Description
Book SynopsisFor many people, the idea of "dance" is relegated to professionals. But for Cynthia Winton-Henry, dance is the movement of life. In the pages of this book, she invites all of us, regardless of experience, into the possibility of dance/movement as a spiritual practice. Offering simple movement suggestions that even the clumsy among us can try, Winton-Henry opens up a liberating form of spiritual practice that can lead to spirit-centred living in our human bodies. Drawing on her extensive background in movement and dance and her studies and understanding of spirituality, she combines her lived experience to introduce such practices as: · Dance for Soul Retrieval: Movements that can bring serenity, energy, humour, strength and healing · Seven Minutes of Heaven Therapy, or Just Vacation: Movement practices for invoking, blessing, releasing, balancing, discerning · A Few Elegant Forms: Open, loose movement structures to help us follow our own instincts to move DANCE - THE SACRED ART is a simple, approachable resource for people at all levels on the movement path who want to explore how dance and movement can be an important element in their spiritual growth. The book, also, includes suggestions for "Creating Dancing Community" for readers who want to take their dance and movement practices to the next level.
Trade ReviewDo you sometimes feel as if you are experiencing information overload? Then pick up this book and learn the technique of "exformation" through dance. That is only one of the many ideas Winton-Henry shares in this creative contribution to spiritual practice. The author presents the Divine as asking each person "May I have this dance?" Yet so many religious traditions downplay or deny the value of the body in spite of numerous traditions of God's movement toward creatures and the lively response of followers. This repression was not always so nor need it be so in the future, according to the author. In fact, words such as “carol” and “chorus” mean to dance and to dance together. Winton-Henry develops ways in which to approach the Holy through unlocking the dance of joy, approaching wholeness through movement and dancing for healing. Interestingly, she also promotes dancing as a part of spiritual direction, as action of the beloved community and as a form of peacemaking. Included in the book are a variety of movement practices for each theme, additional reading suggestions and resources for particular forms of dancing. No matter what age, what physical ability or limitation or what spiritual tradition you are, there is much in this volume to invite you to the sacred dance. -- Colette Hanlon * Catholic Library World *
Table of ContentsIntroduction ix A Dancing Parable xv Chapter One: May I Have This Dance? 1 Chapter Two: Approaching Holy Ground 16 Chapter Three: Unlocking the Dance of Joy 37 Chapter Four: Dancing into Wholeness 51 Chapter Five: Dancing for Healing 77 Chapter Six: Dancing for Spiritual Direction 103 Chapter Seven: Dancing with Beloved Community 131 Chapter Eight: Dancing as Peacemaking 158 Resources 181 Suggestions for Further Reading 185 Index of Movement Practices 191 Gratitude 193
