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Have you ever tried ecstatic dance as a way to heal your soul in nature? It doesn’t have to be out in nature of course, it’s just a great place to feel free, let loose, shake your body, and feel exuberant! I’ve been doing a little dancing myself lately, indoors during the colder season. Believe me, I’ve found it very happiness-inducing!
Dancing outdoors in nature can be an amazing experience too! Just look at this space at Mt. Hoffman in the Sheep River, Alberta! What a perfect ledge to heal your soul by dancing to the sound of music in your head! Yes, please leave the boom box at home so you don’t disturb everyone else’s peace! The bears don’t respond to radios and boom boxes anyways! They understand to move away only when you clap or yell out with your own loud voice! Practising in a city park is a more appropriate place for either live music, radio, or recorded music, providing dance tunes that you can groove to in a natural setting.
What Is Ecstatic Dance?
Ecstatic dance is a way of freely moving your body to the beat of your own drum! You don’t need a drum, you just have to move however your body wishes to move! Dance like no one is watching, and often in ecstatic dance, no one IS watching! Most people have their eyes closed so they can feel the music, and allow their bodies to move in whatever way feels natural! You don’t even need a dance partner because this practice is about you and your body, not about the others around you!
With ease and flow, you move to the groove of your body, the earth, the winds, or whatever music is provided, often by a drummer or DJ. There are no right or wrong moves, which makes it perfect for all ages and abilities. In fact, if your body is telling you to stand still and sway to the music, do that! If you want to get on the floor and do a little break dance, or curl up in a tiny ball, do that! Do what your body is asking, even if all that means is laying on the floor, absorbing the sound of the music!
Why Get Into Ecstatic Dance?
Life can be overly serious and stressful at times, and the news these days is quite depressing! We are over-worked, under-valued, and we need to let loose like a little kid in a candy store every once in a while! When was the last time you felt really joyful and free? Gave out a little scream? Are you trapped in a cycle of negative thinking? Then maybe ecstatic dance is for you! Who doesn’t want to feel lighter and more joyful?
Ecstatic dance can send you into a trance-like state that can be quite beautiful and elating. There are no rules, and you can’t do it wrong. This is a form of moving meditation, and when done outdoors, you can really get into a blissful state!
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What Does Ecstatic Dance Heal?
Studies have shown that ecstatic dance can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It allows old wounds and traumas to be released in a healthy manner. You may shed tears, scream out loud, and let out those pent up emotions without warning! There are no drugs or alcohol involved, only yoga mats, water, and good vibes – Maybe cacao if you’re lucky!
If you’re someone who has trouble with communication, moving your body in community with others needing the same form of expression can be very healing. You may find that afterwards, you can express yourself both in body and in voice. It may even empower you to speak your truth!
Benefits of Ecstatic Dance
Dance is a great way to make new connections with others, even if it’s just sharing a dance space and moving together. You may also enjoy a sharing circle where you state one word you feel, or maybe just a dance gesture that represents how you feel. You don’t need to say anything, you can just express gratitude for the facilitator and those you have shared the space with.
As well as making new connections with like-minded souls, ecstatic dance can take you to an altered state of meditation. You may realize that you are finally able to release your past, and dance forward into a new present moment. I have found it extra special whenever dance is accompanied by drumming. It really enhances the experience of being in trance-like state through the rhythmic heart-beat of the drum.
With dancing, you can release so much negativity, anxiety, and stress just by allowing the blood to flow and circulate as you move in whatever way your body is asking for. Again, that might even mean standing still or laying down to absorb the sounds.
Don’t forget that dancing releases endorphins, those yummy feel-good hormones! Who doesn’t need more of that? Not to mention, you’ll get a great physical workout!
When you get into this wonderful state while dancing, you are an open vessel, ready to receive more light, intuitive wisdom, and creativity, and give back to others with compassion, love, kindness, and generosity.
How To Dance Ecstatically
As mentioned, there are no rules to this type of dance. You simply breathe, and go with the flow. Follow the rhythm of the drum beats, and sounds you hear. Be playful as you do this. For example, if you are on a mountain like the one in the photo, you might twirl around and sing, “The hills are alive with the sound of music!” I do this often, as it just feels so right on a big open ledge like this one, twirling around in happiness at being healthy and alive in beautiful nature!
Remember, this is not a choreographed dance. All you need is to be present in your body. This can mean jumping up and down, shaking, busting a move in the centre of a circle, twirling, screaming, moaning, rolling on the floor, laughing, or crying! This is your opportunity to get out of your regular routine and shake things up a bit! Sometimes that’s all you need to make a necessary change, an important decision, or to start a new creative endeavour.
Allowing Ecstatic Dance To Lead You Home
As you can see, this is really fun! Having fun is vital to our happiness! Dance is a healing power, releasing what no longer serves us, allowing ourselves to let go of something or someone we need to move away from. It’s a moving meditation that can lead you back home to who you really are deep in your heart.
When you dance or practice yoga, meditation, and sound healing out in nature, did you know that the sound frequency of nature and the universe is 432 hertz? That makes being out in nature extra healing! If you can’t be outside though, you may want to try healing frequency audios that will help raise your vibration to a higher frequency! Let go of that negativity and be the ray of light you are meant to be through sound and dance!
Lee Spirit is an avid outdoors adventurer with a love for nature, photography, health & fitness, wellness, and spirituality. She helps those who suffer from anxiety & negative thinking to become healthier in mind-body-spirit. Her own personal journey has led her to the study and practice of mindfulness, health, wellness, yoga, spirituality, sound healing, meditation, and personal development for over 20 years. Get mindfulness, meditation, and personal development tips in her Free Natural Mind Healing Report.