There are two useful metaphors to observe how we structure our beliefs regarding the varied energy experiences such as those that happen in innerdance.
The Conduit Metaphor was initiated by Michael Reddy in a seminal essay in 1979. Imagining words and sentences as language containers for our thoughts and feelings, language is seen as a conduit (or a medium) that conveys information transmitted between people.
The word “channeling” is common conversations across spiritual communities - the event in which intuitive information from beyond just a healer or empath’s own psyche, is conveyed through the medium’s body.
There are two frameworks in which common language reveal the ways we perceive how communication happens.
1.) Language act as Conduits whereby:
Language is a conduit - "he sent the message out to the community"
Speakers insert thoughts into words - "she put a lot of heart into that speech"
Words contain thoughts - "there's a lot of sadness in those lyrics"
Listeners extract thoughts from words - "you took a lot out of that text"
2.) People are able to transmit thoughts across an “Idea-Space” whereby:
Speakers eject thoughts into the Idea-Space - "they unloaded their ideas into that large amphitheater"
The Idea-Space contains thoughts - "that concept has been floating out there since forever"
Listeners extract thoughts from the Idea-Space - "the whole class was trying its best to stuff those ideas into their minds"
In energy-based modalities, the Conduit Metaphor is often inherent in innerdance facilitation, based on past language realities coupled with biological and physical norms that influence our present theories of Communication. Founded on our long experiences of the mechanistic, reductive and slow forms of sending and receiving information, even energy healing can often regarded as a mode of transmission, where a sender and receiver are strictly understood to be separate from each other.
The Resonance Metaphor was originally applied to the area of perception (Gibson, 1966, Shepard, 1983), and then the areas of information and knowledge (Gärdenfors, 1992, ch. 7). This metaphor describes sensory information such as images and touch as sound waves.
The Resonance Metaphor understands the mind and body act like resonators. Rather than receiving information from outside (from objects or space), all things have a natural state of vibration. Information does not exist in transmitted or collected sensory data, but are rather constructed by the resonator that echoes the sound vibration of what it comes into contact with.
The Resonance Metaphor creates a cosmological shift in our communication paradigms, useful both for dialogue and for opening up energy states of consciousness:
1.) Without actual transmission of energy, there are no hierarchical distinctions made between healers or patients, teachers or students. - "I felt that no one could heal me, but myself."
2.) Without a clear sense of Senders and Receivers of information, participants become active rather than passive agents in the healing process. - "I realized that everything happens for a reason, and in this trust, I am able to address my fears with less fear." 3.) Understanding is co-determined by both internal and external forces, stimulating safe environments where participants share equal responsibility for multiple outcomes. - "I accept how much I was putting the blame on others, which hindered me from releasing my own creative and positive perspectives."
As our technologies learned to harness electricity, information processing and feedback systems had accelerated, bringing more Resonance Metaphors into linguistic and mental structures.