Body Becoming: A Path to Our Liberation

by Roberto Che Espinoza

The body that Robyn Henderson-Espinoza inhabits is a nonbinary body, a trans body, a body in two races--and a body continually in discovery. Theirs is also a body on sojourn invested in experience, body understanding, and engagement in and for human thriving. Henderson-Espinoza relates coming into a new body story, beginning with the deep emotional work of connecting the abstract intelligence of their mind with their body's intelligence, to explore the relationship between living and becoming, doing and listening. Combining that deep listening and living with their work in activism, Body Becoming offers us a way of understanding the body beyond constructions--political or medical-industrial-complex defined--toward cultivating the body as important in our endeavors to build a more inclusive vision for democracy. Mixing memoir and faith, somatics theory and body practice, Henderson-Espinoza steers us through territory both familiar and difficult--as we discover embodiment as the primary place of deep wisdom, where culture shifts originate and materialize--and a better world becomes, as we too become.

Genres: Nonfiction, LGBT, Queer, Philosophy

236 pages, Hardcover

Published March 29, 2022

Reviews

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give a 3.5 rating. I’ve been following Dr Robyn Henderson-Espinoza on social media and have appreciated their theology and perspective as a trans-queer Latinx person. I was very curious to read their book as there has been much more focus on embodiment both within the field of theology and psychology. While Dr. Henderson-Espinoza touched on some of the philosophy surrounding the sense of being and a history (especially in white culture) of cutting oneself off from embodiment, I thought the writing often skimmed the top layer of philosophy and culture. I found myself wanting the author to go deeper and provide some specific examples of the ways they imagined a different future where an individual’s healing and embodiment would create a healthier democracy and future for all (a possible follow-up book or found within their Activist podcast?).

I did appreciate the author’s interweaving of their lived experience and how it informs their perspective of embodiment. I’m very grateful for public theologians like Dr Henderson-Espinoza, whose experience and life can provide a lens that expands our understanding of the Divine and our human lives. I look forward to reading more of their work and listening to their podcast!

[Susan Meador · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been on a parallel journey of coming to terms with my body, my self for many years now working with an amazingly intuitive, insightful therapist/life coach/friend who lent me this book to read. He thought I’d be interested. Actually, he already knew I would. I was not familiar with the term embodiment on a personal or social level until reading Dr. Robyn’s book. Turns out this is the exact work I have been doing and finding this context has helped to put a new and clear perspective on the journey I have been taking and a path towards continuing with even more purpose.

[Nicki Pappas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Body Becoming by Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza is essential reading. Weaving personal narrative and vision casting for participatory democracy, emancipatory politics, and democratic justice, Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza leads readers on a journey into connection and healing. I highly recommend Body Becoming for anyone who is seeking to live an embodied life as part of a collective body.

[Victor Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at transness, embodiment, and theology. I really appreciated the way the author held so many nuanced ideas around race, neuro-atypicality, nonbinaryness/transness, and religion simultaneously. There were moments of stunningly beautiful prose speaking directly to very relatable experiences.

[Maggie Burns · Rating 2 out of 5]

Listen, I LOVE the premise of this book, and I have appreciated following Henderson-Espinoza on Twitter. I agree with so much of their theology and worldview. I just found the writing to be a little hard to read - maybe it was the style, I'm not sure. The content was also fairly repetitive, which isn't always a bad thing, but the even admitted at one point that a chapter or two were very similar to others in the book.

Like I said, the essence of this book is so so good, and I will definitely read more of what they write, this one was just a little tough to get through!

[Ray Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I soaked up every minute of this book! Wowow. I felt so seen and valued and understood. Roberto feels like a gentle guide for people like me who are venturing out into their bodies with curiosity and unlabeled in the world of the unknown. I read this at the perfect time as I felt myself slipping into a dark place. This gave me so much hope to be more of myself!