undefinable “absolute ground” of our being; transmitting a felt experience within a shared field of openness; the two kinds of inner blockages, psychological and existential; the core theme of safety; welcoming difficult feelings and experiences in order to better understand them; activating the light of awareness that leads to transformation; the practice of paying attention to the space behind you; mindfulness and witnessing our thoughts; humility and the pilgrimage from the head to the heart; the futility of “seeking” what is always already here; the disorientation that often precedes a reorientation; common symptoms people experience during the process of unwinding core contractions; letting go (and doing it with trust); the rainbow bridge between heaven and earth; why psychological healing is a necessary component for spiritual awakening; and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

Guided Meditation: Accepting Your Experience Just as I...

If you have traveled on the spiritual path even a little way, you have probably come across some version of “love what is”—a reminder that you should accept your experience as it is. However, this teaching easily becomes another injunction. Notice the should in the earlier sentence—it is always a red flag that the judging mind is at work.  

The conditioned mind cannot accept unconditionally. It always has an agenda, even if it is well hidden. It secretly bargains and sends the message, “I will accept you [sotto voce] if you change or leave.” This approach is akin to welcoming guests at your front door while secretly hoping they will exit out the back—the sooner, the better! Guests—our unwanted thoughts, feelings, and sensations—will certainly feel this conditional invitation, even if it is unspoken. As a result, they will be much less willing to enter, relax, and reveal themselves. The result? What we resist, persists. So when your new arrivals show up at your door, put away your timer and share some aromatic green tea and a raspberry scone with them. Settle in and let them tell their stories and share their feelings. They just want to be heard and understood. Once they feel genuinely received, they will be open to a new perspective.

Are you willing to be with your experience just as it is, even if it never changes? This is a critically important checking question. Take a few minutes to inquire with the following practice.

MEDITATIVE INQUIRY

Are You Willing to Accept Your Experience Just as It Is?

Sit quietly where you won’t be disturbed, close or lower your eyes, and take a few deep breaths. Feel the weight of your body held by whatever you are sitting on and relax. Feel your attention settling down and in.

Think of a troubling aspect of your conditioning—an unwelcome pattern of behavior, reactive feeling, bodily tension, or invasive thought. Then ask yourself: “Am I willing to accept this just as it is?”

If your response comes from the strategic mind, there will be an honest no. This is good to see. If this is the case, try asking the question a little differently: “Is there something in me that already accepts this just as it is?”

If your attention has settled into the Deep Heart, you will find a yes.

Journey into the depths of your own heart with Dr. John J. Prendergast’s guide, The Deep Heart: Our Portal to Presence.

Your Body Is Not What You Think: Looking Beyond the Ph...

This model of a multidimensional body applies directly to the theme of the Deep Heart. I would not write about the importance of the heart unless I knew it intimately firsthand and also understood its critical role in psychological healing and spiritual awakening. If there are, as I propose, layers to the heart ranging from the relatively gross, through the refined, to the transcendent, then many of us will be able to directly or indirectly sense this in some way.

One of the easiest ways to sense the emotional and energetic reality of the heart area is to notice what we sense and feel when we fall in love or, conversely, when we lose someone we have loved via death or a painful breakup. Heart openings are intoxicatingly joyful, and heart breaks are extraordinarily painful. Have you ever wondered why this is the case? Are the opening and closing of the heart purely physiological, or might something else be going on? We will explore romantic love in a later chapter, but for now I’ll just acknowledge the central role that the heart area plays in human relationships and in genuine spiritual openings. The majority of popular songs and a large number of our most compelling stories revolve around love found and lost.

In order to explore your heart in any depth, it’s helpful to sense your whole body with as few ideas as possible. Clear the slate—be open to the possibility that your body is not what you think it is. Rather than approaching your body as a familiar solid object made up of skin, bones, muscles, organs, tissues, and cells governed by neural and hormonal networks, I encourage you to approach it differently—as a field of vibration filled with space.

In the next exercise, you will experience the body as a field of vibration. This meditation is inspired by the Vijnanabhairava Tantra, a key experiential text in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivism that was authored over a thousand years ago. It’s a good idea to record this guided meditation on your smartphone, and I recommend pausing between the steps outlined below for at least twenty seconds. Including the pauses, please allow for at least ten minutes in total. Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed, sit comfortably, and close your eyes.  

BODY SENSING PRACTICE 

Sensing the Body as Vibration  

Take a few deep breaths and allow your attention to settle down and in.

Feel the weight of your body being held by whatever you are sitting on and let yourself be completely held.

Sense the bottoms of your feet, the tips of your toes, and notice a lively vibration. Imagine it growing stronger, gradually enveloping both feet, and then moving up both legs.

Sense the palms of your hands and the tips of your fingers. Notice a subtle vibration—a sense of aliveness.

Feel it enveloping both hands and slowly spreading up both arms.

Feel this sense of vibrant aliveness growing into your hips and shoulders.

And then into the belly and the chest, including your back.  

Sense this lively vibration moving up the neck and into the head, suffusing the mouth, ears, eyes, and brain. Take your time.

Now let go of any focusing and sense your entire body as a diffuse field of lively vibration. Notice that it is difficult to tell exactly where your body ends and where the so-called world begins. Allow this sense of vibration to extend out into space in all directions: front … back … left … right … up … and down.

Rest in and as this expansive sense of vibrant spaciousness as long as you like.  

Journey into the depths of your own heart with Dr. John J. Prendergast’s guide, The Deep Heart: Our Portal to Presence.

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This conversation offers genuine transmission—not just concepts about awakening, but the palpable presence of realized teachers exploring the growing edge of spiritual understanding together. Originally aired on Sounds True One.

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Serene older woman in nature with hand on heart

What does it mean to listen to the soul when it feels most exposed? In Marion Woodman’s teachings, moments of vulnerability are not interruptions but invitations to pay attention. Soul vulnerability often shows up through the body, through emotion, or through a quiet sense that something within us is asking to be heard. When we stay present, these experiences begin to reveal deeper meaning through the Jungian feminine, aging wisdom, and Jungian psychology depth.

For decades, we have been devoted to sharing the living wisdom of transformative teachers, preserving their voices in ways that remain true to their depth and presence. Our work brings forward teachings from leading spiritual visionaries, offering guidance that supports inner growth, emotional honesty, and a more embodied way of being .

Here, we look at Marion Woodman on the soul’s vulnerability and how listening to our deepest wisdom can guide a more grounded and aware life.

Key Takeaways:

  • Embodied Wisdom: Soul vulnerability reveals insight through the body, emotions, and inner experience.
  • Feminine Awareness: The Jungian feminine supports deeper listening, intuition, and connection to the psyche.
  • Aging Insight: Aging wisdom deepens reflection and helps integrate life experiences with greater clarity.

Discover the Hidden Power of Daily Meditation

Marion Woodman on Soul Vulnerability, Jungian Feminine, Aging Wisdom, and Jungian Psychology Depth

What does it mean to truly listen to the soul, especially in moments when we feel most exposed or uncertain? In the teachings of Marion Woodman, soul vulnerability is not something to avoid or overcome. It is a vital expression of the psyche asking for our attention. At Sounds True, we have long been devoted to sharing living wisdom in the authentic voices of transformative teachers, preserving insights that invite us into deeper presence and self-understanding. Woodman’s work within Jungian psychology offers a compassionate and embodied path toward this kind of listening. She reminds us that the Jungian feminine lives not in abstraction but in the body, in feeling, and in the rhythms of lived experience. As we grow and change, aging wisdom begins to shape how we meet our vulnerability. Rather than turning away, we are invited to stay, to sense, and to trust that something meaningful is unfolding within us.

Understanding Soul Vulnerability Through Jungian Feminine, Aging Wisdom, and Jungian Psychology Depth

Soul vulnerability often appears at the edges of our comfort. It may arise through loss, illness, transition, or moments when our usual ways of coping no longer hold. Within Jungian psychology, these moments are not seen as failures. They are invitations into a deeper relationship with the psyche.

Soul Vulnerability as an Opening to the Jungian Feminine

The Jungian feminine speaks in a language that is often quiet and symbolic. It is present in dreams, in bodily sensations, and in the subtle shifts of emotion that move through us. When we allow ourselves to experience soul vulnerability, we begin to soften the barriers that keep us disconnected from this inner voice. Woodman taught that the body is not separate from the psyche. It carries memory, truth, and intelligence. When we listen closely, we begin to recognize how the Jungian feminine guides us toward wholeness through feeling and presence rather than force or control.

Aging Wisdom and the Deepening of Jungian Psychology Depth

With time, our relationship to vulnerability changes. Aging wisdom brings perspective, allowing us to see how earlier experiences have shaped our inner life. Within Jungian psychology, this is part of the individuation process, a gradual unfolding of the self. Soul vulnerability becomes less overwhelming and more meaningful. We begin to trust that even difficult experiences carry insight. This trust does not remove pain, but it creates space for reflection and integration.

Soul Vulnerability and the Jungian Feminine in Aging Wisdom and Jungian Psychology Depth

As these elements come together, we begin to sense a different way of being with ourselves. There is less urgency to fix and more willingness to understand.

The Body as a Guide in Soul Vulnerability

Woodman’s work consistently returns to the body as a source of wisdom. Physical sensations, fatigue, or tension can reflect deeper emotional truths. When we approach these experiences with curiosity, we open a pathway into soul vulnerability. The Jungian feminine supports this process by inviting us to feel rather than analyze. Aging wisdom allows us to recognize patterns and respond with greater care. Over time, we learn that the body is not an obstacle but a guide.

Integrating Experience Through Jungian Psychology Depth

Integration within Jungian psychology depth involves holding complexity. We are not asked to eliminate contradiction but to remain present with it. Soul vulnerability allows us to acknowledge both strength and fragility. The Jungian feminine encourages us to stay connected to our inner experience, while aging wisdom reminds us that understanding unfolds gradually. This integration creates a sense of groundedness that supports authentic living.

Exploring Soul Vulnerability, Jungian Feminine, Aging Wisdom, and Jungian Psychology Depth

There is a natural rhythm to inner work that cannot be rushed. Woodman’s teachings invite us to honor that rhythm and to trust the unfolding process of the psyche.

The Role of Relationship in Soul Vulnerability

Relationships often bring our vulnerability into focus. They reflect aspects of ourselves that may remain hidden when we are alone. Through connection, we encounter both our capacity for love and our fears of being seen. The Jungian feminine encourages openness in these moments, while aging wisdom helps us respond with patience and understanding. Within Jungian psychology, depth and relationships are understood as essential to growth, offering mirrors that reveal where healing is needed.

Trusting the Unfolding of the Psyche

The psyche moves in cycles rather than straight lines. There are times of clarity and times of uncertainty. Soul vulnerability is part of this movement. The Jungian feminine invites us to remain present with what is emerging, even when it feels unclear. Aging wisdom supports a longer view, helping us recognize that meaning often appears over time. Within Jungian psychology, this unfolding is part of becoming more fully ourselves.

Learn How your Mind Really Works with Sounds True

The Jungian Feminine, Soul Vulnerability, Aging Wisdom, and Jungian Psychology Depth in Practice

Bringing these insights into daily life can begin with small, intentional shifts in attention. We do not need to change everything at once. We can begin by listening more closely.

  • Take time for quiet reflection each day, allowing space for inner awareness to arise naturally
  • Notice bodily sensations without judgment, recognizing them as expressions of the psyche
  • Record dreams or images that stay with you, honoring their symbolic meaning
  • Engage in creative practices that allow feeling and imagination to take form
  • Reflect on life experiences and how they have contributed to your growing aging wisdom

These practices are gentle invitations. They support a relationship with soul vulnerability that is rooted in care rather than pressure. Over time, they help cultivate a deeper connection to the Jungian feminine and the insights of Jungian psychology depth.

Aging Wisdom, Soul Vulnerability, Jungian Feminine, and Jungian Psychology Depth in Inner Work

Inner work asks for honesty and patience. It is not always comfortable, yet it is deeply meaningful. Aging wisdom brings a willingness to reflect rather than react. Soul vulnerability becomes a guide, pointing toward areas that call for attention. The Jungian feminine supports a compassionate approach, one that honors both the body and the emotions that arise. Within the depth of Jungian psychology, this work is essential to individuation. It invites us to engage with unconscious material and bring it into awareness. As we do so, we begin to experience a sense of coherence within ourselves. We are no longer divided between what we show and what we hide. Instead, we move toward a more integrated way of being.

Soul Vulnerability and Aging Wisdom Through the Lens of Jungian Feminine and Jungian Psychology Depth

As we continue to listen to the soul, vulnerability begins to feel less threatening. It becomes a source of guidance. Aging wisdom allows us to recognize patterns and approach them with greater openness. The Jungian feminine deepens our connection to feeling and intuition, helping us navigate the complexities of inner life. Within Jungian psychology, this transformation reflects a growing relationship with the self. Soul vulnerability is no longer something to resist. It is something to honor.

Integrating Soul Vulnerability, Jungian Feminine, Aging Wisdom, and Jungian Psychology Depth

Integration is a living process that unfolds over time. It asks for attention, patience, and a willingness to remain open. Soul vulnerability remains at the center, inviting us to stay connected to our experience. The Jungian feminine offers a way of understanding the body, emotion, and imagination as sources of wisdom. Aging wisdom deepens our capacity to reflect and integrate what we have lived. Within Jungian psychology depth, this movement toward wholeness is ongoing. As we continue to listen, we begin to sense a quiet alignment within ourselves. It is not something we force. It emerges through presence, through care, and through a growing trust in the intelligence of the soul.

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Final Thoughts

Soul vulnerability invites us to stay present with our inner experience, even when it feels uncertain. Through the lens of the Jungian feminine, aging wisdom, and Jungian psychology depth, we begin to recognize this vulnerability as a source of insight rather than something to overcome.

Over time, this way of listening deepens our connection to ourselves, shaping a more grounded and attentive way of being.

Frequently Asked Questions About Marion Woodman and Soul Vulnerability

What is Marion Woodman best known for in spiritual psychology?

Marion Woodman is known for her work in analytical psychology, particularly her focus on embodiment, the feminine psyche, and the relationship between psyche and soma.

How does Marion Woodman define the soul in her teachings?

She often describes the soul as a living presence expressed through the body, dreams, and emotions rather than something abstract or separate from daily life.

What role does the body play in Jungian psychology depth?

The body is seen as an essential messenger of the unconscious, offering signals that reflect deeper psychological and emotional realities.

How is the Jungian feminine different from traditional ideas of femininity?

The Jungian feminine refers to an archetypal energy present in all people, emphasizing receptivity, intuition, and connection to inner life rather than gender roles.

Why is aging wisdom important in inner development?

Aging wisdom brings perspective, helping individuals reflect on life experiences and integrate lessons that support emotional and spiritual maturity.

How can someone begin studying Jungian psychology depth?

Many begin through books, guided courses, therapy, or lectures that introduce core concepts like archetypes, dreams, and the unconscious.

What makes Marion Woodman’s teachings relevant today?

Her emphasis on embodiment and emotional honesty resonates in a time when many feel disconnected from their inner lives and physical experience.

Can soul vulnerability support creative expression?

Yes, being open to vulnerability often allows deeper emotional material to surface, which can enrich creative practices like writing, art, or movement.

How do dreams relate to soul vulnerability?

Dreams can reveal hidden emotions and symbolic messages, offering insight into areas where the psyche seeks attention or healing.

Is Jungian psychology’s depth connected to spiritual practice?

While rooted in psychology, it often intersects with spirituality by addressing meaning, purpose, and the experience of the inner self.

Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an author, activist, spiritual teacher, racial equity consultant, and intuitive healer. She is the author of six books, including Skill in Action and Finding Refuge. Amy Burtaine is a leadership coach and racial equity trainer. With Robin DiAngelo, she is the coauthor of The Facilitator's Guide for White Affinity Groups. For more, visit https://www.michellecjohnson.com/wisdom-of-the-hive.

One comment on “Your Body Is Not What You Think: Looking Beyond the Physical and into the Energetic Heart

  1. Anonymous says:

    Thank you

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