The one thing I will say is... be careful. Do some gentle stretches first, assess any parts of your body that might be tight (very important to take stock of your limitations so you don't accidentally injure yourself). And be sensible with your space- it's okay to use only arm movements if your space is small (or you have an altar) and you prefer to remain seated, but similarly don't feel obligated to use your whole body. A few people were scared off from my workshop the moment they realised this would be part practical, but the truth is that you don't need your whole body to dance. You can contain your entire dance ritual intention in one limb, a sway of the body... or you can even visualise it- dancing in your mind still fires those neurones after all (I have some research on that too... but that's for another blog post I think).
Enjoy! And please comment. I like to hear what my readers think- especially if there's anything you wish to know more about. I can do blog posts and workhops in the future based on your feedback.
Blessings,
Shanti
xxxx
(PS- many thanks to Tylluan Penry and London Pagan for sharing my last post)
Dance to Call the Elements
Throughout the centuries of using dance in magick, the primary technique has been mimetic- using movement to embody what it is you wish to bring about. In the case of this workshop, we will be focussing on becoming one with each element- using our bodies to bring the spirit of each one into our rituals, a technique I hope some will be interested in trying again in their own practice.
In my research and practice, both as a witch and a dancer, I have found there are certain movements that go hand in hand with each element:
Fire is all about passion and being energetic, like the dancing flame.
A Water dance is constantly fluid, always varying in speed and direction.
Earth dances are naturally quite grounded and can involve stamping, keeping the body low and even floorwork. It’s all about establishing a connection with the ground.
However, these rules are not solid. This is a concept that we have all encountered, no matter what our path has been: we have our guidelines for correspondences, but they mean nothing if they do not mean something to us. To quote the very spiritual dancer, Isadora Duncan: “art without religion is mere merchandise”. Without feeling that connection within ourselves, when we dance we will not be invoking anything. We will only be performing. Great for the stage, but not for religious practice.
This brings us to the practical stage of the workshop. I want to take you through a brief meditation for each element, allowing you to gain the image of each in your mind, which will allow you to express that connection with your body. There are no right or wrong answers- only what is individual to you. Allow your body to influence your mind, rather than the other way around.
Air
“You are a leaf, one that has recently fallen from your tree in the height of autumn. All your life, you have been at the mercy of the winds around you. Sometimes the winds have been gentle and kind, other times fierce. Remember how it moved you around on your branch, how strongly you held before it was time to let go. Remember that feeling as you fell to the floor. Did the wind knock you off or did you break off gently as the wind carried you down? Did you fly for a while or go straight down? Feel the wind lift you again, feel it move you from the safety of the earth and up into the air. You’re not going back to the tree, but on an adventure. How do you feel in the wind? Safe? Excited? How are you being moved? Take that feeling into you. When you feel ready, begin to move.”
“Now release that feeling. Thank the element for being part of your invocation and bid them farewell. Return to stillness”
Fire
“You are a spark on a cool evening. You are small but hungry. You have the fuel to get larger and you take it, allowing yourself to grow into a flame. Feel yourself growing upwards, feeling more powerful than you were even a moment earlier. What is feeding you? Is it coals of a fireplace? The wick of a candle? The twigs in a bonfire? Can you spread further or do you only have a small space to roam? Feel the air around you- that is feeding you too, and it is also helping you move. Is it a strong wind that you need to fight or a gentle breeze that lets you dance? When you feel ready, begin to move.”
“Release the feeling. Thank the element for being part of your invocation and bid them farewell. Return to stillness.”
Water
“You are a drop of rain falling from the sky. You have already had a long journey, from the great body of the ocean and into the clouds, being carried higher until you were ready to come back down. You have fallen and landed safely in a larger body of water. Many of your brothers and sisters have joined you there and you are continuing your cyclical journey back to the sea. Think about the river you are now part of- are you travelling fast or slow? Are there a lot of bends in the river? Are there fish and rocks to weave around? When you feel ready, begin to move.”
“Release the feeling. Thank the element for being part of your invocation and bid them farewell. Return to stillness.”
Earth
“You are in a field, a seed preparing to grow. You have been gently placed into the ground and fed, expected to yield a wonderful flower or a nourishing herb. But in order to do that, you need to make roots first. Feel the ground around you, is it wet or dry? Are there obstacles around you that you need to go around? In order to break out of your outer shell and into the ground, you will need to push and explore, establish and maintain your connection to the ground. Feel yourself grow and expand, sinking deeper and becoming one with the Earth. When you feel ready, begin to move.”
“Release the feeling. Thank the element for being part of your invocation and bid them farewell. Return to stillness.”
Once you have finished your ritual (whether it be just the invocations or full ritual), remember to ground yourself.