Dramatherapy, Tai Chi & Embodiment

Article Information

Creative Arts Educ Ther (2015) 1(1):63–75DOI: 10.15534/CAET/2015/1/8

Dramatherapy, Tai Chi & Embodiment

戲劇治療，太極與具身化

Clive Holmwood

University of Derby, UK

Abstract

This paper will consider potential theoretical, philosophical and pragmatic connections between Dramatherapy (Jones, 1996) and Tai Chi (Zheng, Lo & Inn, 1985); I will specifically consider these connections from the Western perspective of embodiment (Shaw, 2003, Jones, 1996). Dramatherapy is a creative drama based psychological therapy. Tai Chi is an ancient form of martial art. Both approaches use movement and from a Western perspective that ‘embodiment’ could be central to both disciplines. I am interested in how embodiment through movement is a potential connection between these two seemingly very different disciplines, and how these may offer shared knowledge.

I will acknowledge that the two disciplines come from very different backgrounds and philosophies and recognise that it is impossible not to generalise in a short article such as this. The aim is to compare and contrast these two disciplines based on my empirical experience of them. As a European trained Dramatherapist I approach this paper from a Western perspective, acknowledging the differing opinions and viewpoints between Eastern and Western philosophies and practice. The aim is to begin to consider some synthesis between a Western creative based therapy and an Eastern form of martial art; acknowledging that both use movement at their core.

摘要

本文就戲劇治療和太極之間潛在的理論性，哲學性和實踐性的關係進行了討論。我會專門從西方具身化的視角來考慮這些連接。戲劇治療是一種基於創造性戲劇的心理治療，而太極拳是一種古老的武術。這兩種方法都使用動作，從西方的角度來看，“具身化”可以作為兩個學科的核心。我感興趣的是具身化如何通過身體動作成為了這兩個看似完全不同學科之間的潛在聯繫，以及它們怎樣提供共用的知識。

這兩個學科都有著非常不同的背景和哲學，但也我認識到，在這個簡短的文章中進行概括並不是不可能的。我的目的是通過我的實際經驗來比較這兩個學科。作為一個歐洲受訓的戲劇治療師，我從西方的角度來寫這篇文章，並承認東方和西方哲學與實踐不同的意見和觀點。這樣做的目的是要開始考慮西方基於創意的心理治療和東方武術形式之間的一些合成，並意識到兩者都在其核心應用動作。