5Rhythms

Encyclopedia : 5 : 5R : 5RH : 5Rhythms

Gabrielle Roth's 5Rhythms™ is a Movement Meditation practice devised by Gabrielle Roth in the 1960's. The 5Rhythms™ has been called Western Zen. It draws from many indigenous and world traditions using tenants of shamanistic, ecstatic, mystical and eastern philosophy. It also draws from gestalt, human potential and transpersonal psychology. The practice is offered as a soul journey, based upon the idea that everything is energy, and moves in waves, patterns and rhythms. By freeing the body, releasing the heart, and freeing the mind, one can connect to the essence of the soul, leading to spirit, the place of inspiration where an individual has unlimited possibility and potential.

Contents

1 Introduction
2 The Maps
3 Influences
4 The Moving Center Schools
5 Research
6 External links
7 References
8 See also

Introduction

The form of the practice focuses on putting the body in motion with the assistance of a Roth certified teacher through the five rhythms:

flowing
staccato
chaos
lyrical
stillness

In sequence they are called The Wave. Students practice the form in weekly classes, and deepen their inner knowledge through a workshop format. Many teachers, using DJ'd or live music offer the classic "Sweat Your Prayers" class on Sunday mornings. Participants dance or move through each of the five rhythms. The practice includes a number of maps from which we can draw from. By putting the body in motion through each of the rhythms we deepen our understanding of our true nature and the nature of humanity thus setting our spirits free.

The Maps

The work is taught through a series of maps that explore the vast terrain of both the inner and outer worlds of individuals and their relationships to other and space. The maps offer a soul journey by exploring embodiment, emotions, the life cycle and finally the psyche. The rhythms offer understanding of our innate powers –being, loving, knowing, seeing, and healing.

The first map, "Waves" teaches embodiment of the five distinct rhythms. To embody the rhythms means access to the deep internal wisdom that human bodies contain. The heartbeat map teaches how people have embodied and how they express the emotions of fear, anger, sorrow, joy and compassion; while the cycles map provides great insight understanding about how one has internalized the conditioning and relationships throughout the life cycle specifically about birth, childhood, puberty, maturity and death. Insight and understanding of the ego is delivered through psyche map.

While the practice is greatly transformative and can be deeply therapuetic, Gabrielle Roth does not describe it as a form of dance therapy. Many therapists have obtained a 5Rhythm certification to support their therapuetic practice.

Today the 5Rhythms™ has grown into an international movement with centers in the [link] US and the [link]UK, and regular classes in North and South America, Europe, and Australia. Communities which have a developed cadre of 5Rhythm dancers are called tribes. In the Pacific Northwest, USA, many tribes meet for an annual gathering in Olympia, Washington.

Influences

Gabrielle’s influences in the early development of this work were psychologist Fritz Perls, anthropologist Gregory Bateson, the film maker Alejandro Jodorowsky and Oscar Ichazo. She spent much time in the 60’s at the Esalen Institute developing this work with the support of Micheal Murphy and Dick Price.

The Moving Center Schools

Gabrielle conceived of the idea of offering her work through educational hubs in 1977. There are currently three Moving Center Schools. The Moving Center Schools are operated by core teachers— teachers who mostly have been with Gabrielle since the infancy of the 5Rhythms™ inception. The Moving Center Schools lead the development of individuals and certified teachers. The Moving Center School in New York is where Gabrielle Roth and her son Jonathon Horan are based.

The California Moving Center School is operated by Kathy Altman and Lori Saltzman. Andrea Juhan, PhD is also associated with California Moving Center School and has furthered the understanding of this work and its intersection with psychology through her work in Open Floor.

The UK Moving Center School was established in 1999 and is operated by Ya’Acov and Susannah Darling Kahn who began working with Gabrielle in 1988.

Gabrielle began offering teacher certification trainings in 1988. While there are approximately 240 certified teachers in the world, there are not many schools or studios in existence. Among the trend-setters are Olympia’s Waves Studio [www.waves-studio.com] who has introduced the concept of an annual tribal gathering and the Illinois-based Mandala [link], a non-profit transformational center based in the 5Rhythms.

Research

There is a limited amount of research about the 5Rhythms. A group of women have researched the effect of dancing on women’s well-being [link]

External links

[Gabrielle Roth's Page]
[Moving Center School in California]
[The Moving Center School UK]
[All I can do is Dance] A Leeds, UK based group.
[Five Rhythms Israel]
[Move and Be Moved] A community blog in which participants discuss movement as spiritual practice.
[Ambient Visions] Interview with Gabrielle Roth
[Juicy Fruits Article] London based group.
[East West Centre] Belgium group.
[Prague group]

References

Roth, Gabrielle; Maps to Ecstasy; 1989; Nataraj Publishing; Novato, CA
Roth, Gabrielle; Sweat Your Prayers; 1997; Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin; NY, NY
Roth, Gabrielle; Connections; 2004; Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin; NY, NY
Stewart, Iris; Sacred Dance;