Singing and Dancing, Dancing and Singing

Every year, for many years, I lead a retreat in Hawaii. One of the things we did was dance together but in a different way than most people do. As the music began, I invited people to wait until their bodies wanted to move. That movement may be as simple as shifting a finger back-and-forth or as dramatic as leaping across the room. And as the music continued, if they noticed that they were again moving from their heads, I asked them to stop, bring their attention fully into their body and listen to how their body wanted to move.

At one time, when we were very young, energy danced freely throughout our bodies, and we oftentimes moved with delight. But slowly, over time, we learned to tighten our bodies, hold our breath, and think our way through our lives, which ultimately is not very conducive to vibrant health.

Thus, most of us, rather than dancing from our bodies, dance from our heads, for dancing in public is one of the easiest ways to see how much we’re always trying to look cool, do it ‘right’, and be noticed. I would imagine this is where the well-known phrase came from – “Dance as if nobody is watching.” When somebody is watching, we have a tendency to try to do dancing right rather than allowing ourselves to be the dance.

When you learn to move from your body you discover a wondrous thing – that your body knows how to move in ways that free up the ancient and chronic holding you carry, not only in your body but in your mind and heart too.

Before we began to dance in a retreat, I also would invite people to close their eyes and simply recognize their bodies, noticing what they can notice. Then, when the song was done, I invited them to bring the finger of their attention fully into their body and notice what has changed, what moves more freely, and what is more alive. And for people who found it difficult to move in this way, I invited them to bring their hearts to the deep programming that has caused them to disconnect from the joy of having a body.

So I invite you to find a time when you are alone and put on some of your favorite music, allowing yourself the joy that comes from being fully at one with your body. If you haven’t done this for a while, start small with tiny movements. Maybe it is just putting your hand over your heart and swaying to the beat and then let your body guide you. And if it calls to you, give yourself this gift on a daily basis.

You can also sing. There was a woman who came sometimes and helped in our house when I was young and when she was working, she would oftentimes sing. It is one of my most vibrant and cherished memories from my childhood. Your body is a sound chamber and singing can vibrate all your cells into greater harmony. It can also open areas in your brain as it resonates through the caverns of your skull.

There is no accident that the lives of people with Alzheimer’s are significantly enhanced with singing. Research is now showing that music can be used therapeutically with dementia patients to help with cognition, behavior, and mood. It also helps in accessing memories and improving psychiatric symptoms, along with reducing falls, and even lessening the need for some drugs.

When your heart is breaking, or your mind is in turmoil, or your head is aching, sing. It could be a little ditty from your childhood, a well-known spiritual song like Amazing Grace or even a loudly belted-out show tune. It can also be a sacred chant that comes to you down through the eons.

If you’re not in a space where you can sing out loud, hum a tune, or imagine yourself singing. Singing, imagined or otherwise, loosens the strictures of struggle, allowing you to more easily access the joy of being alive.

So sing and dance to your heart’s content. Give yourself the gift of quieting your mind and opening your heart so you can reconnect with the joy that is inherent at the heart of life.