The Healing Art of Dance —
Accessing the Inner Sanctuary

By Eva Vigran

I have only cried while in dance class," Audrey tells me, after class. Her mother has just died three days before. "I have not cried the whole week, but I felt safe in the dance to keep my eyes down and go within. At first I was unsure whether to let the tears flow, but as they came, I allowed them to be part of my dance and to stay with them and welcome them. People danced around me and I could trust it was all okay. During and after class I always feel so much IN my body. I've learned to trust the not knowing and keep dancing. This trust carries me during the week and then I can come back to class and see what unfolds. It is OK to feel and move my body - whether it is pleasurable or painful – it makes me feel alive."

Lots of us have been taught not to feel. Some emotions or sensations were too scary, painful, or socially unacceptable. Some of us think that we can just not function if we allowed ourselves to feel everything. "Life just is so busy, and there is no time to feel. We have to feed the family...." And soon we are on automatic pilot.

Therefore, we have taught ourselves to repress, to numb out and freeze parts of our existence. We sacrifice our wholeness for being able to function like a machine in everyday life. We put up a smiling face and stuff everything else under the surface.

When we deny our senses, we forget ourselves. Our bodies become tense and our health degenerates. We live only in the mind and become disconnected from our inner nature and innate creativity. Living only in the world of the mind, the body and the heart become the unknown, the shadow.

In Core Connexion groups we allow the body to lead the way. Here we move into feeling and sensation, connecting with powerful and innate healing forces and deep wisdom.

Below our everyday thoughts lies the eternal dance of movement, rhythm and cycles of life. Here we can find and follow the dance of our bodies, our breath, blood, bones and heart beat. The dance is always there - always at the core - we just have to listen. In order to receive the dance, you need to feel safe - safe to open to inner space, to the mystery. Therefore, I invite an attitude of play, wonder and acceptance onto the dance floor. There is no right way or wrong way. Everybody is welcome exactly how they are.

When we dance in community the attitude of play and acceptance in the group field helps us to melt our awareness and breath into our bodies. Coming together, dancing, breathing, sensing the dance which is at the core of all of us, helps all of us access more of us.

I have realized that when I melt my inner frozenness and become more and more present and grounded in my bodily sensations, I help others do the same. By expressing my unique dance, I give others permission to do the same. Coming together in practice is like gathering around a fire for warmth.

I know that on the dance floor I have a safe place to express myself, unwind and witness others doing the same. Here we meet each other in the human heart. This regular time of surrendering to the dance, to presence and authenticity, helps us to unwind and reconnect with our "inner source," the dance which is at the core of every body.