I invite you to begin a Healing Movement practice. With this introduction to movement and dance for healing anyone can begin. Start where you are and  go where the dance leads you!

Dance Movement is Healing

I invite you to begin a Healing Movement practice. Let’s begin by defining “movement”. We are talking here about dance/movement for healing, examining ourselves through movement. At first glance this can look like dancing, and often it really is dancing in the physical sense. But there is a difference between what might be called recreational dancing and intentional dance movement. When we talk about movement as a process we look deep within and let the movement come from there. It is not always pretty or graceful when we move from this place, though it can be that too. Sometimes it looks and feels awkward or discordant. We use the dance to work with what is real for us in the moment. We leave thought and judgment behind to dance with our emotions and our bodies.

Thought, or mind, can be our biggest barrier to healing. The mind has stories of what we can and cannot do, or be, or express. When we engage in awareness through movement we learn volumes about the stories we have been living with. Martha Graham once said, “The body reveals what words cannot”. I might add that the body, in motion, can often heal what words cannot. Our emotional and physical pain often drives us from our bodies into our heads. Our anger, distortions, hurts and fears can get stuck. We hold them in our aching backs, our tense necks and our sick stomachs. This is our energy, our life force. We block its flow and hold it in the tight corners of our bodies. We don’t have to do this. By allowing ourselves to get lost in movement we can break through the blocks and connect to the creative flow.

Many ancient traditions are now emerging into common culture with teachings about dance for healing. Sometimes there is a trance component that is designed to get us to altered states. Trance states are the shift from a normal waking beta wave state to an alpha wave, which is relaxed, focused and aware. In this state we may be more able to see what is really true, or seek wisdom, or vision. It is important to see that in this dynamic dance there is intent to connect with our authentic selves. We also have an intention to connect to spirit, to call in our own personal connection to the universal powers for support. There are many teachers showing us how to tap into this transformational space.

Gabrielle Roth, creator of the 5 Rhythms, is committed to teaching healing and transformation through movement and music. She says that if we “put our psyche in motion it will heal itself”. And she means physical motion, not intellectual motion. Calling on musicians as modern day shamans of the soul she creates an auditory, musical path for us to follow. As the music leads us through the emotional body we feel our way along to our core.

“Imagine a darkness which allows you to draw deeply into yourself, which makes you see with your heart instead of your eyes”. The work of Wilbert Alix is also dancing with the shamanic tradition. In his work we learn to use sensory manipulation in another way. He adds the elimination of visual stimulus, by using of a blindfold, to discover another language of movement. In this work we are entirely internal. We cannot see what we look like so it is easier to let go of our need to perform…even if the performance is for ourselves! We are drawn into a deeper place inside of ourselves.

As with any practice we have potential challenges. One challenge the mind often throws out there for us is the “I’m not a dancer” argument. It is important to understand that to use dance/movement as a practice does not require any particular skill or knowledge of dancing. All we really need to do is show up as the feeling, moving creatures we are to initiate the growth we seek. When we show up and move from our feeling body we create new ways of being. Two other common challenges are time and space. And, again, we work with what we have. Dancing, or moving honestly for five minutes a day in even a small space can make a substantial impact on our lives.

So how do you create your own movement practice? One thing you can do is to explore different styles further on the internet, or in a workshop setting. You could also trust your own body wisdom and begin your practice there. It really is okay to start where you are and explore. Let’s look at some of the components of a movement practice.

Space.

Create some space that feels good to you. It does not need to be large, you can move in anything probably six feet square or larger. Remove distractions like phones. If you want to decorate or honor the sacredness of the space with colors, candles or soft lighting that can be fun too.

Music.

Music opens the door to the soul. Experiment with it. Try moving with no music at all to see what you body does. Try music you would not normally listen to, something discordant or something you don’t even like. Again, just to see how you respond to it. Try different styles of music. It might be good, at least to start, to avoid what you personally would use as regular social dance music. This way you get to push some edges instead of just falling into your regular dance groove.

Personal Preparation.

Wear comfortable clothes and bare feet if you can. It might be a good idea to set aside a specific amount of time, especially to start. Try half an hour as a time that you will move without breaking out of that setting. It is easy to step away to answer calls, let the cat in or wash that mug from breakfast. These are avoidance techniques! Make a commitment to your practice and stick with it.

The Dance.

Now it is time to turn on the music and put ourselves in the middle of the space. It is important to remember that there is no right way to do this practice. We just show up. If we have a feeling we move into it. One fun way to begin moving is to allow (not tell!) our bodies to offer up a simple gesture. Perhaps we get a sweep of the arm, or a nod of the head. We follow this movement with curiosity. Not with our mind, but with our emotional body. Sometimes we continue this movement for some time before it reveals some feeling or information. Sometimes it will flow into a new movement. The trick is to not judge and not direct. Follow the body with open hearted curiosity. How does our body move when it is moving sad; or happy; or lonely? Follow the lead of any feeling you have and just see where it takes you. Some great words to describe how we can move are: shift, shuffle, twist, turn, refocus, rearrange, and transfer. How do you refocus your body? What does shuffle bring up for you? This is play time with an agenda. We want to create an opportunity to be real, to know ourselves better, even change or redirect old habits. Movement opens up the energy channels, allowing flow and healing. The possibilities are endless.

So, again, I invite you to create a Healing Movement practice for yourself. You can explore, experiment, learn and have fun. Be prepared for deep feelings. Be prepared for your life to change.

Cherese Mathews weaves through the web of life with Movement/Dance, Ritual, Reiki/Energy, Breath and Creative Processes.  She lives, works and plays in Northeast Connecticut. Cherese created “earthcounsel” to bring community together honoring Sacred Space, celebrating Life, kinship and our connection to the Earth in circles, around fires, with song, tears, laughter and love. She is a Reiki Master/Teacher and Transformational Breath facilitator with a private practice holding the healing process; Artist, Art Educator, Master Gardener, Kripalu YogaDance facilitator, TranceDance facilitator, Fire Priestess and Justice of the Peace. She can be reached for private sessions or group work at: (860)942-3799 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Check out my new web site at www.anearthcounsel.com.