It happens again and again, and I keep being surprised. I start exhausted and end up in full power and lively energy.
Many times, I hear and experience this when someone arrives at an Ecstatic Dance tired, that it doesn’t take long until the energy starts to shift in a totally different direction.
I have to ask this question - was I really tired, or just not allowing something to move inside me, which in turn made me tired?
After dancing and really allowing the full range of my self-expression through the dance, I just want more of it.
Modern physics will tell me I’m crazy - because I spend energy and just feel like I get more energy.
That’s weird and counterintuitive. Where did that tiredness go actually?
I can’t help thinking that perhaps in my day-to-day life, I’m spending a lot of energy on actually blocking and filtering myself, trying to fit in and forcing myself to be in a certain way. So the moment I start dancing and allow the natural movement and authentic expression to move me, I am actually saying YES to LIFE. And LIFE comes to me. Does that make sense to you?
To be honest, when there is an Ecstatic Dance and I feel like staying home - I’ve already learned that for myself, it’s always a good idea to ‘force’ myself to go dancing. Just leave the house and not think too much. It will be worth it. And yes, I have to be soft with myself; I can’t just jump into the dance.
I might have to start on the floor or just by observing others. And if I really manage to be slow and soft with myself, then the magic of transformation can happen. I am suddenly swept off by the music and the energy on the dance floor, suddenly finding myself jumping, dancing wildly, energetic, and confident.
What’s actually happening?
Another thing, I’ve noticed a strange phenomena during Covid times. In the first couple of weeks after lockdowns started and going to Ecstatic Dance was not really possible, I had a huge craving to move my body and jump around.
But what happened slowly is that the craving reduced until I found myself not really wanting to dance.
Apparently, it’s a known thing that the body “gives up” when it doesn’t receive what it needs. Tiredness and exhaustion might then show up. At least for me.
This happens the other way around as well; sometimes I go dancing on a Friday and find myself craving to dance again on Saturday and then again on Sunday (assuming I slept well).
Somehow, this contradicts my assumption which says “the more I dance, the more tired I become.” The opposite is mostly true for me.
I’m curious to know how your experience with this is. Do you have something similar or different? Please write in the comments or write to me at shahar@ecstaticspaces.com!
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