The Dance

Oriah Mountain Dreamer, the author of The Invitation, expands here on a recent prose poem of her own. Her central idea is that we can meet the ordinary parts of life, including family, friendships, love, and work, with a clear mind and an open heart, and bring real energy and candor to each day.

Oriah argues that when stress wears us down and our inner reserves run low, happiness has not disappeared. It is simply buried under the clutter of busy lives. Drawing on episodes from her own experience, she offers practical tools for becoming more fully the person we already are, rather than remaking ourselves into someone new.

The book presents dancing as a way of living that can be renewed again and again over a lifetime, whether we move alone or with others. Doing so means learning to let go, slow down, and reach a quiet, spacious inner place where we can meet our true selves and pursue the desires of the soul.

Written as an invitation rather than a set of instructions, the book is for readers who want to find a sense of connection, calm, and joy that belongs to them alone.