In many ancient cultures dancing and singing were known to be ways to greater vitality. It was believed that such practices actually inspire the soul, and better connect us to the divine and sustaining forces of life. Shamans would ask these 4 questions whenever a person was feeling uninspired, lost, sick or not at their best.
- When was the last time you danced?
- When was the last time you sang?
- When was the last time you told a story?
- When was the last time you sat alone in nature?
I first heard this wisdom teaching almost 15 years ago while on retreat at a healing retreat center in California. It was at a time in my life when I was re-evaluating what was important to me and asking what I wanted to manifest in my life. These questions ignited something inside of me. They reminded me of my childhood and calling out my inner child to play again after being in Los Angeles trying to “make it” and being a “grown up” in the entertainment world. As a trained singer and yoga teacher, giving myself freedom to be curious again and not worry about what is “right” and “wrong” and not being concerned with how I looked, sounded or wanting my art to be perfect. It was a huge relief to imbibe these teachings and be able to express myself fully and freely immersed in the natural beauty of Big Sur.
Since that inspiring week, I have been blessed to explore the medicine of singing and dancing as I travel the world sharing the practice of Bhakti yoga and SpiritDance SoulSong (co-created with my friend and mentor, Ellen Watson, on the island of Bali).
From Indonesia to Japan, Australia, China, Europe, India, the Americas and beyond I have had the honor of witnessing and sharing these ancient practices with both the indigenous people of the land and modern community gatherings at yoga studios, festivals, conferences and retreats.
SpiritDance SoulSong (SDSS) is the first conscious dance practice to include sound and song as an integral part of the curriculum. Both dance and song are timeless community-building practices, dating back before recorded history, and found today in all cultures still connected to Mother Earth and her rhythms.
SDSS fuses cross-cultural spiritual and philosophical truths with Western psychology and modern scientific research. A fusion of the eight chakras and the five elements, SDSS begins with the root chakra, powered by your breath and your heartbeat.
What I love about this practice is that it is accessible to everyone. I have danced and sung with people of all ages, from toddlers to 90 year olds and even with those in wheelchairs. When the Spirit wants to move and the Soul wants to sing, there is no barrier that can stop this natural expression. My mission is to empower people of all walks of life to discover their body as a musical instrument remembering these healing modalities of singing and dancing and integrating them into their life daily. Not only will coming back to these ancient practices return us our natural state, they will help us to remember what is truly important in our lives. Through movement, music, breath, sound, song and visualization, we can transform ourselves, our relationships, our communities and our planet!
I am grateful to be traveling once again to Mallorca to the stunningly serene, Cal Reiet, to collaborate with wonderful Michaela Sundarie Vucina-Kainberger and Petra Bensland for an inspiring week of Yoga Elements, movement meditation and music (SpiritDance SoulSong), Bhakti yoga and more!
Come Live, Love, Yoga with us this Summer Solstice, June 21 – 25, 2017. Reclaim your authentic movement and your true voice and get to know how to use it as medicine, not only for yourself, but for everyone you touch in your life! No music, dance or yoga experience needed, just an open heart and a curious mind!
Love,
Daphne
Note:
Daphne Tse is a soulful singer, yogini and teacher originally from Texas currently calling the world her home. Since her initial yoga class 20 years ago, she has merged her spiritual practice with her contemporary folk singer/songwriter style. She studied music at UT in Austin, The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, Berklee College of Music and with kirtan master, Jai Uttal. She has released music on Shiva Rea’s yoga music compilations and has released 4 albums, Mata, Finding Water, Samahita Live and Arigato. Daphne tours globally teaching voice workshops, sharing kirtans and leading SpiritDance SoulSong (SDSS) trainings & retreats to help students rediscover their body as a natural and unique musical instrument.
www.daphnetse.com
www.spiritdancesoulsong.com
If you have never heard a song from Daphne, check this one, we absolutely love it!
“Open the doors in the center of your chest and let the Spirits fly in and out.” Rumi
