The Somatic Practice and Chronic Pain Network has a series of blog posts called “Meet our Board” where we will introduce members of the newly formed Board. The Network is keen to build a space that is respectful, safe, inclusive and active.
For the 8th blog in the series, we have Dr. Eline Kieft, founder of the Wild Soul Centre for Embodied Consciousness. Eline’s interests include movement, energy and archetypal work, nature and spirituality, and this blog feature gives you a taster of her interests and work.
Photo Credit: Phillipe Perrine. Mover: Eline catching the light
Interests & Background
Eline’s first modality has always been movement. Since she was seven years old, dance has been the place where she expresses herself, moves with questions and heals from traumatic events – as well as celebrate the good things of life! She was accepted on various professional dance academies, but eventually decided not to pursue a dance career – because she would rather dance with than for people!
Her path took her to anthropology, as she was fascinated by the role of dance in different cultures, and to shamanic practice as a different approach to health and wellbeing. What many world traditions have in common is a living connection with nature, a tangible perception of life force energy, and a different way of working with consciousness.
These aspects endlessly fascinate Eline, and also help her manage her own lived experience with Ankylosing Spondylitis, an auto-immune condition on the rheumatoid spectrum that affects the lower back and joints. It was encouraging that even the NHS prescribes movement as the first ‘medicine’ for this condition.
Photo: Still from Qi Gong Class, Eline demonstrates a movement called Centring
In the first lock down Eline encountered Qi Gong, a Taoist movement practice that brings together all the things she loves: movement, nature and consciousness. Qi Gong means the skill to navigate your life force energy. It is simple and accessible, and incredibly supportive on a journey with chronic pain. Eline calls it a movement alchemy, the ability to change and transform what weighs us down and holds us back into a different experience.
Check out her work
Eline developed a free Qi Gong movement routine specifically for the SPCPNetwork:
If you like to explore more movement with her, the 7-Day Flow course might be of interest, with gentle 15 minute routines to release stress, anxiety and overwhelm.
Eline explores dance as a healing modality in all its variety. That also means moving our stories of illness, to express sorrow, grief, pain, anger, to transform an experience and harvest the wisdom gifts that we gain through this life-initiation. In this YouTube video she dances her soul back after an ectopic pregnancy experience. Beware, the content is strong, and people have experienced their own healing from even watching this video.
She also developed a Somatics Toolkit for Ethnographers with lots of immersive practice, extensive reading lists, and a blog and podcast that features interesting articles and conversations around body, wellbeing and (sometimes) research.
In 2022 her book came out, called Dancing in the Muddy Temple: A Moving Spirituality of Land and Body. You can watch the replay of the launch event with 4 engaging speakers here. On this page you’ll also find a 30% discount code if purchase the book directly from the publishers.
Photo Credit: Henk Kieft. Mover Eline dancing in the muddy temple
Hopes & Literature
Eline has two specific hopes for the Network. First, to make pain experience more visible and break the taboo of sharing about it, by hosting events that facilitate connection and exchange. This way people won’t feel so isolated when pain is a regular occurrence. Second, to encourage simple practices that encourage a different relationship with the body to breathe through and manage pain through various breathing, imaginative and movement resources.
At the time of writing this blog entry, Eline is reading about the evolution of consciousness, especially how specific skills of being in touch with the immaterial ‘energy’ seem hardwired into our brain since neolithic times.
