Sun Moon & Drum Dances
Native American Style Ceremonial Dances in the U.K.
We become dancers to unstick ourselves from our self imposed limitations. When we dance we do it for the earth as well as for our personal selves, and this is how we serve the earth.
Beautiful Painted Arrow, Joseph Rael (mystic and visionary see: www.peacechamber.co.uk )
I have been attending these dances either as a dancer or helper since 1998, and have had some incredibly powerful experiences whilst attending them. See video blogs below!
Please contact me if you are interested in attending — either as a helper or dancer. There are also two other dances, a Drum Dance and a Long Dance. Read below an introduction to the dances written by my friend and U.K. Sun Moon dance organiser Stella Longland.
Also read Chapter 6, particularly page 62 of my body-mind connection work Chakras, Your Body, Your Mind by Richard Brook for a brief summary of what I feel the dance does for you on a physiological level.
Sun Moon Dance
Friday 20th July – Monday 24th July 2017
Cheshire, England
In the Sun Moon Dance, the dancers dance to a Sacred Tree seeking increased personal awareness and the way to world peace.
The Sun Moon Dance is a four-day ceremony during which the dancers dance, rest, and sleep in a circular arbour. When the drum calls them they stand up and dance to the Tree placed in the centre, giving themselves for the benefit of all. When the drumming stops, they lie down and rest, receiving what they need. They do not eat or drink for the duration of their dance.
After a purification lodge, the ceremony begins with the dancers activating the dance ground. They circle the arbour blowing whistles and blessing the stone shrines placed at the four directions. They enter the arbour and the dance begins.
Each dancer treads their unique path to seek their highest potential. Held in a liberating space by the support network, they take the opportunity to go beyond the limitations of daily consciousness, seeking spiritual light. From late Friday to early Monday, the dancers are watched over by the support teams who look after different aspects of the ceremony. Finally, at the chief’s call, the dance ends with a water ceremony.
A feast has been prepared and the eating of the feast celebrates the greatness we have glimpsed in being part of that ceremony. Each dancer gives a specified gift of money. These gifts of money are the only source of finance: without the dancers, there is no dance. We aim to cover the expenses of putting on the ceremony and if there is any money left over it is given away to help the visionary work to continue.
Contact: John Wilson: footyjohnw@gmail.com 07792 459266
Drum Dance (To Be Announced)
Morayshire, Scotland
In the Drum Dance, the dancers dance to a Feather in order to become light.
The drum dance offers an opportunity for those who want to participate in the consciousness of the planet. In addition to what happens on the collective level, each dancer is uplifted mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
Beautiful Painted Arrow, Joseph Rael
The Drum Dance is a three-day ceremony during which the dancers, supported by the sound of a drum, dance to a feather. When the drum calls them, they leave their resting place and dance forwards to, and backwards from, their feather. When the drum stops they return to their resting place and dream. They do not eat or drink for the duration of their dance.
After a purification lodge, the dancers, directed by the chief, take their places on a line at a certain distance from a line of feathers. They dance to their chosen feather, dancing to fall in love with life and to be inspired. Finally, at the chief’s call, the dance ends with an honouring of the drum and a water blessing.
A celebratory feast is prepared and enjoyed. Each dancer gives a specified gift of money. This giveaway is an essential part of a dancer’s preparation and the only source of finance for the dance.
Contact: oceanandscotty@btinternet.com
Long Dance (To Be Announced)
Scotland
In the Long Dance, the dancers circle the fire, dancing through the night to manifest their vision.
In the Long Dance of life, every step forward awakens three opportunities for the human: one, placement in eternity; two, purification of past forms; three, new opportunities for adventure.
Beautiful Painted Arrow, Joseph Rael
The Long Dance is a one-night ceremony danced during the hours of darkness. Before coming to the dance site, dancers prepare their medicine banners, painting onto them a vision that they wish to manifest.
The ceremony begins with a purification lodge. Then the dance fire is lit in the centre of a square marked out by eight posts. A line of twine connects these posts to create a square arbour and the banners are hung on this line.
The dancers enter the square, symbolic of the created world, and dance in a circle around the central fire. Under the watchful eyes of the chief and supported by the drum beat, they dance without breaks in a clockwise direction until, at a signal from the chief, the drum stops.
Moments later it starts again and the dancers, changing direction, dance anticlockwise until the chief calls an end to the dance. In this way, the dancers draw their vision from the void and give it placement in the world.
After the dance, in the early hours of the morning, everyone sleeps for a few hours before breakfasting together. Breakfast is followed by a sharing and farewells.
The dancers give a specified gift of money. These gifts finance the dance. In return, the crew members — chief, fire keeper, drum team, and breakfast cooks — give their unqualified support to the dancers.