A Personal Relationship with the Mysteries: (Re)discovering the Enchanted Garden Through Movement and the Body

This article investigates the possible role of improvised, conscious dance movement in nature as a way of reclaiming our direct experience of the metaphysical. I first discuss some aspects of the body and embodiment, not as contradictory with but absolutely essential to spirituality. I briefly touch on the possibility of embodied ecstasy, as well as various elements of embod- iment such as awareness, alignment, presence, and connection. Then, after introducing some notions of dance and spirituality in various contexts, I zoom in on the ingredients of improvised movement as a way of negotiating the unknown, unpacking the possibilities of movement improvisation as a spiritual practice. Thirdly, I consider the potential for waking up to the sacred all around us, when movement practice is brought out into nature. Finally, I weave these threads together in some concluding thoughts on the role that dance can play in enhancing mystical participation in an enchanted world.