"Building a Strong Container"

Our bodies are like the EARTH, which contain ALL the elements.
The movement of the elements, working together, keeps the Earth in BALANCE.

The same is true within our bodies. In order to bring greater BALANCE into our ENTIRE systems, and to allow the elements to move and alchemize within us, it is essential to develop a strong container for all the movement to occur.

The container is like the river banks, allowing the water… feelings… energy… life to flow... which creates the most harmonious balance and gives us the ultimate Freedom, to Fully Experience Life.


The value of developing a strong container is that we can:

1. Count on ourselves to stand on our own two feet, and be confident that we can take on the challenges that arise in life.
2. Steadily and consistently hold all the movement that occurs within us, which includes all of our own sensations, thoughts, and feelings, so the most growth and life force can be created.
   This is what Nature does.
3. Interact effectively with others and cultivate a healthy sense of separation, which means you can know the difference between your own sensations, thoughts, and feelings and those of others.
4. Fully participate! Working and playing on teams with others:
   Being clear on your role and position, as well as respecting others roles and positions on the team, so you can interact cooperatively.

What happens to most people?

Most people get overloaded with feelings and either suppress them or act them out.
This might look like venting or blowing up, constant irritation, acting happy and ignoring upsetting feelings, collapsing and giving up, or shutting down. It can show up as mind chatter, repetitive thoughts, judgement, fight, flight, freeze, or appease… all examples or the results of an underdeveloped container.

(This is also one way people develop illness and disease. Diseases can come from a lack of movement, and the stronger container you develop, the more movement can occur within you, and the more your health will flourish).  

Many people run off adrenaline, stimulants or depressants, (man-made or natural) and are constantly OVERloading or UNDERloading their systems. They haven’t been trained in how to hold a container, and use feelings for information. Instead they react to their feelings, which depletes their energy, and then they need more stimulation or calming from the outside (beyond a balanced amount) so they can function on a day to day basis.

I am teaching how to live life coming from a sustainable operating system within your own body.
A system that is regenerating itself daily and stays healthy and vital as you gradually increase your ability to handle more and more healthy stress. With each developmental stage in life, we can increase our ability to handle more and more. From childhood to adulthood, and through every decade. If we continue to build a healthy system, with a strong container, we become more respectful, kind, patient and capable of working as a team with others as we age.   
This would make for a happy group of people, family harmony and global cooperation. This is only possible if we learn how to utilize our own system effectively and efficiently. This is what I’m guiding us all to develop.

How Do You Build a Strong Container?

First, recognize the importance of building a container.  
Once you feel the importance of the container you can start to build it!

There are two main aspects to work with in Building a Strong Container:
Your “Mind of Awareness” and your “ A Solid Physical Structure.”

1. MIND OF AWARENESS

When you are utilizing your “Mind of Awareness” you are able to sense, see and know clearly and neutrally what is occurring, without judgement or any interference. 

Practice to Build your Mind of Awareness:
Movement Form: Drop IN.

• Place your attention about 1 inch- 6 feet around your entire body so you can sense your whole body. (Choose the amount that works for you). This is where you sense from.
• Soften your eyes and let your eyes drop back into your head.
  Let them relax as much as you possibly can.
• Let your awareness expand out throughout your entire skin, and use your skin as feelers.
• Drop your attention inside your belly and feel through the area right below your navel.
  (The 2nd brain).
• Observe what is occurring, with your full attention, and without any mental description.  
  (This is our primary language. The language before we learned how to use words, which identifies an experience, person, place or thing).
  
  

2. SOLID PHYSICAL STRUCTURE

 When you build a "Solid Physical Structure," you bring strength and power throughout your entire body, while remaining open inside (The River Banks).

Practice to Build a Solid Physical Structure:
Movement Form: Power UP

• Place your attention about 1 inch- 6 feet  around your entire body so you can sense your whole body. (Choose the amount that works for you).
• Sense the edges of your physical body.
• Breathe deeply and fully into the diaphragm, in spite of any thoughts or feelings you are having.
• Do a repetitive movement. (That does not cause harm to your body).
• Make your breath stronger than your thoughts or sensations until you feel you are strong, stable and well put together.
• Drop your weight and press firmly into the ground and lift up away from the ground.
• As you move, produce enough tension that you are stabilized in the movement. Do this until the movement is stronger than the feelings, thoughts or sensations. You will still have them, however, they are well managed so you can think clearly and handle any situation. This does not mean you will be comfortable, because if you are in a challenging situation, you will still feel the intensity of the challenge however you are capable of handling yourself and the situation effectively. You are now capable of harnessing the energy that is created from the feeling to take on this new level of challenge. This is how we strengthen our capacity and get stronger.
  
  

This combination of utilizing the “Mind of Awareness” and building a “Solid Physical Structure” creates a strong container, which provides security, so you can see clearly, use your feeling system to inform you, and then move as needed in response to any given situation.

This way you will ultimately learn how to rely on yourself, work in balance with others, and be on teams that function with integrity.

As a result of this training, students increase their health and vitality, their effectiveness and joy in their personal and professional relationships, and increase their ability to produce and generate money through work and career. This is a pathway to greater Balance and Function!

Let us know your experience and how this practice works for you!

Encouraging you on your movement adventures,
Warmly, Mariane and the Dance Alive Team


Through the Dance Alive System, you are led to be able to FEEL, EXPERIENCE, and STRENGTHEN your container by learning how to use the 5 Values, 5 Tools, and 5 Movement Forms.
If you like this practice, and want to continue to build your movement skills, come join us for our Dance Alive Classes and Workshops!