An embodied way of knowing

Cultural feminist Chalene Spretnak wrote in the 90's "the contemporary renaissance of Goddess spirituality is ... the practice of an embodied way of knowing and being in the world" and that it "celebrates the power of the erotic" that draws forth "unpredictable creative waves of spiritual, intellectual, and emotional renewal".(1)

It has been on my mind for a while to write an entry about my experience of ecstatic dance and the erotic.  A friend's loan of Spretnak's book, with its chapter on goddess religion, has made a link between "chaos" and the erotic for me. In my last entry, I wrote that dancing the chaos rhythm has the effect of renewal for me. Its crescendo and release remind me of a theatre exercise we used to do when I was studying acting in the 80's, designed to create a feeling of connection between actors on stage, as well as a sense of dramatic tension.  Participants would create a circle with their arms about one another and by breathing audibly (sighing) and moving together, the energy of the group would slowly rise until it exploded in what can only be described as an orgasmic state. I can assure you it had nothing to do with sex though and teachers facilitated the process with the utmost integrity.

I often reflect that we are dancing chaos, men and women (and children) together, expressing movement that is sometimes interpreted as sensual or even sexual in a society that has separated the body from the mind and made the body a pornographic object to be bought and sold. It is impossible for me to complete the chaos stage of the wave without some erotic sensation of freedom. I feel taking this risk softens the boundaries between us, even if a less walled division of the sexes is a little disconcerting for some of the group.

I don't think it is possible to truly dismantle the boundaries that our culture enforces between body/mind/emotion/spirit/soul without also softening the boundaries between our bodies and those of others. The contact improv group in town also works on this basis, encouraging physical contact between dancers as a way of listening not only to your own body but the body of another person. This too has nothing to do with sexual intimacy.

I have been reading Thomas Moore's book "The re-enchantment of everyday life" and he talks about  western society's hunger for a more erotic connection to life. I think this is what I am experiencing during ecstatic dance, and in everyday life, as I seek a more "embodied" way of being in the world.

(1) Spretnak, C. (1991). States of grace: The recovery of meaning in the post-modern age. Pages 137, 138,149. Harper Collins, New York.)

Chaos & goddess love of the body

This week during an ecstatic dance session, I was reminded again why I love the chaos rhythm so much. Chaos is one of five universal rhythms according to Gabriel Roth and it represents the cresendo in the "wave" of music used in ecstatic dance that follows her philosophy.

To me, chaos is utter freedom ... from the mind, from inhibitions, from daily worries. In fact when it works best for me, it is quite mindless! Of course I am still present to reality around me; I don't run into other dancers; I don't forget where I am (well maybe for a few seconds!) or that others are aware of me; but I do leave the conscious plane to some extent. And I enter into the dark world of goddesses, fierce, grounded and free. I am definitely connected to the "below" energy I talked about in my previous blog.

It seems to me we need more chaos, living in a highly controled Western world where our behaviour is closely monitored for conformity, by others, and by ourselves. Chaos is what happens when we loosen our hold on order, control, rational thought ... and the wild enters in, bringing fresh thoughts and new-found balance. It is the healing energy of the yin-yang circle of life that wipes away the rigid walls built up by rules and narrow thinking.

If you want to know more about any of the five rhythms, check out the following workshop. Peterborough local Kate Huband is holding a full day session on the five rhythms on Saturday November 19th at All Saints Anglican Church Hall,  235 Rubidge St, Peterborough

(parking available on Park St. in Church parking lot)

register & more information

call Kate: (705) 750-0411 email: katehuband@gmail.com

go to website: www.danceyourbones.com

$45 per-registered $50 at the door (sliding scale for unemployed)

I also want to salute Rosemary Ganley for her excellent lecture at Trent this week on feminist theology. She spoke to us of some of the great women thinkers within Christianity, Islam and Judaism. I left the lecture hall in a deep reflection on a particular theologian whose ideas sank deep.  

(Paraphrased) "From the Abrahamic religions, we learn about the love of social justice and community; from Buddism, inner peace; from Aboriginal spirituality, the love of the Earth; and from Goddess religions, the love of the body.""States of Grace" by Charlene Spretnak

Love your body.