Unlikely companions: Grief, dance and mysticism

This article will examine the similarities between grief, dance and mysticism in an attempt to acknowledge and reveal that these unlikely companions actually form a new and evolving relationship that is synergistic, especially for those experiencing profound grief. The article probes the concept that psychic and somatic states of consciousness are destroyed through traumatic grief, offering opportunities for 'out of the ordinary states of consciousness to occur'. It examines these states in-depth with specific reference to the modern pioneers of dance, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis and Martha Graham, mystical philosophers, and the author's revelations during her personal journey inside traumatic grief.