Module: Authentic Movement and Therapeutic Presence
Four long weekends of study in the discipline of Authentic Movement and its relationship to therapeutic and educational practice, exploring how it can help cultivate clear presence in our work with others. The course is intended as support for the development of skills which can be used in various fields of work.
This module is now Full.
We hope to schedule it to run again in 2025.
Tutor: Jane Okondo Assistants: To Be confirmed
2024/25 Dates: 11 – 13 Oct (Changed from 25-27 Oct) 2024, 20-22 December 2024, 21-23 February 2025, 25-27 April 2025
Times:
Fri & Sat. 10:30am–6:00pm; Sun. 10:00am–5:30pm
Venue: Near Totnes, SouthDevon, UK
Cost: £1170 Full Price (£300 Deposit, 1st Installment £150 plus 6 monthly payments of £120 due on 1st of each month, Oct 2024 – Apr 2025 (or the Early Bird Fee of £1020 if paid in full and received by 1st July 2024).
Application: Click here to see the application process.
Prerequisite
Attendance at one of the Workshops offered this year, if you have not worked with us before.
Aims
- to offer the opportunity for immersion in your own movement process
- to teach the skills of witnessing movement, sensation, emotion and image and to help you find language for your experience
- to explore the application of this work to your own professional practice
Authentic Movement
Authentic Movement is a contemplative movement practice which has evolved within the field of dance movement therapy, and been influenced by Jungian psychology and meditative practice. As in the discipline of mindfulness meditation, we seek to pay attention to our direct experience, moment by moment, witnessing the sensations, feelings, thoughts, images and movement impulses which arise into consciousness.
Mover and witness
The ground form of the practice involves the relationship between one who moves and one who witnesses; through her mindful presence and compassionate attention the witness creates a safe space which the mover enters, eyes closed, to attend to his inner world. The mover is invited to surrender to the flow of impulses which arise from the unconscious, and to bring these into expression through movement. In this way unconscious material is embodied, felt and seen by another, and can be integrated into consciousness through verbal sharing, writing and artwork. Thus the body becomes conscious.
Clarity and compassion
The witness also attends to her direct experience, paying attention to the sensations, feelings, memories and images evoked in her by the presence of the one moving. When, later, mover and witness share their experiences, the witness learns to recognise and own projections, interpretations and judgments, coming to understand how they obscure the clear seeing of another. Through being witnessed with non-judgmental acceptance, clarity and compassion, the mover is enabled to develop a clear and compassionate internal witness. Thus the internal awareness of each develops within the context of the relationship.
The enhancing of this receptive quality of clear attention can profoundly support the practice of all disciplines which are based on the healing quality of relationship.
For those wanting to further their study, they may be interested in the Authentic Movement Community Website and The Discipline of Authentic Movement – Circles of Four.
For more information the other modules, please click the links below: