a thing or two on the word 'temenos' by soul motion teacher michael moulin skelton

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"From the ancient Greek, temenos is a designated sacred enclosure or building where soldiers from both sides of an opposing war could come and take off their armor and lay down their arms and know they were safe; a sanctuary

 

In other cultures temenos referred to as a sacred space where soldiers returning from the horrors of war were “cleansed” or blessed with herbs, sage, oils, song, prayers, etc., before they were allowed to rejoin their families and the community

 

In Soul Motion the temenos is a sacred space created by each dancer through attention and intention. It encompasses a space from the center of the heart or hara (lower belly) to as far as the fingertips extend in every direction. it is Vincent’s assertion that each dancer can create this ‘safe space’ for themselves without the need of the teacher or some outside force to establish it. this sacred cylinder is evoked physically, emotionally, imaginably and spiritually. it can be filled with breath, gesture, prayer, courage, color, density. the edge of the temenos can be grounded by walking the perimeter clockwise and counterclockwise and stepping from the edge back into the center.

 

it is our belief that through the creation of the temenos, anyone who moves into that holy landscape is altered, just by stepping into the vibratory environment of our choosing."