Soul in Motion in Bend, Oregon
Movement. Mindfulness. Dance. Community.
Soul in Motion is an embodied movement and dance practice in Bend, Oregon, led by Lynne Herbert, LPC, a certified Soul Motion™ teacher.
It’s an invitation to come out of your head and back into your body. To listen inward. Follow what moves you. Get curious. Play. Feel. Express. Connect—with yourself, with one another, with community, with nature, and with something larger than yourself.
No dance experience is needed. There are no steps to learn and no right way to move. I’ll offer music, invitations, a little guidance, and lots of space. From there, we listen for what wants to happen.
Sometimes you’ll move wildly. Sometimes slowly. Sometimes barely at all. There may be laughter, stillness, grief, joy, breath, connection, or simply the feeling of being here. It’s all part of the dance….a great practice to tune in and follow your own lead.
We move with the seasons, with the elements, with the rhythms of the natural world—and with whatever is alive in us….individually and collectively.
This is less about learning to dance and more about remembering that you already know how to move.
An aliveness practice.
A way back to yourself.
A place to meet the world with your whole body, with all of your senses turned up!
Soul in Motion meets at Continuum Yoga, 155 SW Century Drive in Bend, OR
That may sound odd.....after all, it's where you spend all of your time. But how often are you actually listening? How aware are you of what is stirring, tightening, softening, reaching, retreating, opening, or asking for your attention?
So much of life asks us to think, plan, perform, achieve, and figure things out. Soul in Motion offers something different: a body-based practice that invites you to relax your intellect for a while, quiet some of the mind's constant commentary, and become curious about the messages you receive internally. Instead of deciding how you should move, you listen for how your body actually wants to move…great practice for life.
It starts with connecting to your body.
WHAT IS SOUL IN MOTION?
As you move, you’ll notice patterns — in how you relate to yourself, how you take up space, how you connect with others, where you protect, and where something may be asking for more freedom. With awareness comes possibility.
The body carries information. It responds before the thinking mind has finished making its argument. It remembers. Protects. Reaches. Pulls away. Softens. Braces. Plays.
Soul in Motion gives us a place to listen to that intelligence. Not because the body always has a tidy answer. But because sometimes getting below the neck gives us access to something the mind has been talking over.
It's a practice for how you show up in the world.
BEYOND THE DANCE FLOOR
Soul in Motion isn't really about becoming a better dancer. It's a practice for how you show up in the world.
Can you stay grounded in yourself when you're with other people? Can you remain present when something feels uncomfortable? Can you move between solitude and connection without abandoning yourself in either one? Can you stay engaged even when a song comes on that you don’t like, or do you go away.
On the dance floor, we get to practice. We move alone. We move alongside others. We notice what happens when someone comes closer. We notice what happens when we want more space. We play with following and leading. We experiment with being seen.
You don't need to arrive confident. Curiosity is enough.
IS THIS FOR YOU?
You may be looking for a new mindfulness practice, craving more connection with your body, or simply wanting somewhere you can move, play and express yourself without worrying about whether you're doing it right.
SOUL IN MOTION MAY SPEAK TO YOU IF YOU’RE CURIOUS ABOUT:
turning up the volume on the sense of aliveness and joy in your body
giving your brain a well-deserved break and playing
tuning into the longings of your heart and soul
connecting with a supportive, heartful, embodied community
exploring mindfulness through movement rather than sitting still
practicing a kinder relationship with your body
becoming more comfortable expressing yourself through movement
challenging the story that you're "too old," too awkward, or "not a dancer"
exploring what happens when you listen instead of perform
Come move with what’s moving in you.
WAYS TO STEP IN
DROP IN
Soulful Sundays
A space to sink in to the expansive energy of a Sunday morning...gathering, moving alone and together, a sacred space for you to tend to the longings of your heart and soul.
I'll drop in some inquiries, may have a poem on hand, and may lead an exercise. The rest will unfold as it will.
As usual, the music will vary....from slow and contemplative to big and funky and lots in between. A space to pray, play, connect, pause...a great way to start the week embodied and filled.
SEASONAL, STANDALONE EXPERIENCES
Workshops or Series
There’s something amazing about taking some time and space to dive a bit deeper….into the practice, into community, and into an aspect of what we’re exploring together. Stay tuned to the calendar for regular offerings….all are open to regulars, those looking for an intensive, and those who are just curious to see what we’re up to.
LETS CREATE SOMETHING TOGETHER
Customized Group Experiences
I also create customized Soul in Motion experiences for groups. That might look like grounded exploration with movement, a playful connection-based gathering, an embodied experience for a professional group, or something with additional therapeutic intention.
I'd love to hear what you're imagining. We can have a conversation and co-create something that fits the people who will actually be in the room.
You wouldn't be the first person to tell me that.
“BUT I’M NOT A DANCER.'“
Many people arrive feeling self-conscious, skeptical, unsure what to do with their hands, or convinced that everyone else somehow received instructions they missed. They didn't.
Soul in Motion is not about choreography, performance, or looking good while you move. You can move a lot. You can move a little. You can sit. You can pause. You can take care of your body. Everyone is welcome, and the movement is yours.
This is an invitation to listen.....not a demand to perform.
FROM A NEW DANCER
"I'm a total convert to Soul in Motion. I resisted for months....I didn't want to, but I had a feeling that I was going to like it.
It has been one of the most relaxing things I've done for myself in years. I feel so invigorated after class. I actually look forward to it now.
If you're skeptical or feel awkward dancing, just give it a try."
— SH
Movement has become an important part of both my personal and professional life. It began with meditation and workshops at Esalen, and grew through explorations of 5Rhythms, ecstatic dance, Open Floor, Feldenkrais, and eventually Soul Motion…which I fell in love with immediately, it resonated with what I was looking for.
These practices became part of my own growth and way of being in the world, and I wanted to bring that experience into my community. After a three-month bicycle sabbatical through Europe in 2019, I returned knowing I wanted embodied work to have a more central place in what I offered. Soul in Motion was born in 2020.
Today, movement lives alongside my work in therapy, supervision, and psychedelic-assisted work—not as something separate, but as another doorway into the same questions:
How do we connect? What happens when we tune in to the body? What becomes possible when we feel accompanied rather than alone? And what might open when we stop trying so hard to know where we're going?
It’s a practice in presence, in relationship, in giving and receiving, in utilizing all of your senses, in connecting with the fullness of life. A practice for the every day. I’d love to share it with you.
My current teachers/mentors are: Zuza Engler, Vincent Martinez-Grieco, Adam Barley, and Katriona Wilder Ilsedóttir.
Movement became part of my own way home.
ABOUT LYNNE HERBERT, LPC
A bit of an origin story….it will all continue to evolve!
THE SOUL IN MOTION NEWSLETTER
Don’t miss a beat…
Sign up for the latest Soul in Motion gatherings, workshops, and ways to move.....plus the occasional bit of inspiration to help you turn up the volume on your life. (I might even ask you to send some my way, too.)
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Not at all. Soul in Motion is not a choreography or performance-based dance class. No previous dance or movement experience is necessary. I'll offer guidance and invitations, while you remain in charge of how your body moves.
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Soul Motion™ is a conscious dance and movement practice centered around presence, awareness, and relationship. I'm a certified Soul Motion™ teacher, and that training is one of the foundations informing Soul in Motion. More information about the roots of this practice can be found at https://soulmotioninternational.com/
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Each gathering is a little different. You can expect music, guided invitations, periods of individual movement, opportunities for connection, and space to notice what is happening in your body. Some offerings are lighter and more playful, while others invite deeper therapeutic exploration. I always invite you to follow your body first….before my prompts, before the beat of the music.
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It isn’t therapy, but it is therapeutic. My guess is you’ll have something to take away from each experience….sometimes an unexpected learning, understanding, or insight.
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That is incredibly common.....and very welcome here. You do not need to perform, impress anyone, or move in a particular way. You can begin exactly where you are and listen to what feels right for your body. Once you feel the energy of the space, including such an accepting and welcoming crew….my guess is you’ll relax into your own flow.
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Yes. Lynne Herbert offers Soul in Motion movement gatherings, groups, and workshops in the Bend, Oregon area, with individual offerings varying throughout the year. Some offerings may also be available online when scheduled.
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Soul in Motion is intended to be welcoming across ages, movement backgrounds, abilities, and levels of experience. You don't need to identify as a dancer. If you're curious about mindfulness, embodiment, movement, connection, or community, you're welcome to explore whether an offering feels right for you.
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Join us at Continuum Yoga Studio, 155 SW Century Drive in Bend Oregon.
Frequently Asked Questions
YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING
That's exactly the right place to start.
You don't have to know what you're looking for. You don't need to feel graceful. You don't need to be fearless. You don't even have to be sure this is your thing. You can be curious. You can be skeptical. You can stand at the edge for a while. And if you have questions before you ever step onto the floor.....I'd love to hear them. There's no such thing as a silly one.
There's a spot for you. I'd love to welcome you.
NOT SURE YET?