Although you may not always be able to avoid difficult situations, you can modify the extent to which you can suffer by how you choose to respond to the situation.
– Dalai Lama XIV, The Art of Happiness
I am a professional ballet dancer and a highly sensitive person. I have been dancing since I was 6 years old. Dance was always a form of communication for me. I considered myself shy when I was younger but when I had to dance I was never afraid to express myself. This was so natural for me until I started my academic years at the professional ballet school. I had a very hard time to get through the stress from exams and accepting that I can’t be always perfect. At that time I wasn’t aware of my highly sensitivity so nobody could support me in this manner.
However, my sensitivity also gave me some unique advantages. I never had a problem picking up the choreographies quickly or remembering different combinations. I was always deeply connected with music so I never had to count the beats in dance. I just followed it naturally. Overall, dance gave me physical strength and flexibility, and improved my balance and spatial awareness. In additionally, anybody who dances regularly (which doesn’t have to be ballet, or dancing professionally) can, depending on the intensity of the dancing, improve their cardiovascular health , improve attention and concentration, increase their contentment, and reduce stress.
When I graduated from the school I moved to the United States where I danced 2 years with a ballet company. Besides dance I tried all kinds of cross training. At that time yoga was not big part of my life, but when I moved to Canada it changed. I studied with Mike Chapman in Ontario, who was a phenomenal teacher, and I also took his yoga teacher training course. Yoga transformed me as a person inside and out. All my pain from dance subsided. Once my mind could shift away from pain then I could start to focus on rediscovering myself. I learned to quiet my mind through meditation and become more self-aware.
How do I think dance and Yoga could benefit HSP’s and why I do I highly recommend both? Well I believe nobody can go wrong choosing one or the other. There are similarities between the two. Both have a strong emphasis on the body – mind connection. Both techniques invite us to be in the present moment and developing self-awareness and fine coordination. Being mindful about our capability and our limitations can help us to accept who we are. Letting go of unreasonable expectations can gradually build self-confidence. Consciously connecting breath with movement can heal our body. Our body remembers our physical reactions to past experiences and stores them in memory. Anytime we face a new experience that triggers the memory, those past experiences trigger emotional responses which don’t let our heart/mind be silent. Practicing the poses in yoga, we have an opportunity to let go of all those painful emotions. Furthermore, yoga could help to reduce stress eating. It also improves sleep, lowers cholesterol and relieves symptoms of depression. Just like dance, yoga improves flexibility, strength and balance.
Since HSP’s people have a hard time to quiet their mind; yoga is a wonderful opportunity to practice that through meditation. By focusing on the breathing we can draw our attention back to ourselves. As we achieve a calm state of mind then our thoughts settle effortlessly. All of this can be achieved through discipline and patient practice.
There are many different style of dance and yoga. I cannot say which one is the best. They all have their benefits depend on what you are looking for. Just listen to your body and never forget, like my teacher said; “it’s not a competition, it’s all about the journey”!
If you would like more information you can contact me at petrabalett@gmail.com or on Facebook at Petra Biro. I’ll be happy to speak with you!