Today, we are driving to the Netherlands where we will be hosting a Songdance retreat. We will be spending the next couple of days with a group of 20 strangers. Getting to know each other and connecting on a deeper level through authentic movement and sound.
There are often three kinds of people in retreats when it comes to empathy and sensitivity.
There are the sponge types who find it very hard to separate their own feelings and the feelings of others. They seem to take on any strong emotions that are present in the group.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are the people who long to feel more, they seem to be a little bit locked up in themselves and struggle to surrender to the present moment and to fully feel it in every cell of their body.
And then there are those who are very nicely in between, they are able of being present with their own emotions and those of others.
I am sure when you read this you will recognize yourself in one of these three. Of course, it depends on the situation whether you had enough sleep etc. We mostly develop mechanisms early in our childhood that places us on either side of the spectrum.
In a way, those that feel very little within themselves, those who are locked up in themselves, are furthest away from home. And often times when they see other people engaging in deep exercises and connection they express their longing to feel as much as the others do.
They fear that when they would allow this openness, this depth of emotions, they would not be able to handle it. Often times early on in their life they had to close down in order to protect themselves. Through singing and movement they can allow themselves to gently and slowly open up again.
People who experience all the emotions at once, who can’t seem to distinguish their emotions from other’s very well – we teach them to make the sound of the present moment and really deeply befriend their own feelings and emotions. This helps them to recognize what emotions are of themselves and of other’s.
Typical for the sponge types, is the nasty habit of trying to save others, fix the world! If they can fix others, they no longer have to feel their own pain, which is of course not possible because one can only truly help oneself.
One thing we have noticed that is beneficial for everyone is realising that all emotions stem from one root pain and that is the pain of separation. The feeling that is born from being separate from one another. While all joy and love comes from returning to the realisation that we are one. Especially during singing, it is so easy and effortless to return to that underlying joy that is always present and accessible to us as being one with one another.
We wish you wherever you are in the world a wonderful day and may you find a moment to use your voice to explore your emotions, your sensitivity and connect with the field of oneness.
As together we are one.
Sending you much love,
Yavin & Upala
