Dance, Dance, Dance
Just a quick nod to the power of movement to change your state of mind and heart, especially movement to music. One way to metabolize emotions is to move while you’re feeling it.
Start a playlist right now (why not?) that will get you boppin’ (or maybe swayin’) to the beat. Or go to YouTube or Spotify and find a playlist that inspires physical expression of emotion. Here are some with instruction (but that still encourage you to move however your body wants to move):
15-minute guided dance meditation
7 minutes of authentic movement
10-minute wave instruction/inspiration
And here are some that just offer music without instruction. If you don’t like a song, you can just skip it or you can see what movement comes out of you when you’re feeling aversion!
24 hours of world music to dance to
1.5 hours of conscious emotional release
What does movement to music do for you? It can reduce stress, increase serotonin (a feel-good hormone), increase neural connections, improve memory and spatial recognition, lower the risk of dementia, and even slow the progression of some illnesses. Music stimulates the brain’s reward centers, and movement activates the sensory and motor circuits, so you get a double dose of pleasure.
If you want to make a playlist of your own, consider starting with some slow songs that allow you to get in touch with your body. Ending with a slow piece helps close the session in a similar way, giving you the opportunity to offer gratitude. In between you can ramp up the pace or keep it slow. You might enjoy making different playlists for different moods!
