We inhabit a multifaceted body with an active mind controlling a large part of our day-to-day life. This intellectual mind enables us to interpret the world; yet, it is only one indicator of our well-being. The immediacy of an emotion stored in the body is another clue towards overall health. When we assign the mind as the “CEO” without considering the emotional body, we may disassociate from embodied experiences. Tapping into the emotional body through movement can help us express how we truly feel.

Somatic dance, referred to as “dancing from the inside out,” can create a connection between the body and mind. Current experiences provide “silent dance” where participants wear headphones with music piped in and dance together listening to the same music, yet feeling autonomous interpretation. This practice involves moving to music without scripted moves; body energy is stoked and the emotions from movement and sound shift energy, thereby transforming each participant’s experience.

Each summer I research wellness activities that will challenge my comfort zone and introduce new perspective toward health. This summer, I attended a week-long somatic movement workshop at Esalen, a coastal healing retreat which presented opportunities to experience movement therapy.

The thought of a somatic dance retreat posed the question, “Can I give myself permission to dance without judgement?” But on the day I arrived, the world beat music started, my body moved the way it wanted to, and my attention shifted inward. True enjoyment spawned from heeding bodily sensations and moving in ways that felt right moment to moment.

When we embrace the freedom of the present moment, we listen to the body and let it lead. We tap into an intuitive emotional reservoir. I felt a sense of safety as I befriended my body. Compassion for myself and those moving around me intensified. The undulating participants were spirit guides, from a 20-year-old skipping around the room to an 80-year-old’s steps of gratitude for the gift of walking to the beat. Without using words for expression, each attendee became my muse, and my emotional body was my anchor safely grounded in the right place at the right time.

Our bodies can be our greatest teachers. Somatic movement may be a useful tool for anyone experiencing anxiety, depression or loneliness, or for the peaceful attainment of mental and emotional balance. I am continuously reminded of my emotional landscape since experiencing somatic therapy. The body keeps score; it is our deepest compass.

Jennifer Di Francesco is a wellness explorer and desert adventurist and can be reached at www.coachellabellaboho.com.