The Dance of Enlightenment
Embracing Movement for a Fully Embodied Life
By Lola Manekin
Hey there, beloved humans. It's Lola here. I’d like to share the intrinsic relationship between movement, embodiment, and enlightenment. Our bodies are made to move! Whether your body craves vinyasa yoga, dance, calisthenics, or defying gravity with aerial arts, the benefits go far beyond the physical.
As you move your body, you refine your breath, connect to your natural essence, calm your nervous system, and tap into higher states of consciousness, deeper self-awareness, and unity with the cosmos.
The Essence of Embodiment
What is embodiment? Fully inhabiting your body, tapping in, and becoming aware of your body as a sacred vessel. Our bodies are a gift, pure magic, a sensory machine capable of feeling, experiencing life, and accessing profound inner wisdom.
Embodiment is listening to your body's whispers and roars, and using movement as a tool for self-discovery and healing. In today’s fast-paced world, we often disconnect from the physical. To reconnect, we bring our attention back to sensation, breath, and heartbeat, dedicating time to the present moment and the bodily experience.
Movement as Medicine
As a Medicine Woman, I've seen movement transform people. Uninhibited movement, in all its beautiful forms, speaks directly to your soul. When you tap into the primal, liberating nature of movement, beyond exercise, you are invited into a sacred dance with your innermost self.
Embodiment practices nurture our bodies and spirits, offering sanctuary for emotional release and spiritual rejuvenation. When we move, we unlock true healing, releasing stored traumas, awakening dormant energies, and reclaiming our innate wholeness.
The Body is a Library
Your body is an expansive library, and your cells hold valuable information. Intelligence doesn’t begin and end in the brain. The body stores memories and emotions.
Your cells hold the whispers of your ancestors. Your muscles and nervous system learn from life events and protect you from future harm. This isn’t pseudo-science. Somatic release and nervous system regulation can have profound therapeutic benefits. In The Body Keeps the Score, the author provides compelling evidence that somatic therapy can offer more relief that traditional talk therapy for certain patients.
You write new pages and chapters in each moment. As you connect with your body, you’re empowered to become the author and editor of your body’s story.
The Cosmic Dance
The universe is in constant motion. Your individual self is a mirror of the cosmos. Your cells and atoms are vibrating with life energy. When you tap into the moment, the music, the energy around you, you can synchronize with the rhythm of the universe. Your dance is a celebration of the impermanence of existence and the beauty of the here and now.
Movement as a Path to Enlightenment
What is enlightenment? A state of profound peace, understanding, and unity. With all of the distractions of daily life, reaching a state of enlightenment can seem impossible. But, no matter the circumstance, it is within reach. It doesn’t take years of dedicated practice or study to get there. The enlightened state is your natural state.
There are many spiritual paths and practices that one can take to reach enlightenment. At TRIBE, we offer a safe space for you to peel away the layers of ego and identity through movement, embracing the physical to embody the essence of your being, pure bliss.
It is my truest desire that each class offered at TRIBE become an invitation for everyone to explore this sacred union of body and spirit, allowing the music and movement to guide us into deeper realms of consciousness. It's not just about the dance; it's about the transformative nature of free movement without judgment or fear.
The Sanctuary of Sacred Movement
TRIBE is more than a gym, it’s a School of Embodied Arts. We honor the sanctuary of movement (and stillness!) Our classes and events allow you to explore the depths of the physical with mindfulness and intention. Through dance, yoga, mixed martial arts, and other movement practices, you can connect with your body and integrate mind to movement.
To honor your body, we also offer a recovery program, with cold plunge, sauna, and vibroacoustic sound healing bed. These practices complement your journey, offering physical and energetic resets so you feel great and perform at your best.
The Five Elements
Chinese Medicine teaches us that the Five Elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—are a foundation for understanding our bodies, the planet, and the universe. We integrate the nature of these elements into our teachings at TRIBE to create a holistic approach that honors the seasons and cycles of the natural world.
Join the Dance
To live a more embodied life, embrace movement, connection, and growth. Find joy in simple acts that feel good and nourish your body. Stretch to the morning sun. Bring awareness to your feet. Connect to the Earth. Share a dance with your friends. Breathe. Celebrate your part in the divine mystery of life.
I invite you, dear ones, to join me in this dance of life. Together, we can reach enlightenment, not by seeking to escape our earthly existence but by diving deeper into the miracle of our embodied lives.
The path to enlightenment doesn’t have to be a solitary journey. It can be a shared dance, a collective awakening. Let's support and learn from one another, and celebrate each step of this magnificent journey!