The Antidote is a newsletter and meditation community featuring essential healing modalities for the modern woman. Our mission is to inspire women to realize their fullest potential through educational content, guided meditation, and self-reflection tools.
Dance as a Moving Meditation
At age 3 I donned pink tights, at 19 I competed for my University dance team, at 23 I was the first and last one off the nightclub dance floor. Dance has been an integral part of my life, but it wasn’t until I embarked on my healing journey that I understood dance and feminine spirituality share an important connection.
Dance is an elemental form of expression that accesses a place beyond the reach of words. When asked the meaning of her dance, Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova replied, “If I could have said it, I shouldn’t have had to dance it!” Dance morphs feeling into physical form and reveals the complexity of our emotional lives. It is a refuge from the purely rational.
Dance was the first form of worship and the mother of all arts. In the earliest religions, teachings were composed in verses and chanted while people moved in specific ways. Movement inspired the rhythms of music; the rhythms of music and dance informed the rhythms of poetry; the body in motion inspired great paintings and sculptures.
As a moving meditation practice, dancing honors the feminine design. If masculine meditation is rigid and structured, the feminine is feeling and flow. Women need a practice that is as dynamic as we are; one that embraces and explores our emotional capability and strength.
For me, dance is that practice. Rather than deny my emotions - which has led me to anxiety and depression - I dance mine through. It allows me to move emotions through my body, to get unstuck, and transports me to a place of power and beauty.
Whether it be the stage, studio, or your living room - whatever space you designate - is your sacred dancing ground. Your dance doesn’t have to be an athletic competition or a formal presentation. Done for your own private spiritual expression, sacred dance brings forth your own inner wisdom.
Think about the kind of experience you want to create. Ask yourself, “How would I dance to honor the sacred?” Will it be an expression of Joy? Gratitude? Love? What would move you to dance in celebration? It’s normal for the mind to resist yielding control. It does this by claiming boredom and casting doubt that you’re “not doing it right.”
Let it play out. Keep dancing.
My recommendations
My Morning Dance Playlist on Spotify - I hope you enjoy it!
Welcome Home by Spike Jonze - In this Apple commercial, FKA Twigs has all the feels and inspires me to dance in my apartment despite its size!
Returning to Health: With Dance, Movement & Imagery - I’ve long been inspired by the work of the legendary postmodern dancer turned community artist and healer, Anna Halprin, who brought the healing power of embodied creativity to people around the world.
Ryan Heffington’s Sweatfest Dance class on Instagram Live - Ryan has been keeping people sane throughout the pandemic with his Instagram live dance classes. It’s a party. Sundays at 10am.
“Tethered” - Four/Four has emerged out of the COVID-19 pandemic as a platform to connect dance and music artists around the world for collaborations.
Daybreaker presents EPISODE 20(21): NEW YEAR DANCE - This is not your average livestream. Daybreaker is a global dance movement and wellness community full of endless color, sound and positivity. Grab your ticket for the party on January 30th.
Steezy - For those looking to learn technique and choreography, I recently discovered this app that teaches dance routines! Beginner, intermediate and advanced classes are taught by some of the world's best dancers.
With so much love,
Christina
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