Dance as a
Spiritual Path

Many cultures have used dance as a path to spiritual union. Sufi dervishes spin on and on to experience a sense of unity with all that is. Practitioners of Orisha worship invite the deities to dance through them. In Bali the Sanghyang trance dances are performed to spiritually protect and clear the village. Through dance, it is possible to move beyond the limited perspective of the persona and experience something greater moving in and through us when the ego mind gets out of the way.
      Much of what could be considered spiritual dance in modern society we now refer to as trance dance. The experience of trance dance requires releasing concern about looking good and focusing on the internal experience of sensation. When we can drop purely into sensation and allow the movement to come from an authentic place, the wisdom of the body is able to express itself more fully. This creates a remarkably powerful opportunity to drop into a deep state of trance meditation.
      So much of our expression has been limited by our ideas of what is acceptable or beautiful to others, but that type of dance is ego-focused. When we are focused on the ego, it is more difficult to attain liberation. If we can allow ourselves true freedom of expression and move for the joy of self-expression, it is possible to move into these deeper states.
     Movement can be extremely therapeutic for the body, the emotions and the soul. When we move our bodies vigorously over a period of time, endorphins are released as a result of that movement. Those endorphins bring the mind into an altered state. In this altered state, we can move beyond the limitations that have bound us.
      Dance is also an opportunity to express the emotions that have been locked within the body energetic. Any experience that we have had that was painful is likely to be held in a static state within the body energetic. When our lungs are pumping and our bodies are moving, we can focus our attention on sensation and emotions within the body. We can use the movement as a vehicle to release the static energy that has been lodged within the body from past trauma.
     Wherever we have fear, grief, anger, or any of what we might term “negative or stuck emotions,” we have an incredible store of energy. Through accessing those states within the context of movement, we can transform them to pure energy that we can use to make our lives better. When those emotions are released from the body, we are free to live a more unlimited life. When we transform these lower vibration energies through movement, it is possible to experience profound states of ecstasy and release.