Whilst on your Soulwalking in nature we invite you to explore your own inner nature through how you are expressing yourself through your movement.
Most physical exercise like walking or even martial arts, if done mindfully, are good for holistic health but dance is one of the few activities that I believe profoundly develops, supports, integrates and expresses a humans wide range of mental and emotional functions from anger and passion to sensitive and silly.
But before you say “oh but I can’t dance” or “dance is not my thing” please know that you cannot help BUT “dance”! It may not be to music and you may not be aware of it, but you are always expressing yourself through your body. The way you stand, the way you walk, the way you breath, your facial expressions, your hand and arm movements whilst talking or going about your day are ALL self-expression. Which when considered contextually are all very revealing about your emotional and mental state.
Dance is body language amplified or the “body singing” either consciously or unconsciously. In either case, It is a sincere, courageous and intentional act of self-acceptance or love, to recognise and vulnerably feel, acknowledge and express emotions which can facilitate deeper mental and emotional awareness, intelligence, and potentially healing.
Whilst Soulwalking in nature try these enlightening and healing things:
- Without any music, become compassionately curious about your posture and how you are walking. Ask yourself, what is my walk or body language saying about me today? If you saw you walking, what would you say you were thinking of feeling? Take in consideration the speed of your walk, the weight of your steps and even where you walk, do you walk in the middle of the path or on the side or even off the beaten path.
- Ask yourself, if what you are observing is an accurate representation of your mental and emotional state?
- Then listen to a piece of music you are drawn to and become curious about which part of your body, if any, is inspired to move in response to the music. Is it your feet that want to tap, does your spine want to sway or do you want to “head-bang”? Then either in a chosen place or on the move, allow your posture and walk to ever so slightly or drastically respond to the music into a full blown dance for a few minutes…even if it seems silly! If you are feeling particularly restricted emotionally or physically then just stand or walk differently.
- Whatever your inspired body language, become again curious about how the change of body language is now making you think or feel differently.
If you need any inspiration, watch this video – Monty Pythons “Ministry of Silly Walks”
Most of you will find great resistance to this, which is natural as our primal nature is to fit-in, belong and therefore survive. Ironically however we do not want to fit in too much that we are like everyone else and are not noticed!
WARNING! There is a high risk of making yourself and others laugh or at worst have something interesting to talk about later that day.
Some other benefits of “Dance” or conscious movement are the following:
- Grounding to the present moment through connection to our bodies and life around us.
- Escape from the egoic mind of past and future worry.
- Dance to music inspires unusual movements and breath that open and stretch the body unlike normal everyday movement and aids in reversing the contracting and inflammatory effect that fear on our bodies whole system such as nerves, muscles, tendons, ligaments, facia etc. Hence we release negative emotions from the body and create space and freedom of body which then creates freedom and space within the mind.
Last words, life is a dance between all the polarities of contrast. It is for all of us to learn to find our unique balance and expression amongst the majestic multitude of life.
In the words of Vivian Greene;
“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”
Additional Signposting:
- Join our next Soulwalk, or organise your own Soulwalk
- Bring a Walk In – Dance Out workshop into your community/ business
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