Reflection Through Movement

At the end of a class, or after a set of tasks, participants may choose a location in the space where they feel comfortable, either standing up or sitting down.

  • Eyes may be closed or open with a soft gaze, giving both options. Focus is inside oneself, not watching others.
  • Asking the participants to focus on their embodied experience in the moment
    • What do you notice in yourself now? How does your body feel? How are your thoughts and your feelings? What draws your attention?
    • Let any movement happen, without forcing anything. How do you want to move? What is present in you from what has been happening in the class? How does that move you?
    • Make the moment you own, the way you need it to be. If needed, you may make choices and changes to feel safe.
    • Let the movement happen as long as you feel is natural to you, then rest.

Purpose:

  • Turning focus towards embodied experience and personal embodied reflection.
  • Supports body awareness – awareness of what is happening in oneself by paying attention to embodied ques.
  • Letting thoughts, feelings and experiences flow freely through movement. Possibility for movement to form out some new thoughts or insights.
  • Being in the moment, freedom of productivity.

Who with:

  • May be used with people of different ages and backgrounds
  • Requires some ability to focus on oneself and work independently.

Variations:

  • May be done with or without music. Note: music often has strong influence on movement and feelings, therefore choice of using music and what kind of music is used are important to consider well.
  • If someone is feeling very intense emotions, focusing on the body and feelings may not feel safe in the moment. It is possible to do the reflection more lightly, for example looking out the window, seeing some shapes or movement there and letting that relationship create movement in the body. It is good to mention the possibility for a lighter approach in the beginning.

Duration:

  • 5-15 minutes

Author: Pauliina Laukkanen, Tempest Group / visiting teacher at the University of the Arts Helsinki, Finland.

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