A couple weeks ago, at a salsa dance event the organizer gave a little goodbye speech. He was leaving for some travels for several months.
He said, “Dance is our medicine.”
I’ve been thinking about that ever since.
In my work I use nature as medicine. Clean, low reactive foods primarily. I go on and on and on about “Food as medicine”
But also clean water and clean air. Plant wisdom in the form of herbal medicine. Acknowledging and expressing emotions. Following normal rhythms for rest and activity, and stress reduction and management.
They are all medicines. And powerful ones.
Despite dancing my entire life I had never called it medicine. When he said that my whole life seemed to make sense. You know those moments of such diamond sparkling clarity?
Cuteness break:
Dance is my medicine, always has been and likely always will be.
It has always helped me feel alive and in the present moment. It’s been community for me. Leadership. One of my greatest teachers (2nd after nature 😉 ).
It’s been a source of joy, challenge, and confidence.
Of course it is my medicine.
I love and can relate to this scene from Billy Elliot:
My friend continued to talk about:
4 aspects of dance that are particularly medicinal:
Patience.
You’re learning. Your partner is learning. You both may be at different stages in that learning, but have patience. Allow them to make mistakes.
Trust.
You have to trust your partner won’t drop you. Or let you get elbowed by the crazy couple dancing beside you. You also have to trust yourself, that you can respond appropriately to the lead’s suggestion.
Forgiveness.
Your partner might step on your toe. They didn’t mean it. Forgive them. You didn’t mean to mess up the step. You’re learning. Forgive yourself.
Gratitude.
Always be grateful for the dance, the experience, the partnership. Show gratitude for your partner’s patience, trust, and forgiveness. Always be grateful. Gratitude is always the best attitude.
Do you see the medicine?
While those examples pertain to partner dancing – they can be extrapolated to bigger, grander life circumstances – even for the non-dancer. Four sacred vials of healing elixir. Available to you, at no cost.
Can you see how having more of those in your life would make you healthier? Do you see the medicine?
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs shows us medicine comes in layers of forms. We start with nature’s medicine – clean food, water, and air. We move up to security, connection, and self esteem. And there up at the top is where dance fits for me. It brings me home.
So what is your medicine?
What is the thing that lights you up?
What is the creative outlet?
What is the one thing that – if you had no worries about time, money or disappointing people – you would want to do most of the time?
I recommend doing more of that thing.
It’s your medicine. It wants to heal you.
To your healthy, thriving, delightful life,
