Kyla’s Story
Natural Number 8
In 2015, Kyla was going through a divorce. It was a major decision, and a major change; she had been married for 25 years. The process was bound to be difficult, and Kyla found herself off balance, ungrounded. She had lost her parents when she was younger, and now she was losing her spouse. Her sources of security and stability had been removed from her life.
Determined not to let her fears get the better of her, Kyla began searching for ways to gain her footing on her own terms, depending on herself rather than others to feel steady. As she took stock of her life, she began to question whether the roots she’d put down in Bozeman and in her job as a CPA were in fact roots she wanted to keep. She began to wonder if she was the person she wanted to be.
It was then that a friend invited Kyla to “discover her superpower” at a Body of 9 identification session. “I was in the middle of going through a divorce and reinventing myself,” Kyla reflects, “and I thought, “I could use some superpowers right about now”.” With zero expectations and a lot of curiosity, she headed to the identification. She maintained a healthy skepticism approaching the process—she had never seen anything like it before, nor was she immediately convinced when Susan identified her as a Natural Number 8.
“When I first found out about my Natural Number, it did not ring true to me; the description didn’t make sense, didn’t feel right,” she remembers. For instance, Natural Number 8 is often associated with a connection to the earth and nature, something Kyla had never felt; she had always considered herself a “city-girl.” However, Susan’s words rang true regarding the region of her body that supported her, and acted as the source of her strength—her sacrum and lower back. She was unsure how to reconcile her self-image with her physical sense of reality; she also couldn’t deny that her friend and the other participants at the identification were stronger in different postures. The more she observed them, the more clearly she could see the variations in how each person carried themselves, spoke, and perceived the world. “I’m really intrigued by the connection between the mind, the body, and the soul,” Kyla says. Since the Body of 9 explored just that, she wasn’t ready to give up on the system just yet.
Susan and Martin tested her for each of the Natural Numbers to be sure their identification was correct. This was reassuring to Kyla, giving her a more complete picture of the system and its context, methodically ruling out the other possibilities. “That’s kind of how I approach most things; it’s like I have to understand the whole before I can zero in on where I feel like the solution is, or what’s needed,” she explains. She would later realize that this approach was, as she described it, “textbook 8;” as she explored her Natural Number more, she began to see how some of the other qualities that she’d originally dismissed also rang true.
Though the idea of connecting with the earth hadn’t resonated with her from the beginning, she recalled that amidst the distressing changes in her life she had felt “ungrounded.” Using the postures and exercises learned from Body of 9, however, she found she could physically ground herself, which in turn steadied her mind. This realization was a turning point in honoring her body and trusting its wisdom, and she began a journey of evolution, discovery, and self-affirmation, learning how her Natural Number manifested in ways specific to her—how she personally brought it present.
In the past, she’d had a tendency to scold herself for not being able to devote her attention to a singular focus—sometimes she’d struggle to finish books, or stick with one line of study. In conversations with multiple friends or coworkers, she’d feel “wishy-washy” for seeing and agreeing with the truth in seemingly contrary viewpoints. As she started to apply the lens of the Natural Numbers, though, she realized that she was ignoring the value of her perspective, treating her abilities as flaws because they were different from those of the people around her.
As a Natural Number 8, Kyla came to appreciate that she had a talent for “looking at the whole landscape”— understanding the whole of a project or situation and seeing how each of the pieces fit together, what connections had yet to be made between the pieces, and which pieces might still be missing. For larger group projects, she could also track what tasks needed to be completed, and who was handling each component; reflecting on her career, these organizational skills had been important in her work as a CPA. Her 8ness helped her “richly weave things together;” though a single course couldn’t hold her interest, should could take twelve courses and explain how they all fit together, and what lessons could be taken from that whole to improve a situation, an endeavor, or life in general. Having her Natural Number identified was key in empowering her to contribute this perspective, rather than seeing it as wrong. “It’s actually helped me find my voice, where before I may not have spoken up,” she attests.
Trusting in herself allowed Kyla to take the leaps in career change and living situation that she’d been considering. She was willing to take risks in her mission to create a life that honored who she was and what she was capable of. She quit her job, and without another lined up, drove to a different town and began her new life. When she felt unsure of herself, she grounded hers body and mind through her NN8 posture. Her courage was rewarded; she quickly got a job with an organization that helped statewide nonprofits, specifically overseeing the financial work. “What’s the foundation of a great community? What’s the foundation of philanthropy in an area? How do we then help other non-profits be successful?” These are the questions that Kyla helps find answers to; she then helps accomplish the solutions. “I feel like that’s so aligned with my Natural Number; I feel like who I am in the world and what I’m doing in the world is in synchronicity right now.”
Kyla also feels better prepared to handle future relationships. She’s learned that she doesn’t need to take complete responsibility for other people; just as she has come to “own” her decisions, and must allow others to do the same, having faith that things will work out. In the process of becoming a stronger a person, she’s found doesn’t need to rely on having others in her life either—she can love and adore without dependence.
In the end, identification with Body of 9 proved a great gift in her search for her true self. The impact of having her Natural Number identified has reinforced that her perspective is valid, her contributions are powerful, and her choices come from a place of truth. “I really enjoy being an 8,” she says, “and I hope that everybody who finds their Number feels like they enjoy what they are, because that’s true self expression.”
To those who are looking for something more fulfilling in life, she offers this advice: “If you’re ever looking for something and you don’t know what it is; if something’s knocking in your heart, and you don’t know how to answer that call…just go looking, and get curious. There are so many beautiful things out there that can help you learn, grow, and fulfill yourself. You can find your meaning of life in different places, whether you find it in a book, in art, or personal growth; everything is malleable, and you can reinvent yourself at any time… I think the meaning of life is really to just honor yourself.” If are open to learn more, download the free ‘Four Practices for Presence’ guide here and begin exploring the impact you can have on the world.
