Sacred Human Nature
Embodied Archetypal & Conceptual PhotoGRAPHY Journeys
- DANCE YOUR WAY HOME -
FAQ
Q: What is embodied dance?
This is a huge topic and not one that can be written about in a little paragraph, I am considering beginning a blog, if so this topic will be one I cover in more detail. Essentially embodied and intuitive dance are forms of dance where you are connected in mind, body, heart and spirit. You are not separate from your body, none of these things are separate. It is a felt sense, you use your body as the messenger and listen to what they have to say, moving from a place of internal awareness rather than external awareness. Through feeling and listening to the sensations and emotions in your body you open the doorway to healing, you can uncover new parts of yourself, you can transform your perspective on past, present and future, discovering and deepening your connection to all that is.
Q: Why dance?
On my journey, dance has been a huge part of my path to deeper embodiment it is a powerful told that can allow you to align all parts of yourself, mind, body and soul. You can learn and uncover so much about yourself through dance, you can release old stored emotion, you can vision your future, you can weave the tapestry of your life through dance. this is the experience that I have had. Without intuitive and embodied dance I don't know where I would be right now. In the liminal space of dance time seems to stop. Timelines blur. You can reparent your inner child, you can frolic with your shadow, you can allow wails of pain and rapture through yourself, you can channel guidance for your path, you can tap into any emotion, concept or archetype your imagination can comprehend and you fan feel it, really feel it. Dance is powerful. Movement is powerful.
Q: I'm not a dancer, do I have to dance to do this journey?
No you don't have to dance! I have had some clients move through their journey without dance in a slower way, embodying the journey they desired to take but without dance. You may be a yogi and wish to move through a yoga flow which comes to you to support your journey. You may want to have a go at dancing even though you do not feel you are a dancer. You may find you spend a lot of your journey in stillness, feeling into your body and how it wishes to hold itself, or how you wish for the elements to hold you. You may move through all of these ways of expression and embodiment through movement.
Q: Do I have to have music?
No, I have had a couple of clients already who opted not to have music on journeys and if you feel you will find your way into your body and connect with your specific journey in the way you want without music then absolutely do this, there is no requirement to have anything other than the sounds of nature and your own internal intuition to guide you if this is what you desire.
Q: Can I dance with a partner or group?
Yes, should you wish for your journey to be one which it taken with your partner(s) or a group of up to 3 individuals in total then this can be done at no extra cost. All individuals in the group would receive the same resources and the zoom meetings would be held as a group.
Q: Do you work with all genders?
Yes! While I am aware my portfolio is female heavy, this work is for all genders, there are no limits.
Q: Is it normal to feel nervous or anxious?
Yes. I am regularly told by clients that they feel anxious about or just before their photoshoot, it can be a very vulnerable experience to step into a part of yourself while also stepping in front of me and my camera. Some people feel fear before their session. Some people experience feelings of shame, guilt and feeling narcissistic prior to and after receiving their images. It is not often we celebrate ourselves and own our power and strength, we are often taught to look for beauty outside ourselves rather than see it within ourselves. All of these feelings have things to teach us when we work through them. If you do have difficult feelings arising before your session I encourage you to share these with me so that you are not alone in your experience of them. Personally I felt a lot of shame around my first photoshoot and if I was really 'good enough' to have these powerful pictures taken and shared. As Brené Brown said "Shame can't survive being spoken. Shame needs 3 things to survive: secrecy, silence and judgment" so we bring awareness, compassion and soothing to the difficult feelings that arise in order to help transform them.
Q: Why book a month in advance?
I encourage booking your photoshoot at least a month in advance to give you adequate time to work with, understand and embody with archetype or concept you wish to express and embody in your session. This preparation time really gives you change to deepen into the work and get the most out of the experience for your own healing and development journey.
Q: Can you pose me?
Currently posed photoshoots are not something that I offer, so if you want someone to direct your movement and poses then I'm not the right person for you - however I can point you in the direction of a wonderful photographer who who may resonate!
Q: Do I have to stay dressed?
No, you do not have to stay dressed. However this would need discussing in advance as we would need to ensure the location chosen is one suitable and safe for nudity
Q: Where will we do the photoshoot? Will it be private?
Currently I am not a driver, this provides some difficulties and limits with the options for the photoshoots. Generally I take my clients to the wonderful Skipwith Common Nature reserve in Selby, where there are spaces we can access far away from the paths that provide gorgeous sunsets and safety surrounded by nature without feeling that passers by will stumble across you. Most of the locations I use within the common require a 10 minute walk from the car, occasionally over somewhat boggy terrain when it has rained lots (especially in Spring and Autumn!) so I will always check if this is something you are prepared to do.
Due to the fact I do not drive this is currently the only location I use which I am confident is private enough to not be disturbed and to be easily accessible for us, however I am currently looking for other similar locations. There is potential for bluebell woodland coming up that will be private!
We can go anywhere. I am open to traveling to my clients via train, within reason and going to your favourite location.
If you feel you are happy to be passed by the occasional individual on a nearby path the scope for locations increases drastically, but if you need a recommendation of a space that is completely secluded and private then currently the Common (which includes both common land and wooded areas) is the place we would go.
Cayton Bay near Scarborough, Flamborough head, and Danes Dyke are beaches which have glorious sunrises and are sometime totally empty on an early morning, however I cannot guarantee that no one will come by.
Q: You talk a lot about being seen, who are you?
Learning to be seen and witnessed is something I have had to do just that with... learn. Through childhood, adolescent and adult experiences during which I did not feel seen, did not feel that my emotions or my stories were important, or felt as though when I did show myself, my stories and my feelings it was all too much... which led me to shut down. In 2020 I began moving in spaces and circles where showing yourself authentically and being seen was encouraged, and that is where my journey began, supported by many wonderful people, therapists and practitioners.
In 2023 I undertook a year long Shamanic Rites of Passage journey where I was held and supported by my elders and this would change my life and really drill home to me exactly how important it is to be held, seen and witnessed in all our sacred glory, even the 'ugliest' of parts and expressions. since that journey, I began this work. I felt I had no option. But I have still found many barriers to stepping in front of another's camera in a journey like what I offer to others and this has come with a multitude of feelings from shame to hopelessness, to guilt, to imposter syndrome. As is often the case these feelings have gotten stronger and stronger to the point I felt I could no longer continue this work until I had been on the receiving side of it. This year will be a year of archetypal and conceptual photoshoot journeys for myself, the first photoshoot happened on 7/2/25 where I held my fear and called forth my Warrior to assist me in allowing myself to be seen in all that I am so that I can more authentically and wholeheartedly step into this work with integrity.
Should you have any questions at all please don't hesitate to reach out with an email or a message on my social media accounts, alternatively if you feel drawn to working with me you can book a free decision call
With love,
Lela