Yvette Panaiotov

Major: Philosophy, Sociology

Student Biography:

Project Title: The Integration of Mind & Body: A Symbolic Interactionist Analysis of Alternative Healing

Faculty Mentor: Ronald Nerio, Department of Sociology

Abstract: Guided by the symbolic interactionist paradigm of sociology, this study places emphasis on the subjective experience of individuals and the importance of language and symbols in shaping social reality. My research has concentrated on several concepts that are central to the 5Rhythms dance practice, including: renewal, healing, creativity, embodiment, growth, release, and freedom. Through qualitative interviews with participants and snow-ball sampling, I have found that the 5Rhythms practice facilitates a process of relinquishing self-control, which helps individuals discover what several participants have described as their “authentic boundaries of self”. Subjects in this study have described healing through embodiment and the integration of mental and physical creativities through free, uninhibited movement of their bodies in 5Rhythms dance classes.

The practice of 5Rhythms emphasizes the interconnectedness and fluidity of the body, aligning with the ancient Greek’s holistic view of the universe where “the spaces between things are ignored and the interactions constant. Breath is everywhere. There are no edges”, as put by the philosopher Anne Carson. A central theme emerged of the participants describing this alternative healing practice as ‘meditative’, ‘integrated’ and ‘unbounded’. Through my findings, I ultimately hope to shed light on how people construct meaning from this particular practice, and how this meaning is shaped by their individual experiences, the mind/body problem, and the collective culture of the 5Rhythms community, in order to offer a unique lens into the significance of healing in our contemporary world.