I’m excited!!
Recently I spent a long weekend up in Maleny (near gorgeous Montville and Mapleton on the Sunshine Coast) at a practitioners retreat: learning, sharing, brainstorming and dancing….. yes that’s right, DANCING!!
It wasn’t your normal kind of dancing – it was so much more than that. Initially I thought, hmm, I’m not so sure I want to do this in front of a bunch of people I don’t know! BUT… once we began I found myself quickly forgetting about the other people struggling to find their own personal rhythm; some swaying timidly, others clearly uncomfortable and others still, obviously self-conscious. I was slightly surprised at how easily I allowed myself to tune into my body and let go of my ego – even 5 years ago I may not have felt so comfortable doing so.
We women particularly are so passionately and emotionally connected to the flaws we perceive in the mirror. We condone our bodies, berate them and hate them, and struggle constantly to fit an ideal that isn’t real or our own. We often don’t know how to embrace the bodies we live in and instead of treating our bodies with respect and kindness, we throw negative statements and remarks at it, continually comparing and dishonouring the beauty within us that we no longer see.
Elemental Movement Meditation is not about learning steps. It is not a traditional dance class. Yet it’s not just a movement class either. You can practice movement meditation through various activities: running, walking, yoga even. But this is different, and so much fun!
Admittedly, I did initially experience a moment of self-consciousness, but you know, I quickly focused in on the music by surrendering my mind to the rhthym and tones within the sounds, and easily found myself connecting awareness and focus solely into my body.
Others around me began to branch out into their own space as well and I did look up a few times to notice the smiles and joy on their faces as they too released their inhibitions and embraced their bodies in a completely new way!
I loved moving my body this way – intimately, personally, however felt natural and instinctive in the moment! How many of you have lost touch with your body, sensuality, inner passion and fire? How many of you have lost the powerful wave of feminine and masculine energies swirling throughout your body?
Throughout this personal elemental movement meditation, I rediscovered a powerful and passionate life force deep within me – I totally lost myself within my body as I moved this way and that; with the music, against it; resonating the beats and layers throughout my muscles and joints; feeling tingling energy building and flowing throughout my entire body; concentrating on areas where I focused my attention and movements.
WOW! My body was so active yet my mind became still and thoughtless – everything became movement and energy.
And what a great workout!
Elemental Movement Meditation uses carefully selected music to invoke the five elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Ether alongside the five levels of spiritual development: Gratitude, Love, Peace, Joy and Awakening.
To experiment at home, simply put your favourite evocative music on and start breathing into your body, bringing the attention of your mind to the movements and sensations within your body. Moving instinctively to the rhythym and tones… breathing in and out, moving freely and openly to your chosen music.
I’ll be bringing these classes to Toowoomba very soon – email me your interest: viki@mindbodyfood.net
Enjoy!!!
Viki xo
NB: This kind of moving meditation is still fairly new in some parts, although it is inspired by Gabreille Roth’s, 5Rhythms Dance.
