Guest Author Parashakti | Movement as Medicine: How Can Conscious Dance Heal Your Body?
Parashakti (left) with a fellow dancer at an Ecstatic Dance event in Los Angeles, CA. Photography by: Eric Allen Photography
Imagine yourself whirling across a dance floor, whisked away by the music to higher planes of awareness and expression, completely uninhibited and free. This is the flow state that Conscious Dance aims to evoke. The concept of Conscious Dance began with Gabrielle Roth and her 5Rhythms modality in the 1970s.
Since then, it has evolved into numerous other modalities, such as Soul Motion, Biodanza, the blindfolded Dance of Liberation, and the ever-popular Ecstatic Dance.
We know that any sort of movement or cardio exercise results in the release of endorphins, which trigger a positive, almost-analgesic effect in the body. Now, how does the practice of Conscious Dance elevate this healing sensation even further?
Dance as a Meditative Practice
When we talk about Conscious Dance, we’re not discussing a choreographed modality that relies on steep training regimens and a carefully toned physique. Rather, we are discussing a form of movement that comes from the soul. When the music comes on, what is your body’s first instinct?
Conscious Dance is about exhibiting the movements as they come to you, and partaking in movements that release specific energies or pain points – whether mental, emotional, spiritual, or physical.
It is almost primitive in its expression, reminiscent of ancient shamanic dances and movement practices from other cultures, such as the Anastenaria in Bulgaria or the Balinese Ritual Dance of Indonesia. As such, Conscious Dance is meant to reconnect us with the collective and invite us to re-explore our ancestral roots.
Eline Kieft, medical anthropologist and PhD, highlights the ethnography of Movement Medicine in her 2013 study where she states: “The combination of different traditions that inform the practice, together with its metaphoric language and use of a variety of symbols opens different ways of viewing and managing life processes, so contributing to experiences of expanded consciousness and a sense of reconnection. The dance enables an integration of opposites and the creation of a new frame of meaning or reference.”
Indeed, what separates Conscious Dance and Movement Medicine from its counterparts is that it is not a “fitness” practice. Rather, it is more aligned to the practices of yoga and meditation, in that it is a mindful movement that facilitates deeper thinking, mental clarity, and overall relaxation.
Inducing Flow States
The healing power of Conscious Dance and movement as medicine lies in its ability to induce flow states. A flow state is a psychological phenomenon in which you become so immersed in the activity you’re performing, that you achieve an elevated sense of focus and elation. Some people call this being “in the zone.”
According to a 2021 study, 93% of Conscious Dance participants achieve a flow state in their practice. Furthermore, Conscious dancers with more than 5 years of experience are reported to experience higher mindfulness and life satisfaction.
What is it about this spiritual sense of movement that empowers us? When we dance, we release the negative energies that are otherwise stagnant in our bodies, we enhance our blood flow to ease chronic pain concerns, and we learn to release projected beliefs about how we may look to others.
You are the dancer, your life is the stage. Let movement lead you into the next chapter of your life with confidence, abundance, and well-being.
Parashakti is a shamanic healer, founder of the Dance of Liberation® movement modality, and curator of The Winged Ones sacred jewelry line.
Her work is born from more than two decades of experience facilitating workshops, trainings, and retreats around the world.
