Embodying the dynamics of the five elements: A practice dialogue between Body-Mind Centering® and Tibetan Buddhist philosophy
Kim Sargent-Wishart
Journal of Dance & Somatic Practices August 30, 2012 DOI: 10.1386/jdsp.4.1.125_1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Philosophy of mind |
| Key points | Proposes that dance/movement practice, informed by Body-Mind Centering and Tibetan Buddhist five-element dynamics, can serve as a research method that both brings theory into physical practice and generates theory from that practice, using the three prajnas as an experiential framework. |
Abstract
This article presents a contemplative dance/movement research practice, based in the somatic approach of Body-Mind Centering® (BMCSM), exploring the dynamics of the five elements (space, air, fire, water and earth) according to Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. This research practice is a component of the author's current doctoral study in performance, which includes a dialogue between Tibetan Buddhist perspectives on the dynamics of the body's formation, and the BMC approach to embodied embryology. The article briefly outlines the significance of embryology as a field of study within BMC and Tibetan Buddhism, and introduces the Buddhist pedagogical model of the three prajnas as a framework for experiential research. It describes a research methodology in which dance/movement practice, and the direct kinaesthetic experience of dance/movement practitioners, is the site of investigation, suggesting movement research as a method of both bringing theory into physical practice and generating theory from that practice. The final section details the studio research practice itself, including an introduction to the dynamics of the five elements, examples of how these were investigated in movement research, and excerpts from participants' reflective writing.
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| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |