Dance as a Spiritual Pursuit

dance as a spiritual pursuit

As you move along your path toward peace and enlightenment, you can balance your
loftier pursuits by also putting equal attention on the physical plane of existence. Much of
our faith based exercises occur outside the realm of the material world, but in reality we
spend every moment of our lives in our physical bodies.
Most belief systems emphasie teachings such as !"he body is a temple.# $xercise and
diet are prescribed in detail in many spiritual practices. %ut beyond the maintenance of
the body, there is a diversity of opinion about how our physical self can be used in a
pleasurable exercise that affirms life&s basic 'oys.
Some religions expressly forbid dance. (thers have a rigid code of what is acceptable
as rhythmic movement. )f you follow your own path of spiritual development, though, and
have the urge to dance as a way of expressing your new levels of consciousness, the
only thing to learn is how to maximie the experience.
Dancing opens one up to new experiences and connects you to other people. )t
expresses feelings and emotions and puts us in touch with universal energy. "he body is
a disciplined servant of the universe that extols the virtues of following a spiritual path.
So get your groove on and be one with the cosmos.
*istorical +onnection
Many cultures have extreme forms of dance associated with their spiritual pursuits. A
group in ,-th century America called the Sha.ers did not believe in sexual relationships
between people. "hey would meet to worship and perform elaborate dances that
involved near/violent sha.ing. "he exercise was a process of ridding sexual tension in
the physical body so that the soul could be nearer to the divine. As popular as the sect
was, the fact that none of their believers had sex meant that they had no children and
the group ceased to exist.
A few centuries before the Sha.ers, the complete opposite worldview also found a dance
component. )n ancient 0ome, %acchus was the god of wine and revelry. Amidst drun.en
orgies that doubled as worship services, na.ed dancers writhed in wild gyrations for
days on end, as the consumption of pleasure was seen by this cult as the highest form
of spirituality.
)n )slam, mon.s who have chosen a life of poverty are .nown as dervishes. "o leave the
misery of this world behind, they perform elaborate dances that involve spinning until a
diying state delivers an almost narcotic connection to otherness. 1hile the whirling
dervishes are more associated with the "ur.ish tourism industry these days, the core
desire of their dance was to get closer to their spiritual potential. .
)n the Present
Many spiritual teachings have a core belief in dance. 1e can learn from their rituals
without having to adhere to their entire belief systems. )ncorporating an appreciation of
the possibilities inherent in the human form is a way of advancing one&s self on a spiritual
path. 0ead on to see if the impulse you have to dance reflects one of the following
methods of using your body to achieve your elevated aspirations..
Praise Dance
1hen you have a need to than. the universe for conspiring with you or let the higher
power out there understand your appreciation, the words of prayer and than.sgiving may
not be enough. 2ou might have to put on your favorite upbeat tune and raise your hands
to the s.y and move about in ecstatic appreciation. $n'oy the way the whole world
advanced your cause and confirmed your faith. "he praise dance need not require
showing off or a precise s.ill. "he universe that made you celebrates the way you move.
0itual Dance
)f you are part of a community that worships together, dance is a form of communal
prayer. "here may be parts of your service where you all move your bodies in time to
some beat, chant or other sound. 1hen a group dance is spontaneous or
improvisational, it is a performance. Prayer is not performed, it is only prayed.
Prayer through communal movement can be a beautiful way to bond with fellow
believers, but if the mindset is for people to do what they want or pursue what feels
good, the spiritual component of your dance is lost to the realms of social interaction.
1hile this is a noble and necessary function, congregational dance is only communal
prayer and a form of spiritual elevation if it has a core ritual beginning, end and
movement to it.
Meditative Dance
1hen you follow a path of spiritual growth but emphasie doing so in solitude, the
consistency of a ritual is usually heightened. 0epeating actions and mantras is one way
to maintain your connection to the process. Meditation is often described as a discipline.
Similarly, adding a dance component to your meditative practice may involve ritual.
)n this form of dance, precise movements are important and improvisation may excite
your energy and distract you from your meditative state. 3se your body&s precise
movements to explore the depth of meditation. $ven wal.ing can be a type of meditative
dance, also .nown as wal.ing meditation. Slowing down and focusing on the minute
details of your sensation and movement can be quite centering and calming.
1hat Are 2ou 1aiting 4or5 %oogie6
1henever you are dancing, you are maximiing your body&s potential and are therefore
praising the universe. 1hen you see. to connect on a spiritual level, the rhythmic
movement of your physical being is a gateway to this sort of elevation. $mbrace the
divine in body, spirit and mind. Dance away6
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