The Chakradance Journey
by Katie Bell

I call Chakradance a journey because that is what a class feels like. You arrive to class in one space and journey through your soul and leave in a different space. It has been referred to as the “Sister to Yoga” or even “Spiritual Zumba.” Chakradance is a holistic workout, a workout for the mind, body, and spirit. It is something that anyone can do at any age.

So how does it work? It allows participants to unravel blocked energy through free-flowing movements and meditation using guided imagery. The dance is done with your eyes closed or gaze lowered to allow participants to focus inwards, free of judgements and criticisms from themselves and others. So, if fear of not being a “graceful” dancer is something you are facing, there is nothing to worry about as no one will be watching you. You are free to move as your body pleases. There are no moves or choreography to memorize as you are in control of your own movements. This class is for you and you can make it whatever you desire.

The practice guides you to a deepened connection with your true, authentic self, and a feeling of coming home. The more you practice the dance, the easier it becomes to surrender to the music. Chakradance draws on a fusion of philosophies and musical styles, focusing solely on personal experience, and restores health to our chakras—the energy centres which are the gateways to integrating mind, body, and spirit. Each chakra is connected to different areas of your life, different organs and endocrines, different emotions, different drives, and more. If there is a chakra that is imbalanced, you will get indicators like your dance will be stilted or the music might not resonate the same way it does with another chakra. Don’t worry, the more you dance through it, the easier it will become and the more balanced it will be.

After the dance, we create a mandala art work, which has been a surprise for many dancers. Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning “magic circle.” Each participant is given a sheet of paper with a circle on it and a box of crayons. I like using crayons because it takes us back to a period of time of innocence within us. While the music plays, we create our experience on paper as part of a healing process. This is done in a spontaneous and judgement-free way. The circle holds the expression of our dance and acts as its container. The mandala holds insights and wisdom. It is not whether you think you can draw, it is what the image represents that is important. You may give a colour or a symbol a particular meaning and it may give you insights you were previously ignoring. The mandala will be asking you questions and evoking different emotions from you. I always encourage participants to take the mandalas home to reflect and meditate with them.

The sharing part of the class is always unique, with each person having a different journey they went on through the workshop. I always encourage participants to share a sentence or two about their experience to help integrate it into their bodies and lives. Each story is often vastly different as we each come from a different place, yet they intertwine with others’ experiences to create that whole, that one experience we all share. During the course of nine weeks (most of my classes run in nine-week cycles), participants become close with each other as they open up. It is like having your own tribe of supporters where no one judges you. Finally, at the end of class, you get to enjoy a few minutes of quiet meditation with soft gentle music playing in the background. The perfect way to end the Chakradance journey.

The healing potential is one I have not felt elsewhere. I have noticed significant shifts in myself and others who practice it. When going through the dance, often guides and messages will show up, significant people in our lives may dance with us, and we are able to dance through any conflicts, stressors, or questionable areas in our lives.

From my own personal experience, I have received business guidance, healing from past sexual harassment, resolved conflict with others and myself, have since found it easier not to hide myself, to be more open and honest with myself and others, and am now more open to receiving joy in my life. Chakradance gives me the opportunity to let go of the stressors of the day and freely express myself. The feedback I have received from participants has been similar. They share how they love freely moving to the beat of the music and there’s no stress to dance like someone else. They also share how they feel breakthroughs in blocked energy or with past and current baggage. I quite often hear them say they feel relaxed and energized at the same time when leaving class.

Welcome to Chakradance. Come and explore. Have fun. Find meaning. Let go. Come and look deeper into each chakra, each part of you, and experience more within the dance that is uniquely yours. I invite you to join me in a dance of the rhythm of your soul.

Group classes are held at the Albert Community Centre and Free Flow Dance Centre in Saskatoon, at my office at 221 Guelph Crescent for one-on-one classes, and available for special bookings.

Katie Bell opened Balanced Living Holistic Care in Saskatoon in March 2016 at the Bessborough Hotel before moving her office into her home in October 2017. She has studied BodyTalk, Access Consciousness, Chakradance, Accunect, Source Point, and Meditation to name a few. She loves learning and experiencing new things to bring into her own health journey and into her sessions with clients. She looks forward to meeting you in a future class or in her office for a session! To contact her, www.balancedlivinghc.com, www.facebook.com/balancedlivinghc, balancedlivinghc@gmail.com, 306) 260-1304. Also see the display ad on page 16 of the 23.5 January/February issue of the WHOLifE Journal.