A New World Within: TRE and Inner Dance
I like to see myself as a bit of an explorer and adventurer but rather than new lands or countries, the places I like exploring are the inner spaces of our own being. Who are we underneath our habitual behaviours and activities? What lies beneath the masks of socialisation that we are all required to wear? This is why I love TRE and Inner Dance. Both are mediums than allow a deeper dive into something else- something that maybe is not even known to us.
Western civilization has triumphed in terms of intellectual and cerebral understanding- we can send man into outer space and have instant video conversations with people on the other side of the planet and yet as a human species we are also suffering with epidemic rates of loneliness, anxiety and depression. Suicide is the number one killer for young men and young women are flocking to surgeries that will “enhance” their appearance. Something is way off-kilter.
I believe that something is a deeper connection with ourselves and with our own intrinsic wisdom and knowledge. We have learned to look outside ourselves for understanding with Google being our omniscient God. What if we carried wisdom within our own bodies and minds. Wisdom that we have not been taught to access or even been made aware of?
This is why I love offering both TRE and Inner Dance as practices. TRE or Tension/Trauma Release exercise is a really simple sequence of exercises that has an ability to open up the body to its own natural tremoring capacity, literally shaking off stress and tension through the tremoring. I always love seeing people tremor for the first time- they are often a combination of surprised, bemused, confused and eventually delighted. We have been told that we “control” our bodies- well at least we are in control of the movements are bodies make and yet with TRE the body moves without our conscious intention and that breaks us out of old beliefs and forces us to open up our mindset.
Inner Dance also provides a fertile new ground of awareness; with Inner Dance participants lie on the ground whilst music is played which has been carefully selected to take them through differing moods and emotions. Gentle touch and additional sound is also added at times to give a totally immersive experience. It is through this combination that participants are able to access different aspects of themselves, sometimes old memories come flooding back. Other times people go on an inner “trip” journeying through different places and times both to places they may know and often to unknown environments. The music is deliberately chosen to mimic the brainwaves that we all go though as we sleep and encouraging an REM state where vivid dreams occur.
So why do I believe that experiencing TRE and Inner Dance are important?
- So we can be reminded that who and what we are is so much larger and wider than simply our minds. That we each have a world of knowledge and wisdom that resides outside of our habitual thinking (and often critical) mind. A world that is able to offer soothing, insight and clarity to ourselves.
- TRE is known to relieve specific aches and pains from the body through the tremoring it produces.
- Previous participants have spoken to me about how well they have slept and how much calmer they feel after a session with both/either of these.
- Inner Dance often offers a completely fresh perspective on current issues or challenges.
- As individuals feel calmer and more relaxed often their close relationships benefit as well- they are more in a position of gratitude rather than irritation.
- A sense of wonder and awe is often awakened. A way to look at the world with fresh eyes and ears.
