Today I want to write about physical movement, inspired by the endless discovery of the power and importance it holds for us as humans – especially since starting my studies in rhythmics, which utilizes movement and music as its two main mediums in learning processes.
Movement can act as a vehicle that guides our awareness from the head into the body. Through it, we open ourselves to a broader, full-body perception. It allows for deeper integration of experience, as well as new forms of expression. The value of movement can already be underlined simply by its unwavering tendency to contribute to our sense of joy, ease and happiness. However, its importance can be explored much deeper. In rhythmics movement is utilized as a vital medium for learning, developmental and even potentially healing processes. There is much creativity innate to our bodies. In rhythmics you start to experience your own body as an instrument. You start to realize your body has a voice and its own language, which you might not have been aware of before. The more you experience and perceive your body reacting, communicating, interpreting and symbolizing, the more you learn to “speak” its language, strengthening the feedback system between body and mind.
This is one of the reasons I believe rhythmics can sensitize people tremendously. Whatever you learn to perceive in your body and with your body, opening up a fuller scope of experience and perception, the more you learn to perceive yourself as well as your environment and your constant interaction with it. Perhaps through that sensitization you begin to be able to sense other people’s body language and therefore the deeper layers of experience to a greater, deeper extent. This is an enormous empathy training.
And of course, let us not forget about music on the topic of empathy in the context that rhythmics offers us. Music is in fact interpreted in the brain as movement – the two, music and movement, are inseparable in our perception and neurological processes. Additionally, music as well as movement, both activate mirror neurons in our brains, highlighting the importance of them when it comes to empathy and communication. Music in itself is a unique expression and communication tool. An interesting question about the nature of music might be: “why does music sometimes cause goosebumps and trigger strong emotional reactions?”. Well, music is made by humans. It is a very pure form of expression, which can, far beyond words, express our inner, otherwise perhaps imperceptible, certainly unverbalizable experience. And that which is poured into the music, or from which the music is created, resonates with those parts in us, for and from which music has found its creation. So through “musicking” (listening or participating in music-making actively or moving to music) the amount of sensitivity, perception and awareness rises above the thresholds limited to verbal communication. Therefore new pathways for communication and perception are opened.
As music activates nearly the entire brain, it affects us on the cognitive, emotional as well as physiological level. We all know how music can reach us emotionally and affect our emotional states, supporting us in emotional processing and expression. It is also beneficial in cognitive processes such as memory training and language learning, or even regaining speech after neurological trauma. Music also animates us to move physically and can help in coordination and motoric challenges. Indeed the stimulation of brain activation is enhanced by simultaneous movement with music.
Considering all of these impressively listed facts (if I may so humbly say), no wonder that rhythmics – a field, in which the main mediums for working with people are music and movement, is characterized by incorporating “heart, mind and hand”, (so the emotional-social, cognitive and physical aspects of an individual) in the (learning) processes. Movement as well as music hold the potential to open up new facets in the experience of the self and of one’s interaction with the world.
So utilizing music and movement (and other mediums in the context of rhythmics) creates a unique environment for unlocking personal potential and depth of experience through tapping into otherwise perhaps unexplored pathways of perception, learning, creativity and non-verbal connection.
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