Carving/gathering energy

Sometimes the energy driven movement will actually depict the interaction of the body with the ambient energy surrounding it. This may involve actions like slicing, carving, pushing, gathering, etc..

These actions can often help pull you into your preconscious mind where your body is free to remember and tell its story.

Clip #1

The sound coming out of the instrument created by the breath from the mouth is weaving its way through the surrounding energy guided by the hand. This creates a space in which the body can now move.

Clip #2

Notice how the body waits like a sail in the wind for the ambient energy to fill it. The left hand quivers with the flow of energy into the body and eventually both hands begin to stir and carve out the space around it. The body has stepped into the preconscious space in which the body will tell its story.

Clip #3

In these two combined clips the fist one shows the similar action of carving out space but the second clip displays the pushing, pulling, and shaping of the energy surrounding it so that the physical movement gives expression to this combined energy flow.

Clip #4

One arm begins the carving, stirring, and shaping followed by both arms creating space for the body to move spontaneously.

One arm

Eliminating the use of certain parts of your body can cause you to be aware of how energy flows and to discover new ways of moving. You will be forced to use other parts of your body in ways that stay hidden until you push them or allow energy to move through them in new ways. You create different movement and energy paths that can enhance how you move in general.

The following clips show movement that is directed mainly by one arm.

Clip #1

This particular clip shows how many movements that happen with both arms can be modified and re-energized to accomplish the same movements with just one arm.

Clip #2

Here is an example of how a more literal example of story line drama can be played out with the expressive power of one arm.

Clip #3

This short clip demonstrates how clearly the rest of the body follows the lead of the left arm.

Clip #4

In these two linked clips, notice how clearly the moving arm plays off of both legs to generate the majority of the movement. Because the other arm is virtually tied behind the back, the flow of energy must express itself through the channels available. The arm and legs both work with each other and against each other. In a sense the arm partners with both of the legs to tell this story.

Clip #5

Sometimes less is more. One hand moving can speak as loud as a full body in motion. The atmosphere for the rest of this movement meditation is set just by the simple movements of the hand as it is guided by the energy flow through it and around it. It moves the whole body from stillness to full throttle engagement.

Clip #6

In this clip you will see movement led by one arm, two arms, and no arms. Notice where your eyes focus as the variations happen.

Meditative/therapeutic

Two of the benefits of spontaneous energy led movement are the meditative and therapeutic aspects. As you enter your preconscious mind through spontaneous movement and your body tells its story you will find healing and focus. Your body will lead you to areas of long held pain and trauma that your conscious mind can neither acknowledge nor comprehend. These movement meditations will allow your body to relive that pain and trauma in a way that you can embrace it. Your body is telling you, your story. You become part of that retelling and in the process embrace who your body is showing you to be. Your body can focus the energy flowing within your body and the ever present energy around you into a therapeutic/meditative flow of energy. This energy releases the pain-and-trauma-held knots remembered in your body; and once that energy is released it becomes part of the already flowing energy through your body. It is no longer isolated/knotted energy; it is free to connect and flow with all energy.

Clip #1

The movement speaks for itself. The body uses the energy from within and surrounding it to tell this movement story of loss. The pain has been expressed and embraced for the world to see.

Clip #2

This body seems to be both requesting help or acceptance at times as well as expressing some deep hurt. There seems to be an exchange of energy in the process.

Clip #3

In a more meditative mode, this clip shows movement that almost looks like a series of inhales and exhales. The first inhale- reaches for something hidden and then exhales with raised arms and dropped head. Inhale- stands and then exhale- drops to a squat with bowed head. This leads to an inhale of raised crossed arms and exhale of dropped crossed arms. Inhale of crossed arms raised over head to exhale of head dropping between raised arms. Inhale of crossed arms on chest to a long exhale of movement with crossed arms finishing in a similar crossed arm pattern on the left side. This is a classic inhale/exhale meditative pattern in the form of movement.

Clip #4

One form of meditation is called open monitoring which is focused on the sounds, smells, colors and other perceptions of one’s immediate environment. This clip shows a body allowing itself to get inside the sounds that it is sensing and thereby becoming totally present in the moment. This results in an altered state that will allow you to move beyond such things as self-judgment which can cloud your conscious mind. Your preconscious mind is where that happens.

Clip #5

This clip combines both meditation and the therapeutic elements of ShapeShifting. As this body responds to and focuses itself on the voices in the music it also internalizes the voices so that they eventually become its own. The energy in the body combines with the sound energy and creates a newly reshaped expression of movement energy. This body has told a story.

Mime-like

In many ways the most straight forward way to tell a movement story is by acting it out in gestures that represent the lived out actions of the story being told. Pantomime or mime is the most direct art form for that. Though it literally mimics life, it can be a powerful way to speak. Your body can relive the event or events that it remembers in response to words, music, any ambient sound, or physical location environment.

The clips shown here are more literal representations of the mood expressed in either sung words or music.

Clip #1

Here is some very dramatic movement. This body seems to have found a connection to the words and music. All of the energies present have been channeled.

Clip #2

This body is doing a visual narration of the words and music.

Clip #3

Another body giving physical expression to words and music.