You Can't Rush the River
Meditative Movement takes its source from the performance and therapeutic art form Eurythmy, a movement form that draws upon profound spiritual insight. Those that have been with me for a while say our practice has helped them become more heart-centered and present in the body, yet also more open, aware and connected in an expansive way.
Eurythmy does indeed ground and center the mind/body and expand and connect soul and spirit. It can also bring better health and harmony to the body and mind. In fact, it is used all over the world therapeutically to help alleviate a variety of physical and mental imbalances, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, and chronic pain and inflammation.
If it has so many physical and mental benefits, why are so few people drawn to it?
Well, it is deep soul work! And - it takes a lot of time in the saddle to see the full reach of the benefits and changes that are possible. That goes completely against our modern conditioning for quick fixes and immediate gratification.
When we step into the movement circle, we are invited first and foremost to become fully present in the moment and in touch with our feelings and thoughts about that moment....and nothing more. That is not an easy task. Especially in a room full of strangers. We can feel a bit exposed as we begin to stand in and move something that is unfamiliar, and frankly, a little weird.
You might find upon first attempt of moving meditatively that you were overwhelmed, confused, possibly even tired. We do, after all stand and move for nearly an hour. It can be a challenge on the ole’ shoulders and legs.
You might have walked away wondering were you the only one in the room that had no idea what I was talking about. Or the only one who felt “nothing” - you must surely be doing it wrong. Or maybe it felt so far removed from anything you could relate to, that you decided it wasn't for you. Perhaps it felt like too much for you to remember and learn (which isn't the point....but that's a common experience, feeling the need to "get it" right away.)
I am here to say all of those feelings upon first encounters with Eurythmy are entirely NORMAL. It is a new movement form for all of us, literally just having been brought to humanity 125 years ago. In the scheme of world events, Eurythmy is barely a newborn. We are ALL learning it and having moments of questioning and doubt and wonder. If we get past the kindergartner stage in one lifetime, we are doing great! We are working with divine forces and great mysteries around them….and the answers we seek within ourselves about the forces and how they work in us and the world at large will come in time, after much discipline, practice and listening.
Eurythmy was given to the world as a gift. It is for everyone. I am beyond grateful for what it has done for my life; but it didn’t happen overnight. It didn’t happen from my taking a workshop one summer or dabbling in a couple of classes here and there. I had hit a place in life where I had to change something about myself or I wasn’t sure I cared to go on. Eurythmy was exactly what I was looking for. It showed me:
I was more than what I saw physically in the mirror. And I definitely was not what society, my family, my friends - myself! - had told me I was.
I began to feel safe in my body, I could occupy the present moment and feel complete in it and with my life, without longing for something (or someone) to change. The here and now became real to me. Because of such, I began to find myself; my true (higher/spiritual) self.
Being a part of the cosmos and connected to everyone and everything that exists came alive for me, as I had spent most of my life feeling different and separate from others. I began to see that I could not take myself out of the other, nor the other out of myself. I began to feel one with the universal All and experience the sense of love-filled brotherhood/sisterhood I had longed for.
My health improved…my heartbeat slowed down, the chronic anxious butterflies in my stomach went away, irrational fears disappeared. I could breathe more deeply and slowly. I began to sleep better.
My movements in the world grew more intentional. I was more aware of the affect my actions had in space. And I began to sense that not only my movements but my thoughts and feelings participated in creating the world I live in, as well.
Again, this was a slow unfolding over many years of disciplined practice and focus. As Eurythmy founder Rudolf Steiner said, "Eurythmy starts in a state of pure love.” The universe consists of pure love. We too, are beings of love. To find this love is an inner journey, created in Love from the divine substance that lives in the ether (outwardly) as light. The technique of Eurythmy is quite is simple - it is Love! We learn to open up and allow the light and warmth that is flowing through us and pouring into us to become a living presence. Moving meditatively in the light-filled gestures and sounds of Eurythmy is a spiritual path grounded in Divine Love; a path that heals and transforms humanity and the Earth.
So, if you gave class a test run and walked away, consider trying a few more and see if something begins to change (grow?) in your soul. And if you happen to be seeking a way to transform your life with deep soul work that expresses itself in a spiritually true, beautiful, artistic way, I invite you to try the eurythmic sounds and gestures of Meditative Movement!