Healing Dance Network

"Healing Dance Network"," Though patterns and forms vary, expressive rhythmic movement is a very basic means of relieving emotional tension and has from the beginning been associated with religious ritual and healing. Dancing alone, feeling the rhythmic sway and getting in touch with the extension and contraction of muscles in a pleasurable context, is uplifting, healing. Getting so caught up in the dance that we no longer feel separate from the music and can move within it seems to free something very profound within the human being. It is about letting the spirit free to move into its natural space, to animate the body, to untwist the kinks and move the flow of life-energy into every cell, every thirsty neuron, every starving cut-off part, freely moving and diffusing the spirit's natural strength throughout to heal, inspire, enthuse, embrace the positive movement of the self into its own natural shape and way of being. There is something very primal, very basic in regard to our species and dance, involving healing in the holistic sense and the intrinsic energies of life/form/time. And, then, entertainment is of course part of healing and cultural unity. It has to do with dance being a natural regulator of emotion/balance/homeostasis for humans. There are aspects of dance that are very similar to dreams, to liminal experience, to hypnosis, to ecstatic experience. Dance, as highly enjoyable exercise, can lead to all the benefits of physical exercise, as well as all the benefits of ecstatic meditation. There are very definite physiological correlates to what we experience as mental/emotional occurrences. Knowledge about the mind/body/spirit of the living organism can be usefully approached from any/all of these interrelated aspects of the whole system. I have been reading fascinating (though quite technical) studies indicating the effects and neurobiology of stress, and that the often serious effects of prolonged stress can be effectively treated with the kinds of activities of which dance is a prime example. We all at sometime as living beings experience some kind of trauma, dis-ease, ill health. For the less fortunate, there is often trauma of the kind and duration to suspend the ability to function in the ways we consider normal, or even in the ways necessary to sustain life. Even if some of us could find some way to protect ourselves, there are always unanticipated exigencies. In our sojourn as mind-body-spirit we do have resources within ourselves with which to heal ourselves, no matter what our circumstances. We have the ability to dance. There are very real physical, biological, scientifically varifiable qualities involved, as well as very metaphysical, magical, spiritual, ineffable. In some sense, it seems to me, dance is our reward for enduring the painful aspects of embodied life. I have been looking for a web between the various healing dance studies, theories, practitioners and proponents through which to find, share and expand on my own studies. I am hoping to find others who will let me know about their search and findings and how we might work together to bring our learning further. Healing Dance Network - an online email group to created act as a web between the various healing dance studies, theories, practitioners and proponents through which to find, share and expand knowledge and understanding into the possibilities and realities of healing through dance. groups. com/group/healingdance/ Revelation Weave into the fabric of a tribe of artistic dancers. Silent night, peace and cold Imbue me with music In ecstasy, I dance to the stars. click and learn