Awareness Through Dance

Dance is the ideal tool for awareness.

We become aware of ourselves through a continuum of our body awareness and practiced behaviors. We can only perceive the world we inhabit through the body we have. We use our senses of sight, taste, smell, sight, smell, touch. We become aware through muscle memory, sweat, tears and movement. Awareness is being in touch with emotions that are in our body and experiencing the world with ALL our senses. The real persona emerges when as the emotions within you are allowed to flow. Like the rocking movement that sooths the child, there are natural rhythms that can sooth or invigorate us in life. Like the Johari Window, our well being is enhanced when we are open to all life.

"When consciousness is expanded, every tree and plant seem to be dancing that to average eyes seemed to be still." Rumi. Each person experiences change as events that switch from for ground to background in a rhythmic flow. This gives understanding that we are all in a constant state of change and there are continuous inner changes. We discover our true self and otherness by being viewed as an important part of the larger group. So it is necessary to move among a loving and nurturing group.

People Danced before written language. Moving like the birds in their mating dance. Those who are truly aware know that 90 percent of communication is from body language. When doing dance therapy with Schizophrenics, it is often possible to visibly see a split in the body as the person moves. With Borderline Personality Disorder, the disassociation is often so large that self-inflecting pain is the only way release the endorphins to bring the awareness back within. Dance gives us a way to go back and gently rock the inner child for healing. Dance therapy can offer the soft eyes of encouragement.

Originating from ancient fertility worship, oriental dance was and still is used to help women prepare for childbirth. This practice has been rekindled by many midwives and in child birth classes. The low impact exercise strengthens the pelvic floor and focuses on breathing. Breath control reduces pain. Raks sharki or oriental dance did not originate as a harem dance, nor was the costuming the Hollywood creation associated with the dance today. Dance is a spiritual celebration of life. In Morocco, th Zar, the most ancient tractable dance is still used to free one from the dark spirits. Movement always makes us lighter.

Group dance activity releases endorphins and increased a sense of well being and connectedness. Executive function and emotional regulation can also be increased with martial arts, yoga, swimming and drumming. The emotional regulation is increased when practiced in front of a mirror and helps integrate activities within the persona. Meditation and meditative dance moment demonstrate an increased focus and resistance to alcohol and drugs.

Raks Sharki dance allows us to go back in time and share the ancient knowledge shared in a tradition of nurture. As women, we dance together to celebrate feminine spirit. We are the sisters of the drum. We step out of the intermediate zone , the DMZ, of this fast paced world where the intellect is king. We step in the natural rhythm of the feminine, and rehearse for life as we rehearse our dance. We see the emotion on each others face as we share joy, sorrow, annoyance, and caring with familiar faces. Each becomes aware of withdrawal and contact and they learn that Maya is the force of creation. "Maya means play." "All life is play and only the wise know it." (Fritz Perls)