ABSTRACT
Embodied thinking is almost a reversal of the direction in which much of our intellectual culture orients, which is towards the emergence of categories and capacities for repeated use of well-defined processes, for the efficiencies this brings. It orients, rather, towards a flowering out of every unique instance. In academia, practising embodied thinking methods may seem like yet another task to take on – one that may sound like a luxury, making it quite impractical to prioritise. But here we encounter what we might call a benevolent paradox. Practising an embodied approach within research, no matter how little time one has, is not experienced as losing time. On the contrary. Slowing down to dip into the felt motivation for your work can re-fuel your energy and let you know what is relevant and worth your time. Slowing down to listen to each other, clarifying, or perhaps just acknowledging, some deep confusion at the bottom of your work, or of some learning or teaching challenge, can provide surprising insights that save a lot of time. Thinking with and from the rich affordances of lived experience and its inspirations, is not just worth your time, it gives your time the value it deserves.
