Ecstatic dance
is emerging from its roots in ancient cultural spiritual practices to
modern day dance floors. Those who have experienced it for themselves
now use it as a powerful tool for personal transformation and
spiritual awakening. Those who haven’t had the opportunity to embody
it, however, might ask the question: What is ecstatic dance?
Dance is an
ancient art that transcends all cultures and all times as a means to
connect with the divine. In many primitive cultures shamans dance to
enter trance states, to contact the spirit world, and facilitate
healing for the community. Many tribal cultures use dance for
ceremonial purposes, rites of passage and celebrations of the
life-death-rebirth cycle. All cultures have dances that serve to
uplift the soul and unite people
Music has
always played an essential part in the lives of humans, inspiring us
and moving us towards peaceful states of being, or reflecting the
chaos and dissonance of our lives. Our modern sciences now recognize
sound as a powerful modality for healing the physical and emotional
body.
Dance can be
used as a pathway to ecstasy—a state of wholeness, bliss and feeling
connected to the source of our creation. Although many of us seek this
fulfillment outside ourselves (be it from relationships with others,
from drugs and alcohol, or from extreme sports or religion), this
state of being can be reached naturally and internally. Dance is a
perfect way to enter into this state of No Mind, a state of
transcendence and bliss.
In ecstatic
dance, rhythm is the guide into your body and breath. Breath is the
key to your existence and source of creation. Via dancing you may find
familiarity with yourself on a cellar level, as a history of movement
is imprinted in your DNA. As you dance more, you may also become aware
of your vast endlessness and potential. There are many benefits to
ecstatic dance!
On a physical
level, dance releases stress. All of our daily tensions build up and
get absorbed into our tissues, thus blocking the flow of energy in the
body. If these tensions are not released they may cause discomfort in
the body and, eventually, sickness and disease. Moving the body in
fluid motions unlocks our tension and stress while stimulating
pleasure and comfort.
On an
emotional level, the practice of dance clears stagnate emotional
energy from the cells, organs, chakras and energy system.
Low-vibration emotional energies such as fear shame, anger and rage
that are unexpressed will block high-vibration emotional energies such
as love, joy, harmony and bliss. The spontaneous movement and sound
that is expressed in some forms of ecstatic dance releases trapped
core emotions and stimulates endorphins in the brain, which induces
feelings of well-being and even euphoria.
On a mental
level, ecstatic dance brings insight and clarity. The combination of
breath rhythm and movement induces a light state of conscious trance,
drawing one’s focus inward to discover a world of perfection and
beauty. Like meditation, trance dance is a vehicle to move one into a
state of no-mind—a very deep meditative stillness where one can
access the wisdom and truth of the higher self.
On a spiritual
level, dance allows a direct contact with the Source, with the
essential self, where we know and remember we are one. When we are
ecstatic we are whole in our body, mind, and soul. Ecstasy enables us
to reach beyond the limits of the ego to limitless oneness with all of
creation. It helps us to acknowledge our own power of creation,
empowering us to create our lives divinely, aligning our will with the
divine will.
Ecstatic dance
is different from other free-form dances because it is done with
intention. Every time we dance we open ourselves to freedom and
ecstasy. When we come together at an ecstatic dance gathering, there
is intention to create personal and community healing. We come
together to dissolve our fears and insecurities and recognize the
divine within each of us.
Kundalini
dance is a form of ecstatic dance developed by Loyolah Antara Dekanic
from Australia. This type of ecstatic dance uses breath, sound and
movement to purify the emotional and physical body while activating
and aligning the spiritual body. This dancing is specifically used as
spiritual practice for transpersonal and transformational healing. By
using the flow of Kundalini energy that moves through the body’s
vertical axis (from the perineum to the top of the head or, root
chakra to the crown chakra), we may raise the vibration of our
energetic field.
The primary
focus of Kundalini Dance is to deeply connect with one’s true
essence, the divine self, by opening the heart center. As the heart
chakra opens the dancer develops qualities of unconditional love,
acceptance, compassion and forgiveness, which are necessary for an
integrated transformational healing process.
Using the
chakra system allows us to identify where energy is blocked. Chakras
hold the key to each area of the body. They are like memory banks,
like computer software carrying our emotional and behavioral programs.
Tension and disease in the body is often related to some fear-based
belief, structure or emotional contract that is imprinted within the
chakra or the cells of its related organs. When such an emotion is
triggered, it blocks energy flow through the chakra, decreasing the
amount of life force available to nourish it and its interconnected
organs and body parts. This is why our emotional and mental states are
so directly related to our health! As we move, meditate and breathe
life into each chakra, we unblock the held energy.
A secondary
process of Kundalini dance is the purification of low vibrational
energy, releasing the fears held in the body that stagnate our life
force, thus creating loss of power, health and vitality. The process
of honestly stepping into one’s true self involves integrating and
facing one’s shadow. Personal power returns in accepting and
embracing of all aspects of Self. Healing the emotional body enables
us to move beyond merely surviving to thriving. The more deeply a
participant surrenders and opens their heart and receives the
universal flow of energy through the body, the deeper the
purification.
For all who
are open to the experience of dancing into states of ecstasy, check
out the local Ecstatic Dance happenings in your community. Most forms
of ecstatic dance involve bare feet; loose, comfortable clothes;
candles and good music. Those who are dancing are remembering and
reawakening ancient wisdom for personal and community healing, moving
towards ecstasy.
Snow
Marks
is a certified dance therapist who offers introductory workshops
throughout Alaska as well as eight-week courses in both Anchorage and
Girdwood. Snow may be contacted at snowmarks@care2.com
or 929-SOUL.
