I created this in booklet form on horizontal pages in word, so if you want to print it you will have to organize it to suit.

Sketched and Put Together by Devi
Summer 2004
 

Dance to the Spirit Within

This little booklet has a few dance movements to get you started dancing with a flowing object in your hand. You can use a ribbon, scarf, tassels anything that you like the feel of. Next find some music you enjoy moving to. Try different beats and rhythms of music and see how you do moving with the changes in the music. But mostly enjoy your movements, each a symbol that can help make a story or carry you away on different motions.
 

Dance to the Spirit Within

Dance can be many things,
a means of communicating,
a social activity,
a healthful exercise,
a story through movement,
a scared experience exploring the full range of emotions and energy,
a way to revive depleted energy and up lift spirits,
or a way to entertain and show off your strengths.

♥

We use dance as a tool to get in touch with our bodies and to attain the sacredness of trance through dance. One should not do their yoga on the side of a highway, rather in a secluded private peaceful place where one can reach meditative states. Much with sacred dance it’s not about the performance which is pleasing others. Sacred dance is about finding sacred places within you and as such you dance for the Goddess within you, not for people outside of you.

~ By Nobody

Sweeping

Back and forth

The Symbolism: The sweeping back and forth is like a cleansing, cleaning the dancing space, sweeping away the energy currents or tensions that hinder the flow, enjoying as we go.
 

Spirals or Circles around yourself

The symbolism: The circle is a symbol of the spirit that has no beginning and no end. The center symbolizes the infinite still point, the nucleus within the vast cosmic whole. Its membrane both protects those within it and excludes those without. It is wholeness, the womb, the wheel of life, death and rebirth; it is the sun, the moon the earth, the great goddess, the Universal Mother. Dance’s that celebrate life and death are often done in a circle to honour the cyclical nature of seasons, the cycle of life.

The spiral: from the circle you can spiral within, then spiral back out, feeling the energy spiraling in and spiraling out as you do the movements, releasing and uplifting spirits. You see spirals in nature unfolding new life. The spiral is a journey outward then back home again, back to our center.

Figure Eight

The Symbolism: The figure eight is another symbol of spirit, circling left to right, or right to left, two circles unbroken, two unbroken circles that make one, symbolizing infinity. Symbolizing the union and balance of matter and spirit, male and female, light and dark, life and death, the creative and destructive, up and down, high and low, opposing and unified...
 

Waves

Wave your waves round in a circle, showing a story of motion.

The Symbolism: The wave is water; water is a symbol of emotion. Emotions ~ the e stands for energy ~ energy in motion, Ripples of motion, moving from slow to rapid, high to low. With water motions you can make stories of the sea, rain, river, lake with moon reflecting and feelings felt.

The Snake

Snake wiggling up and down

The Symbolism: The snake is like an S moving from side to side, moving the energy like a snake up and down, down to the earth and up and out to the stars, feeling the energy within releasing and carrying on and out of us. The snake is a symbol of life and regeneration.

Temple Pose

Uplifting the Spirit

The Symbolism: Arms arched above the head is like the point or roof of a temple, the spirit is beautifully framed and cared for within its temple space, the body is the temple of the spirit. Whether your hands are above your head or palms together at your heart or center, this posture is an honour and respect for spirit and all things you hold sacred, releasing the mundane and self centeredness to a focus of love and joy that up lift the spirit