I attended a dance therapy workshop a few weeks ago. One of my mentors had mentioned that to me that it could be something for me. She knows that I love dancing, self-exploration and helping others. She meant it in a way that if I liked it I could get an education on it, so that I can help others through dance. I became curious.

I found a weekend introductory workshop offered by an institute here in Zurich that was designed to give taste of it for those who are curious like me. It was one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had. So many aspects of it were it so fulfilling, starting from the people who were there to the music selection. It was a weekend full of heart-warming human connection, life stories and beautiful music. Participants came from all kinds of backgrounds such as dancing, other types of therapy or bodywork as well as from mind-oriented work such as law or computer science as in my case. We started everyday with stretching to soft, emotional music and did various exercises such as meditation, visualization, painting, drawing, talking which nicely combined individual and group work. Music was always present.

One exercise made a difference for me; I gained an insight. To be more fair, it confirmed something I already subtly knew, yet this time it revealed itself as naked truth in front of my eyes. It was hard to ignore. For the exercise, we were asked to close our eyes and walk in the room in whatever direction we wanted while being in harmony with the music and the presence of others. This required tuning sharply into our senses to feel whoever might be closeby to avoid collision.

As an empath I am very sensitive to the energies of others and I can usually manage such situations well. This time I tuned myself even more into the room to be specially mindful and not bump into someone. Everything went quite well and I enjoyed the energy of this blind, musical, sensual human connection that emerged in the room. Occasionally someone’s hand or clothes touched me softly which gave me a feeling of joyful surprise and belonging. A little voice in my head said, smiling as a naughty kid, “They are all as lost as I am…” I kept floating blissfully in the room with the music. Until the moment I realized I stood in someone’s way. I first felt the feet, then the heat of the body and finally the breath. I wanted to be sure of my sensation, so I stayed put, lingering in the moment and being curious about what will happen next.

The person I had encountered pushed me aside. My heart broke. I felt terribly hurt. The first thing that came to my mind was “I didn’t do it on purpose”, in other words, “I didn’t cut your way on purpose, why are you treating me so harshly?” The initial feeling of being hurt suddenly transformed itself to sadness; it came from a feeling of being rejected. I felt unwanted, excluded and wrong all at once. A moment later anger rushed in, which said “Why are you pushing me aside, you move yourself!” Then the music stopped, the exercise ended, everything calmed down. We opened our eyes and sat down; in silence. We watched each other and ourselves. Each one of us had a journey. Of emotions. Few moments that felt like months. A journey which is a mirror to our hearts and a bridge to our childhoods where we are most vulnerable.

As we boldly shared our journeys with each other magic happened; we intensely felt the beauty of our shared human condition. We are all vulnerable, we are all hurt, we are all lost and we are all full of love that doesn’t want to be contained. It comes out in our dance and in our presence embraced by music. As we move in space individually and in unity, we tell our stories. Stories of love, hurt, disappointment, joy, longing… without words; stories that make us who we are.