Dancing with the Dharma

 In order to truly understand the dance, one must be still. And in order to truly understand stillness, one must dance. — Rumi

If you can liberate the body, then the heart-mind can follow. In this weeklong retreat of meditation and movement, we will integrate the stillness of Buddhist mindfulness meditation with the moving meditations of the 5Rhythms®. The Buddha encouraged us to bring wise attention to every aspect of our lives. In sitting meditation, we have the opportunity to observe the mind and body at rest through silent introspection. In the practice of the 5Rhythms, we engage in mindfulness while in motion. The 5Rhythms is a map that teaches how energy moves. The two polarities of moving and sitting meditation together mirror the dance of life. In this journey we are always moving between these two spectrums. If one learns to not cling or avoid, one can then hold the place of the silent witness and be at ease with all that life offers.

We encourage meditation students to practice mindful dancing in order to bring balance and insight into their lives. We invite dancers to engage in sitting meditation in order to embody integration, balance and insight. Join us for the groundbreaking union of these two deep and wise practices.

Recommended reading: Roth, Sweat Your Prayers; Blum, Dancing with Dharma: Essays on Movement And Dance in Western Buddhism.