What’s your relationship to wellness? What are some of the factors that affect your health? How are your consciousness and physical body interrelated?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or on a spaceship to Mars you’re undoubtedly aware of the nasty new bug that’s making a big splash on the global stage. People are spooked, trustworthy information is valuable, and myths and conspiracy theories are spreading faster than the germ itself.

So far be it from me to add fuel to the fire with any speculation, opinion, or uninformed advice. This new addition to the pantheon of things-to-avoid isn’t likely to cooperate with the vagaries of the news cycle or to be as predictable as we might like.

As someone who speaks to, and on behalf of, dancers and somatic professionals worldwide, what feels most appropriate is to offer some calm reassurance and big-picture perspective. Personally, I’ve found it informative to read what people like Jeremy Konyndyk , crisis manager under Obama, or Dr. Dena Grayson have to say about this issue, since they were on the front lines of previous possible pandemics like Ebola and SARS. As always, vet your sources and proceed accordingly.

Conscious dancers, in general, are a group that exists to bring people together and raise consciousness through the lens of the body. Paying attention to the body’s wisdom is part and parcel to the ethos of our movement. So, of course, we’re concerned with the health and well-being of our friends, families, and dance communities, and are often looked at as leaders tasked with setting the tone of discourse.

Last week I wrote about the value of orienting yourself towards the energy of loving-kindness. Today I’d like to explore the idea of paying attention to, and avoiding, the various ‘metaphysical potholes’ that can trip you up on your path of life. Your immune system is your front line to good health and exists at the intersection of your physical world and your consciousness at large and is influenced by both.

How many times have you heard phrases like ‘something’s eating at him’ or ‘she just won’t let it go’ ? These are the kind of things that point to someone having a preoccupation with some person or situation that hasn’t worked out in their favor. It’s easy to say ‘rise above’ or ‘be a bigger person’ but when someone is mired down in a grievance or spoiling for revenge it’s often hard to get through.

Communication between your mind and body is a two-way street. The part where your mind is listening to your body is usually more direct and obvious. “I have a cramp! I must have danced harder than usual!” or “I cut my finger! Where are the Band-Aids?”

The other direction on the two-way street of your mind and body is much more subtle and requires you to use a deeper form of listening to get the message. Because your body doesn’t fill your head with a never-ending stream of verbiage between your ears it has to speak to you through different means.

It’s easy to read these messages when observing other people. That woman who always has her arms folded across her chest and refuses to make eye contact? Maybe she’s feeling guilty or has reason to feel the need to protect herself somehow. That loud guy who’s always invading your personal space and throwing his weight around? It could be that he’s hiding some insecurity behind his bullying attitude and isn’t willing to be vulnerable.  Assumptions are often misleading however, you never really know for sure what’s going on under the surface of another person.

If you’ve ever had a situation in life where you held something in for too long and then finally ‘got it off your chest’, then you know what it feels like to walk taller with the relief of ‘getting that weight off your shoulders’.

The fact is, if your stuck internally holding on to a grievance, plotting revenge, or simply focused on the half-empty part of your glass, then your attention is being diverted from the entire universe of more enlivening, uplifting, and health-affirming opportunities in your life. In effect, your mind is telling your body that it deserves the pain your spirit is feeling.

Likewise, putting off a big decision or procrastinating on a major move you know deep down you need to take is another way to invite dis-ease into your physical body. In the realm of relationships our blind spots can be particularly tricky, I know this one first-hand and can speak from experience.

Some years ago I kept giving someone ‘the benefit of the doubt’ far past what was reasonable or logical. Friends around me were frank with their warnings. Blinded by the belief that I could somehow “help this person change their ways” I persisted with what was, in retrospect, a totally toxic dynamic.

After all, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. This was our relationship in a nutshell, and with each rewind it was progressively worse.

Meanwhile, I was having back problems that were progressing towards debilitating. For nearly a year I was seeing my chiropractor two or three times a week, while my MDs were predicting surgery and fused vertebrae in my future.

Finally… firmly and kindly I put my foot down and ended our unhealthy journey once and for all with a blessing. Within weeks, my doctors and chiropractor thought they were witnessing a miracle. My back realigned with the weight off my shoulders and I felt as if I had gained three inches. The power of ‘giving good no’ had never been more clear.

With the kind cooperation of a punching bag at the gym, I literally beat my arms, shoulders, and spine back into full bloom and seized life by the tail. With my nervous system and spirit in alignment, I haven’t looked back since.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating any anti-science or head-in-the-sand point of view. My intention today is to simply highlight the non-linear and ineffable connection between our metaphysical being and our physical bodies with a personal anecdote. Your immunity to the germ-du-jour depends on a lot of different factors, your inner-state is one you have some control over.

If something feels stuck or in the way in your spirit, then you may not be as ‘at ease’ in the physical realm as you might like. It’s worth looking at any areas where you may need to summon forgiveness, release attachments, or turn towards that which is in service to your higher self.

Only you can choreograph the dance between your mind and body. It’s your birthright to be strong, healthy, and in good spirits. If you want to be immune, it helps to be in tune!

Take care, be safe, and lead with love and kindness!

Much love till next Monday,

M+

Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine

This week’s Dance First Member Spotlight shines  on Toni Bergins and JourneyDance! Toni has been developing JourneyDance since 1997 and has touched the lives of more than 75,000 people through her classes and workshops. Since its inception, JourneyDance has grown to over 500 teachers worldwide. Each class focuses on allowing its students to find their inner Light and connection to Source as a means to inspire increased self-love and joy for life.

Toni’s diverse experiences in interactive theatre, Kripalu DansKinetics, shamanic practice, combined with experiential training in energy work, chakras, yoga, and visualization led to the creation of JourneyDance. She specializes in using creative teaching methods to encourage her students to find their inner voice and direction.

JourneyDance’s unique roots combine into a transformational dance form centering on both freestyle and structural movement. The JourneyDance Transformational Dance Movement Flow leads participants on a ritual journey of physical and emotional transformation. Through breath, sweat, and expression, participants gain a palpable experience of themselves as pure powerful energy.

Whether you want to schedule a private session with Toni or attend one of  JourneyDance’s American or international events, there is a class or workshop waiting for you. Toni herself hosts a wide range of experiential classes centered on facilitating an authentic JourneyDance™ experience. Currently, Toni has three events open for registration.

You are the Prayer is an intimate gathering that brings together like-minded, adventurous souls to play, dance, sing, and remember that you are the prayer. Join Toni Bergins and Adam Sutton from March 8-13th in Berkshires, Massachusetts for this spiritually guided transformational experience.

Looking for something a little more tropical? Activate & Balance Your Elements & Energies: Journeydance, Yoga & Music Retreat And Celebration! takes place on the beaches of Blue Spirit in Nosara, Costa Rica from April 4-11. Surrounded by exquisite beauty, healing waters, sunny skies and organic gourmet cuisine your body, heart, and soul will be prana-fied so you can dive into your wildest, weirdest, wisest, most amazing self and enlighten up as you catalyze your life! Cristi Christianson, the creator of Deep Exhale, will be working in tangent with Toni to help participants break out of their limited thinking and start living their dreams.

For those that are looking for an evening workshop, JourneyDance’s Let Intuition Move You on April 24th is an excellent opportunity for participants to get in touch with their imaginations. Hosted by Toni Bergins and Joy Lynne Okoye, the workshop utilizes diverse forms of freestyle improvisational dance, yoga, ritual, theatre, and shamanism to gain a palpable experience of the self as pure, powerful energy.

To learn more about JourneyDance and register for their events, you can check out their website here.