8/8/2019 5 Rhythms: Meditation and Transpersonal Psychology

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/5-rhythms-meditation-and-transpersonal-psychology 1/2

5 Rhythms: Meditation and Transpersonal Psychology

Transpersonal psychology is one aspect of psychology that focuses on the mystical and spiritual nature of themind. Included in the scope of transpersonal psychology is the acknowledgment of existence, spiritualexperiences and altered states. In essence, it aims to transcend ordinary mortal existence.

A lot of transpersonal psychologists integrate other disciplines into this practice, but the concept of going beyondhuman existence remains. One movement derived from the ideologies of transpersonal psychology is themeditation practice known as the 5 Rhythms. The artist, musician, writer, musical director and philosopher,Gabrielle Roth , devised the 5 Rhythms movement in the 1960s.

The Principles and Influences of 5 Rhythms

Gabrielle Roth’s influences in the creation of the 5 Rhythms include anthropologist Gregory Bateson,psychotherapist Fritz Perls, philosopher Oscar Ichazo and filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky. Gabrielle Rothblended several world traditions and shamanistic, mystical, ecstatic and eastern philosophies to develop a practicethat she describes as the soul journey.

When one moves the body and frees the mind, one links themselves to the soul, the font of inspiration. When thishappens, a person becomes equipped with unlimited potentials and possibilities. Another fundamental principleevident in the 5 Rhythms is the idea that energy is the building block of life and that all movement is made in

rhythms, waves and patterns. This is a key element to transpersonal psychology .

8/8/2019 5 Rhythms: Meditation and Transpersonal Psychology

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/5-rhythms-meditation-and-transpersonal-psychology 2/2

How the 5 Rhythms are Practiced

In practicing the 5 Rhythms, one uses meditation and strives to gain a deeper understanding of human nature.Students of the 5 Rhythms attend weekly classes that integrate different forms of dances in one-hour sessions. Inworkshops and retreats, they explore the 5 rhythms deeper with their teachers. Students are taught to go beyondtheir personal insecurities, self-consciousness, and negative feelings to become spontaneous and genuine beings.

The practice of 5 Rhythms involves engaging the body in physical movement and quieting the mind. This allowsthe student to link to his or her spiritual nature. The 5 Rhythms follow this order: Flowing, Staccato, Chaos,Lyrical and Stillness. Students ground themselves in their mind with fluid and continuous motions in the Flowingrhythm. They then center themselves in Staccato rhythms. In Chaos rhythms, they release physical tension andstress. In Lyrical, there flows in a sense of spiritual lightness and creativity. Finally, in Stillness there comesquietude and a sense of being free.

The Benefits of 5 Rhythms

The mind and body are inseparable; thus, the condition of one always affects the other. Practicing the 5 Rhythmscan help promote the well-being of both. Humans are known to adapt easily to either a changing environment orprolonged stagnation. Any lack of activity should be a cause of concern. It can impair one’s mental and physicalcapacity and cause many health problems like obesity or depression.

The practice of the 5 Rhythms aims to counteract inactivity. It provides students a way to move and expressthemselves. The movements can develop the person’s coordination, concentration, willpower and endurance.Additionally, the 5 Rhythms can be an excellent means of releasing emotional and physical stress. Many of theexercises involve complex movements that promote activity and coordination between the body and the brain.