Feb 7th Spiritual Bellydance with Dunya
at UU Falmouth
Saturday February 7th, 10 – 11:30am
UU Falmouth, 840 Sandwich Rd, East Falmouth, MA 02536
Suggested donation: $15 – $25 cash only at the door
You are warmly invited to join us for a delicious session of Spiritual Bellydance a gentle, Sufi-inspired movement practice using rocking, isolations, and flowing curves to release tension and awaken the body’s natural intelligence. Each part of the body explores its own voice through subtle, nourishing movement, inviting presence, ease, and meditative awareness. Accessible, calming, and deeply enlivening for all bodies and experience levels.
“Spiritual Bellydance is a such a playful way to open the portal into one’s spiritual dimensions.” — R.M.
Come have fun and go deep ~
Spiritual Bellydance
You are warmly invited to join us for a delicious session of Spiritual Bellydance, a gentle, Sufi-inspired movement practice using rocking, isolations, and flowing curves to release tension and awaken the body’s natural intelligence.
Awakening our Bodies
Each part of the body has its own voice. In this practice, we learn to let those voices be heard. A shoulder softens away from the ribcage; the sternum floats; the hips remember their ancient intelligence. As we unhook long-held patterns of tension, what was stiff and silent begins to move, and the body comes alive.
Rocking
Rocking is a foundational movement for Sufi Bellydance. Gentle, rhythmic rocking activates isolations awakening areas that have been frozen or forgotten. Through rocking, the body loosens its grip, freeing energy and restoring natural flow.
Invitation to Infinity
Ornamental Movement invites subtlety and infinity. Its hypnotic quality soothes the nervous system and gently opens a portal to spiritual states—without force, without striving. It is composed of curves. Circles and spirals traced by hands, arms, shoulders, hips, and heart mark the canvas of space and time. We explore these movements whole, then break them apart—halves, fragments, micromovements—revealing unexpected pathways and new possibilities. The micromovements are deeply nourishing. They hydrate the tissues, honor the body’s limits, and cultivate refined attention. Through detailed focus, we awaken subtle sensation and subtle seeing—listening inwardly as the dance becomes both meditation and prayer.
This is a practice of kindness, depth, and devotion—where movement is the portal to our spiritual depths.
What We Will Do
Dunya will guide us in a period of relaxing, wordless instruction to focus and orient our attention, then suggest a simple, rich moving meditation to sink down a couple of notches inside the self, touching Self. There will be a generous, spacious period of time for participants to do their own exploratory intuitive movement, to digest and integrate meditative efforts.
What to Bring
For this class, bring a sash or scarf to tie around your hips. If you have a veil, bring it. Wear comfortable clothing to move in and bring a thick yoga mat or blanket to be comfortable on the floor.
Saturday February 7th, 10 – 11:30am
UU Falmouth, 840 Sandwich Rd, East Falmouth, MA 02536
Suggested donation: $15 – $25 cash only at the door
Bring a Friend!
"Kindness to our body is the beginning of kindness to all.” —Dunya McPherson
"Dancemeditation is like exploring a dark but safe cave where I discover gems of indescribable beauty.” —Chava
Pioneer in embodied mysticism and Founder of Dancemeditation™, Dunya McPherson specializes in opening the wonderment of deep, subtle, peaceful self-perception. Juilliard alumna, Sufi Master, NYTimes critically acclaimed choreographer, and National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship recipient, Dunya is a practicing artist, academic educator, presenter at healing arts centers worldwide including Kripalu, and author of two beloved books on dance as spiritual path. Full biography
Skin of Glass: Finding Spirit in the Flesh, memoir of Dunya’s journey in dance and mysticism.
Sojourn the Inner Heaven: Movement Meditations for Awakening, guidebook and practice companion.
She is a contributing author to several books on healing and spirituality.
“During tonight’s session, I noticed how much I lean into your presence and anchor, Dunya, to find the courage to be alone with myself, to venture into my inner world. If it weren’t for your commitment to this work, I would have missed out on knowing the depths of myself and feeling the intimacy of being present. I would have skimmed the surface of so many moments, afraid of the void, the pain, the vastness of everything. I feel I can trust the authenticity of your movements and your expressive soul. Because I know you are there, I dare to be here.” – G. M., psychotherapist
“The work transcends the therapeutic— it’s profoundly finding the self as part of the spiritual path.” – P.
“I was tickled…by ‘it all,’ the infinite in everything…Especially me & my experience.” – J.
“These Dancemeditation sessions have meant so much to me. I am deeply grateful to you for making them possible for us all to be together while going down deep. It is hard to describe what I have been experiencing. The work helps me access my heart body. Nurturing myself, feeling the softness of my animal self.” – S.
“The continuous flow took me deep within. I experienced myself from the inside out. Time stopped. It seemed like we had just begun when you said it was time to ‘rest.’ I actually checked my watch because I couldn’t fathom that so much time had passed.” — K.
