As a Ballroom & Latin dance educator, many students have asked me what my favourite dance style is…
It is said that each style is like a language. Personally, I also think of different dance styles as having a “mood” that goes with them. I guess it’s not surprising that I do like lots of “happy” or “joyous” styles of dance. But I really do like the variety of dances for the variety of moods and it’s amazing ability in bringing a sense of balance. If I was stuck to dancing in one style, I would probably get bored after a while (I know that sounds strange). But it’s one of the reasons I really like dancing a variety of dances.
The Tango (for its intensity and passion at play as much as its fancy footwork)
And dancing the Waltz (for the heady glide, the rise and fall and its romantic sway).
Love the Rumba for it certainly is the dance of love… the song Everyday I love you, immediately comes to mind. But this performance by Slavik and Karina is quite riveting.
Happen to like the Cha cha for its stylish moves as much as its teasing spirit …that kind of speaks, this is my move … now, what’s yours?
I love the Jive for its lively spirit. You can truly never be sad after a little Jive/ Swing and Rock and roll. What say? At least it has always been a happy dance for me.
Really fond of it as much as the Samba for its lively bounce, so full of joyfulness.
Then of course comes the Foxtrot that feels like a wonderful conversation a dialogue between the steps
I also like the Merengue with its simple marching steps and executing many inter-looping turns almost feeling like a pretzel.
And how can I leave the Bachata for its engaging sensuality as those dancing hips don’t lie, they say it all and much much more…
Dances are so many and styling makes it even more unique.
In fact, I enjoy all these dances and more for their unique expressions – just one style would get boring.
The trick is to flow with the music and your partner whatever the dance and partake in the pleasure of dancing together in the now.
To actually be able to enjoy dancing to the varied music styles that would be a real treat. All the more reasons to learn and train in more than just one dance style :))
Do share your thoughts on dance and if you love to dance, what your favourite style of dance is…
A dear reader has sent me a link I want to share … It is his translation of my recent article Flow with Life.
Happy to share this here for my Spanish speaking readers.Thank you Ignacio-orna-nacho
for your kind effort and share.
For all language aficionados in any new language, there is a draw of nuances of the culture and its interpretations in the flow in both the way it is spoken and written.And that is often beautiful to note.
El que cambiemos es inevitable, es Ley de Vida pero tú eres quien está a cargo de cómo el cambio te impacta.
Aliento y movimiento:
Somos la suma de nuestras partes individuales. No hay corazón sin nuestra mente y ninguna acción sin nuestra percepción.
No hay dos momentos de nuestra vida que sean iguales. Nuestro cuerpo está hecho de células que se renuevan a tiempo. Las emociones y el comportamiento que manifestamos son profundamente integrales a cómo nos sentimos acerca de nosotros mismos y la situación en cuestión … por lo que nuestros movimientos son tan únicos como lo somos nosotros.
Cultivar la conciencia de nuestra propia respiración puede brindarnos el apoyo necesario y la sanación interna a través de los caprichos de la vida y nuestro modo de vivir.
Solo asegúrate de sentir tu calma interior y ser uno con tu aliento, sin importar la situación en la que te encuentres. Esa es la forma en que te puedes conectar gradualmente contigo mismo en un nivel más profundo.
Mientras más conectado estés con tu aliento, gradualmente comenzarás a relajarte en el momento.
Ajustando tu aliento y movimiento
Deja que tu aliento guíe y lidere tu movimiento. Valore las energías sutiles de su propio ser que abarque su propia respiración.
Siente la integración de tu aliento y tus movimientos. La respiración le da a tu movimiento una forma y dirección. Por lo tanto, no solo puede vincular su respiración y su movimiento, sino también practicar la iniciación de tus movimientos con la respiración.
Tu conciencia aumentará gradualmente de cómo tu propia inspiración y espiración se utilizan en tus movimientos. Lo que potencia y da energía a tus acciones y lo que calma y ayuda a la relajación. ¡Y cómo puede fluir envolvente y abarcante, conectándose y complementándose como un baile elegante!
Tan pronto como empieces a practicar, aprenderás a bailar con ello.
Change is inevitable, but you are the one in charge of how the change impacts you.
Breath and Movement:
We are the sum of our individual parts There is no heart without our mind and no action without our sensing.
No two moments of our lives are alike. Our body is made of cells that are renewed in time. Emotions and behaviour that we manifest are deeply integral to how we feel about ourselves and the situation at hand … so our movements are as unique as we are.
Cultivating an awareness of our own breath can give us much needed support and inner healing through the vagaries of life and living
Just make sure to sense your inner calm and be one with your breath no matter the situation you are in. That is the way you can gradually connect with yourself on a deeper level.
The more connected you are with your breath you gradually begin to relax in the moment.
Attuning your Breath and Movement
Let your breath guide and lead your movement. Value the subtle energies of your own self that encompasses your own breath.
Sense the integration of your breath and your movements. Breath gives your movement a shape and direction. So not only can you link your breath and your movement but also practise initiating your movements with your breath.
Your awareness will gradually increase of how your own breath (inhale)and out breath (exhale) are being used in your movements. What powers and energizes your actions and what calms and assists relaxation. And how it can flow enveloping and encompassing, connecting and complementing each other like an elegant dance!
Change is inevitable , but you are the one in charge of how the change impacts you.
Breath and Movement:
We are the sum of our individual parts
There is no heart without our mind and no action without our sensing.
No two moments of our life are alike. Our body is made of cells that are renewed in time. Emotions and behaviour that we manifest are deeply integral to how we feel about ourselves and the situation at hand … so our movements are as unique as we are.
Cultivating an awareness of our own breath can give us much needed support and inner healing through the vagaries of life and living
Just make sure to sense your inner calm and be one with your breath no matter the situation you are in. That is the way you can gradually connect with yourself on a deeper level.
The more connected you are with your breath you gradually begin to relax in the moment.
Attuning your Breath and Movement
Let your breath guide and lead your movement. Value the subtle energies of your own self that encompasses your own breath.
Sense the integration of your breath and your movements. Breath gives your movement a shape and direction. So not only can you link your breath and your movement but also practise initiating your movements with your breath.
Your awareness will gradually increase of how your own inbreath (inhale)and out breath (exhale) are being used in your movements. What powers and energizes your actions and what calms and assists relaxation. And how it can flow enveloping and encompassing, connecting and complementing each other like an elegant dance!
As in the unlearning and learning of knowledge through experiences in life and living every individual sparks new pathways of behaviour in association and application. We are enriched in the structuring which we can call as a stillness for comprehension, a pause for reflection a calmness in contemplation so that we are propelled to unique expression in the assimilation.
No two thoughts are exactly alike but there is always a field of energy we radiate and our thoughts carry the vibrational frequency of the energy in the movement. And that is what can be directed distilled denatured decimated dissolved and drawn from for health and healing.
Savvy
Experience or lack of it can be a root cause of variations and alterations of behaviour. But while boundaries may be reminding of a journey having a destination, it is the openness that reflects the never-ending source of creativity and its possibility.
The Continuation…
So as we dance through the apparition of appearances
From the point of saturation Emerges a point of co relation To ponder afresh on a point of connection. The saturation plays a role In the game of life and living
In breaking dawn and dusk The twilight fills the day and night With a hope and bliss of something new Just as day breaks from Evening dusks into a blissful night The breaking point signifies a new start
The twilight confuses and confounds The wisest of beings, as it is meant to do For in that point of no return There is the chaos of completion. Only to begin afresh and anew.
In the passage of painful times into pleasurable moments In the eras of darkness to deliverance In the moments of night to day! Lights seeps in and saturation sublimes The dark clouds shifting perspectives. Birthing a new breaking point Of a brand new dawn!
In a land of diversities in all spheres from culture to climate, from religion to celebrations.
Every region expresses its culture distinctly according to the ethos of the people of that particular region.And as dances are a coherent expression of human nature thoughts and feelings, each form of dance that originates, encapsulates it distinctly.
Indian dances can be broadly divided into Classical Dance Forms Semi Classical and the Folk forms.
The most well known Classical Dance styles of India are the Kathak, Odissi & Manipuri of Northern and Eastern parts of India.And
Bharatanatyam Kuchipudi and Mohiniattam Kathakali from Southern parts of India.
Classical Dance and Arts is given a revered status as according to the legends, the Gods invented the dance. It incorporates music melody beats drama form and line along with gestures through hand fingers and eye movements.
The elaborate costumes and heavy makeup somehow helps convey many depictions of the overall performances.
There are a number of Folk dance forms that are performed as well.
Traditionally all these forms have been structured around the nine emotions or rasas namely:
Hasya: happiness
Shoka: sorrow
Krodha: anger
Karuna: compassion
Bhibatsa: disgust
Adbuta: wonder
Bhaya: fear
Viram: courage
And Shanta: serenity.
The earliest Indian religious texts have described creation in terms of a dance. And the dances of India are said to have their origins in the Vedic Age of 1000BC
Even today the practice of the Indian dances have an element of religious rituals although much may have changed with time.
Musings on Dancing
A dance is an expression of who we are, our mindset our bodies our culture all intermingled inextricably. It is a statement of our roots and our connection to others.
We can express ourselves by learning and staying rooted in the structure or choose to vary and fuse and develop our understanding by adding to the repertoire other dance forms and evolve in the sharing. The choice is ours to choose. We don’t need to discard old learning as we learn something new but align ourselves to understand the larger picture. This way we experience diversity for ourselves as we learn to see the significance of every form its contribution its essence and relevance of its roots in culture through the movements and expression. Learning dance from different lands helps us understand and evolve. We can learn to respect others traditions and cultures while valuing our own.
The Axe Forgets The Tree Remembers. …African Proverb
The surging pain of the strike The slashing that seethes the soul. The emotions deepen the wound Such is the exacting nature of the hurt.
But learn you must To gradually evolve To let go the past To grow anew Arise from the scars Forget you may not But forgive you can!
Like the barks of the tree Although scathed and bruised By the cuts of the axe Growing out new branches And blossoming into spring Flowering in fortitude… Strengthening the Soul Renewing the spirit
For the Bark of a Tree … Tells the tale of sheer grit And strength in the grounding.
Your life’s scars are patterns Life has drawn on you While you held ground.
Replenish &Regenerate. Only to bloom again in time!
Team spirit is an Inspiration towards Integration.
To inculcate a positive temperament and boost morale, individually and communally any management must ensure team spirit to help enhance an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding.
Collaboration is an art of management through team building activities that increases productivity and helps to finish more tasks on time.
Tip 5: Concurring to Collaborate
The spirit of Collaboration is in giving and sharing value to and with one another. And most of all respecting skills each have been uniquely endowed with and can bring with them.
How to Collaborate Better? A few tips :
Work with respect for one another’s individuality.
Aspire towards a team’s goal plan
Set roles and norms in place.
Value and incorporate accountability
Recognize the uniqueness of creativity
Understand and listen to perspectives
Simplify communication protocols.
Share the knowledge and information
Be responsive and receptive to learning and co-working.
Learn to trust & build an atmosphere of trust.
The trust comes from encouraging one another. It builds team spirit!
Giving is the movement where the heart speaks without hesitation and in the flow through deeds and words.There is a moment of decision before the giving and it is in that moment that the life can be propelled to evolve along with the patterns of thought.
There is a lot of lovely words focussed on Giving and most are essentially on the’ Give before the Take.’
However, I also have something to share here …
Every giving may have its own reasons…
Some may be in an instinctive reaction like warming up of the heart due to mutual understanding either being in the wavelength of a resonance at that moment.
Or it may be because it is in goodwill as you genuinely care to show your appreciation.
Another would be because of your own good nature where you cannot leave without a positive act of appreciation in response…. there may be so many million and more reasons for giving which is wonderful for the world at large.
Now the reasons for not giving may be personal and unique as well.
Like for instance when you feel you are being used for a purpose that is self-serving.
Often there is a certain energy, in the very act of giving and that is what leaves an imprint on us and decides our future course of action.
Like at times a particular person’s energy may overwhelm and exhaust you or may be too much to handle that giving more thought or attention to it would feel counterproductive.
Like when you feel stressed and overburdened in the complexities of life and living that you simply may have overlooked the fact that the giving action is truly way beyond the gift itself.
Like when you fail to understand the reasons for giving or think the giver has ulterior motives for that matter…you may just appreciate it out of politeness but steer clear of receiving further as its truly not in your best interest to receive such a gift.
But whatever it is, Giving nurtures and nourishes the soul of both the giver and the receiver when the intention is positive.
Empathy is about inclusivity and expansivity…
In thought & understanding in action.
In applying the sensitivity to the needs of the another in pain.
In doing without expecting in return
In feeling a oneness in spirit
Empathy speaks through heartfelt words
And kindred souls.
When empathy speaks it channels the thoughts to kindness and compassion.
Empathy speaks at times without words
From one heart to another
Empathy instils hope in the being when all hope has left.
Empathy operates with the goodness of nature and denotes the goodwill of nurture.
Empathy is a feeling, a sensing, a knowing
whose true measure is undefined and uncontained.
At times it springs forth unexpected.
And at times needs be cajoled to manifest from within.
As in the throes of life and living
Empathy at times does the disappearing act
But humans are endowed with the sense of empathy in the being.
Law of nature balances itself by nurturing empathy in the human lives.
For that is what makes up the uniqueness of the species.
A few traits that are empathy driven …
You have a strong sense of intuition
You feel and sense another’s feelings.
You are sensitive and receptive.
You prefer the positive in and around you.
Being in crowded places overwhelms you
You avoid negativity from all quarters.
You can easily tell when someone is telling stories or lying.
You enjoy the calm of peaceful environment
You enjoy the beauty of art and mellow music.
You find having time alone to recharge helpful.
You may feel vulnerable at times due to being extremely sensitive.
You may be a very large-hearted & generous.
You tend to feel refreshed in natural surroundings.
You may find yourself listening more than talking.
You may have an evolved sense of awareness of your surroundings.
Do you identify with all or even some of
them and if so feel glad that you are
empathic. as being so can be tuned to
become your source of inner strength.
Empathy can be seen as a gift of being humane! Respect it! Value it! Nurture it!
A short story of inspiration for beginners learning to dance!
A pleasant Sunday morning, finds me in a new venue, a family club actually for my dance workshops in the suburbs of Mumbai , well it was a start of something new, so there I stood before my new batch of learners. I notice a lovely couple had brought their daughter of five along with them. Being a parent myself I understand the limitations of nuclear parenting in Mumbai and the fact that there are times that one has to just take the kids along where you want to go, as sometimes, there is no one you could leave them safely with.
The keen observer in the picture is the little girl I have written about 🙂
I smiled at the little girl who gave me a warm smile back. Very sweet I thought! Soon enough I began the session with the usual round of introduction to the dance form and then went on with the basic step of swing. I was quite busy with the parents and just had a cursory glance the little girl who I saw amusing herself standing near the corner where a couple of chairs were stacked.I went about explaining about the beat, counts and the rhythm and the body positioning and was halfway through the session . I was engrossed in teaching so much that I was suddenly jolted with a soft but insistent tap on my arm. I turned and was absolutely amazed when the little girl showed me the basic step with perfect timing to music. The little girl had carefully observed what I was doing and imbibed it for sometime standing quietly in the corner and once she was confident she came up to me silently for approval.
I was clearly bowled over by the power of observation and interest in this child. Many a times with power of observation we can master all that we want to by our-self , provided we have the determination to focus on our goals.
The little child’s brain had mapped a visual imagery of the step clearly, and was able to recall it at will even though she had not practiced it half the number of times her parents had… along with me.
The power of observation has no age barrier, some are gifted and some have to develop the latent power within, but we all certainly have it within us to reap the potential of this power.So do care to see a little beyond the denials and negations just trust and believe you can dance and then You Most Certainly Can Dance!
This was first written for my dance students and future learners, a couple of years ago .But I felt it can be shared for the power of perseverance and belief makes all the difference !
We are all unique in our movements , so we must strive to find our own path to fulfillment , wherein lies our success. Success follows whenever we move with the strength of intention to learn to dance !
Take a step , start dancing today ! Make dancing a way of life, To find out more about learning to dance at your pace…
please contact here or write to me: savvy@danceconcepts.in
Between being an asset and liability the ego drives our being.
Unmindful and ungrateful often times as such is its way!
It can interfere just as much as it can be indifferent to the being
It can alter goodwill and stall humility from expressing itself
It can change the words we were meaning to speak
It can halt a chance to commune with others
It can steer a dialogue to a monologue
It can become a bone of contention
It can rob us of cooperation and collaboration
And yet all this while a sense of ego can be a source of self-esteem
It can help a person from crumbling in a crisis
It can create a curiosity to know and acquire
It can be a strength of support in times of dire need
It can propel us to do more & achieve more
Your Ego can be your trusted aide
For it knows you more than you ever can.
It is born with you from your first breath
And plays on its course till your very last.
So the question is not about banishing but of balancing.
In striking a chord of balance between the states of being.
Mindful words from a heart full of grace,
Can be a precursor of changing ways.
A respect and regard for another’s perspective
Appreciation and value for others much as one’s own!
A few reflections on striking a balance
Accept that your ego is like your shadow
It follows where ever you go
It creates hurdles in your deeds
It can doubt and induce fear
Simply trust with your loving self
For it’s your internal guide
That leads from the heart
To let you see and know
Who you truly are!
Let your love meet your fears
It will understand the power of love
Choose to be loving and considerate
Change your track to being compassionate
Choose to avoid loose talk
Choose the virtue of generosity
Choose to be inclusive and expansive
Choose to admit your mistakes
Choose to see the world beyond the self
Choose to take your self lightly
Choose the freedom of laughter
It unshackles the chains of self-restraint
Let the self, express and entertain itself!
So allow the ego to a little space but make sure it knows its space.
Allow it to be a part of you but don’t allow it take the whole of you.
Transcending the Ego is the aspiration,
For every religion speaks of this very transcendence…
From trivial and baseline pursuits to higher consciousness.
Ego can be a tool for survival but it can be a weapon of mass destruction!
Transform it into self-improvement manoeuvre it to reconstruction.
In every deed of Giving the ego cannot be far behind for, to give itself seems so full of itself. The Giving means there is something to give an upper hand a stake a superiority if nothing else a contentment of a fulfilment. So to give seems a little egotistical in all its glorious ways.
Yet there is a transformation in every act of giving, that finds its path in the journey towards transcendence .
Precious words from Rumi which are empowering, to say the least, awakening in us to respect the innate potential we all possess to reach out to help another …
To help is to empower the mind body and spirit of another.
Empowerment is a powerful factor in building lives. Given the choice of transforming lives with the abilities, you own…if you are ready to help another… What would you choose to be?
Being a Lamp :
A lamp lights up itself to light the way for another It is selfless and expansive . The light of a lamp lets you envision the strengths within the self as much as the others For to enable sight is to allow the envisionment. Being a light enables and empowers, as it throws light without fear or favour.
It is simply the quality of light to shine graciously!
Being a lifeboat:
It is the very purpose of a lifeboat to help save lives to allow another to hold on, to never fail in protecting from drowning in the voyage of life.
The lifeboat is a survival tool and is built to weather the storms without giving way. It floats on relentlessly without giving up to reach to safety.
Being a life boat in an emergency is like a godsend!. To save a life is to value its preciousness of the being.
Being a ladder:
Allowing the self to be utilized for another is the very nature of a ladder. In fact to be a ladder is to allow another to reach and aim higher to develop and evolve further.
A ladder is constructive in its very core essence, to build up another towards a goal.
Being a builder of another’s dreams and helping propel another to a cause greater than the self is the sign and strength of being a ladder. Being unmindful of the treading over of another in their attempt to reach their aspirations is a tall order indeed. The ladder provides the way without any personal gain.
Here are 3 beautiful sayings worth remembering always…
HANDS THAT HELP ARE HOLIER THAN LIPS THAT PRAY!
HELP EVER HURT NEVER.
ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS!
Self-empowerment &healing :
To help transform lives is to empower from the heart and make a difference!
However, it is about healing the self-first enough to let light in that helps others to see!
A friend in need is a friend indeed! ;
Whatever is your way to reach out and help, what is truly significant is the one who helps in time and need. For such a help is a hand of God in divine grace.
So make a choice to reach out to the world in your own unique way for it needs all the help it can get!
As we stand on this bridge of love
Living life in this now by the river of time
That flows on in its own course.
How wonderful it would be to always remember …..
It’s the way of love to bridge the spaces in between
It’s the way of love to build a connection
It’s the way of love to show the way
It’s the way of love to linger in memories just as much as…
It’s the way of love to let go and move on
It’s the way of love to mend the broken
It’s the way of love to accept and allow
It’s the way of love to empower with hope
It’ss the way of love to sense pain and pleasure.
It’s the way of love to brings out words to share from the heart.
It is the way of love to shine through a smiling heart
For love is the gift of life
And its the way of love to be filled with gratitude for its beautiful ways.
Savvy
This above digital artwork Titled ‘Circles of thoughts,14 is a creative interpretation of encircling thoughts, The verses that follow is the 14thpart of my series of micropoems on interconnecting thoughts.
Years ago when I was in the university doing my masters, I have a distinct memory of our Head of the Department carrying a book which read. ‘Don’t bite more than you can chew ‘ written in bold on the cover. A diminutive bespectacled gentleman every day he would carry it along with him to his lectures. And habitually as he reached his table he would carefully place it towards him and then start to speak.
The words on the book always intrigued me for its significance in our life and living.
Today as we discuss the art of management I see how this applies so beautifully. Commitment is an art of management. To manage your ability, capacity and resources at hand optimally and sustain it successfully learning to avoid overcommitment is a necessary skill.
A few Tips On the Art of Responsible Commitment.
Avoid over-commitment. To fulfil any commitment, before committing, simply make sure to clarify and define your own abilities and capacities to yourself. And communicate that in your actions as it will steer you clear from falling short of expectation from others.
Be wary ofover-compensating Remember every time you are over-committing somewhere you are weakening the very relationships you are trying to strengthen either your family or with your self by trying to overcompensate.
Respect your need for well-being as over-commitment is stressful and creates opportunities for health issues gradually.
Strive tobring a sense of balance. You know your abilities best. If you wish to expand your horizons and venture beyond your comfort zone, trust your intuitive intellect it certainly will not let you down.
Inculcate integrity in your approach to commitment at home and work for a balanced life and living.
Creativity stems from the acceptance of your authentic self. It is a never-ending journey of endless possibilities that is much beyond the pursuit of a hobby or craft and can be a habit of a lifetime. So besides being a Dance Educator as a Wellness coach, I offer a variety of Personal Effectiveness Programs for Self-development.
Being a Writer and a Designer creating art gives me immense satisfaction with the infinite ways of expressing myself as I believe in enjoying the journey as much as the destination.
Our thoughts can make or break us in every now.. and our life seems like a hell or a blessing in the way our thoughts unfold . Every life has a unique purpose and a perseveres on with the thoughts to fulfill its being .
A transition in thoughts is an expansive phenomenona. It courses on even in attempted conquering of thoughts through control or manipulation of its meanderings into an intentional channeling in consciousness.
Transcending thoughts is a choice as thoughts come and go ..the patterns we choose to create with, through and in them, makes one consciously or subconsciously a sculptor of one’s life. And through every exercise of such a choice we can leave a poised mark in time.
That said, yet, when we choose to make our presence felt and how we emerge will all figure out along the way in the strength of an interrelation of thoughts in interdependence. So truly choices we make matters a great deal . Think well!
I am starting a short post series on Balancing Life & Work from today.. I invite your share of thoughts and personal tips from your life experiences here…
Life and work balance is truly important to ensure you are able to live better and lead meaningful lives.
Tip 1 Take a Break! :
Take short break off from your job to refocus.
Even if you are the most excited about a new project that you are working on, taking short breaks to revitalize regenerate and renew yourself will bring a huge difference to the way you work and live.
Only when you learn to unplug will you know what you have been missing all along .Our body needs timely rest to function its optimum best. After all we are humans and not machines … so dont stretch it too far! Take a break!
This poem is a dedication to the creative soul that rests and flows within each of us that sometimes has the propensity to gets burdened by its own intensity.
Sense its infinite potential but value the need to center this soulspace. Pause to rest and recover, to reflect and revere its divinity. For it is in the stillness of such unassuming moments the creative soul is replenished to flow boundlessly in the river of time. .Savvy
The highest motivation that can change the way we behave for the better is always intrinsic than external factors. There have been many research studies conducted to find out if we are influenced to perform better consistently through a system of rewards and punishments. Humans, are found to decrease performance in tasks where there is only materialistic gain as a reward,but fare consistently better where there is autonomy & encouragement towards a purpose. A purpose which aligns with their innate sensibilities.
This throws the conventional and traditional approach to getting work done, up for a toss. As it is exactly opposite to the viewpoint that humans can be manipulated to a large extent to achieve better results by the so-called carrot and stick methods .
In choosing to work harder at a task or a job with passion instead of needing to comply to it lets the being feels free enough to go beyond the box . As there is free will within a wider net of required structure the creative potentialities are given a free play and thus the individual moves closer to his authentic self . The joy of self-expression results in a need to share it with others out of sheer happiness .
Highest levels of happiness are in giving a larger meaning to life whether it is in involving oneself in activities helping another, in learning and growing with another , it could be in learning a new art form ,or even simply in dancing socially with a group of people , are all wonderful for your well-being& a healthy life. Even in the simple act of volunteering towards a good deed from the heart, can make one realize the true joys of sharing….and find meaning in one’s own lives .
What is that makes us love ourselves better when we give? Is it the satisfaction in the appreciation of that which we willingly share or is it on the innate need for doing a deed with a larger good in mind. or is it in the happiness of the other that results through the actions. Whatever it may be, just remember we are truly blessed and are our most authentic self in every expansive action that we choose to do!
Every once in a while you come across a share of some very beautiful thoughts that makes you gratefully pause and reflect on the wisdom in those words that have come by.
The following quote is sent by a very caring, thoughtful friend and supportive reader of my blogs and writings for the past few years and it sets me thinking…
“When you love someone, you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity – in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern.”
~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh
A beautiful share that says so much in these words…
On life and relationships On love and living On fear and frenzy On needs and wants On obsessions and compulsions On freedom & fluidity of movement All a pattern in this dance of life.
We are often the very reason for pain for another by the way we behave and yet are so impatient and intolerant in our need for love and approval.
We desire forgiveness by others quickly for what we have done or said knowingly or unknowingly as we aren’t patient.
We want to untangle the knots in our stomach little wondering if the noose on anothers neck, through our words, has tightened the very breath of the being.
We want to be free but we want to cage the very expression of freedom of another in the name of love which are nothing but power games we play.
We think we own another and have the rigbt to demand of another, citing relationships in bonds of blood and brotherhood or an economic and financial control in dependence.
But how can we demand of another when we cannot be assured of our own next breath?
We can learn to be more allowing to accept.
We can learn to be caring not controlling.
We can learn to love than be lackadaisical of another’s needs.
We can learn to learn to be trustful.
We can learn to believe in evolving together.
We can learn to sense the wisdom in the challenges.
We can learn to trade our fears for faith.
We can learn to stop bullying another into submission.
We can learn to live and let live.
No one owns us and we certainly do not own another.
This beautiful photograph of the Jacaranda Tree is a sight to behold . I have always liked to see pictures of these purple and pink and lavender blue trees .
But this particular picture … it was pure fascination!
Could I write verses on it…. perhaps! Cos it feels like serenedipity everytime I see it. There is so much pleasantness in that picture for me … I am guessing I am simply partial to all those hues and tones right there juxtaposed so delightfully. Quite like the essence of a prolific poem understated and unassuming.
Yet poetry is not on my mind today…
In fact what I am drawn to here is the delicate draw of balance of colour and composition. The brilliant blues of the sky entices the viewer as much the hints of hues of greens and pink just about show up ever so delicately amidst the starkness of the stems from betwixst and between the branches of this bewitching tree.
And thats not all … there is so much more to that tree and this photograph is just a hint of whats in the offing….
There is certain sense of ambiguity yet an attribution of knowing there is much much more beyond the visible.
In fact when you actually see, it is the beauty of the skylight seen through the canopy of pink flowers amidst those branches all captured in that one enthralling moment.
And like nothings is ever permanent and perfect, there always comes the scope of change even in so much balance in that stillness of the movement so precariously precise in the picture.
The trick is to be aware of balance
Appreciate the now for what it is
It offers much if you choose to see.
So perfect in its imperfections
A sense of the almost ethreal…
Here are a few facts on Jacaranda Tree.
The Jacaranda flowers are known to flutter down continously from the tree.The trees are native to South and Central America and now are also seen in many tropical areas of the world.
Pretoria in South Africa is known to be The Jacaranda City for the huge number the these trees planted in parks steets and gardens.So much so that when seen from the nearby hills the city is known to appears blue/purple in colour.
The word Jacaranda means fragrant in a South American dialect and depending on their species they have blue to white to lavender pink to purple shades of flowers. They are known to grow as tall as 20 to 30 metres in height in their lifetime which can span from 50 toover 70 years or so.
And because of that one picture I choose to look up and discover these tidbits … .Do share if you find some more about this tree.
Today I am glad to share my reflections on Peace coupled with my mothers musings on Peace and expectations…
Already a lot has been said and written about this. So that many experts in different fields have shown so many ways to attain peace.
Peace- the ultimate human need even after reaching peaks of success in their fields. It eludes even the so called achieved souls.
Men have various desires and find various ways to fulfill them. Need for wealth, health, love, knowledge, family , status, fame, power, comforts… the list goes on. To achieve them they go through various states of hardships and emotional turbulence . Perseverance, hardwork, focus and luck help them to achieve their goals. But after attaining all these are they peaceful ?
Unfortunately the more one gains, the greater is the loss of inner peace. Loads of pressure weighs us down .
The need for more never get satiated. Contentment is always on the other side of the river. Because our expectation keeps on increasing. From childhood one has to live to the expectations of people surrounding them and in the process start expecting the same from all around them.
Whichever field or whatever state, there is always expectations. Family, friend, society, teachers, work place, children, lifestyle, appearance , behaviour fit to their age and status… Again it is endless. Peace still eludes .
Like the most difficult puzzles have very simple solutions, life problems also can be simplified. Just stop expecting from others or living to other’s expectations.
One word mantra to peace
Live , let live. Stop expecting.
Be yourself , let others be themselves. Never shy away or ignore social responsibilities or inner values. Do without expectations.If every one adhers to this,’Peace’ will befriend the surrounding.
Do one’s duty, Be grateful ,
Be understanding.
Be selfless – all without expectaions.
With whomever or wherever one be, adopt and adjust without expectation , happiness and peace will follow.
Anjana
Living in this now is a sustaining yet exacting task and as every moment presents itself uniquely there is no game plan other than living in it, being at peace,sensing peace and spreading peace in every now as life plays on …So own up to your share of peace.
A world of make believe!
All… a matter of optical illusions
And to sift the truth from the facades
Is it mockery of minds
And the intelligence of senses
Such is the state of affairs
The games people play
Churns out the insides
Like an avalanche on its way.
With widespread body of lies
And failings everywhere
Truth takes beating
From one and all
In the circle of life and living.
And then…
When truth dares
To be voiced out
The hearts that dare
Know the consequence
Yet they brave out
Unperturbed by naysayers
And the wrongdoers
For truth adheres to itself
Like no other steadfast
It stands on its own support
And in all fairness truth
Journeys on through time
Awaiting patiently,
hesitating perhaps awhile
& finally emboldening itself
To open up fair & square
And thus evolving along
Through the winding paths
Of the many states of truth.
Savvy Raj
This poem is a dedication to all things forthright and in respect for all those who speak their mind & who stay true to their hearts in words and deeds.For truth prevails… ultimately!
Philosophy speaks from the core of consciousness of life, with a penchant for understanding the wisdom of being. And natural science was simply born of a philosophy that speaks of predictions and evidence. Of reasons and proofs. But science is limited as scientific reasoning cannot justify all the knowing in the sensing, and in the intuitivity.
One is a a matter of sensing and knowing Another a matter of proof of the existing.
I believe there is much to draw and understand for both from each other as both are integral to opening the doors of awareness in receptivity with respect in the strength of their interconnects.
The picture above holds a special place in my heart. Taken in the lovely city of Athens Greece during the World Congress of Dance Research held there. A common passion for dancing brought us together that memorable evening.
Over the years we may have gone on with our lives in different zones of space and time…but am pretty sure, whenever we lay our eyes on this picture, it is sure to make us three smile with all our hearts remembering this lovely evening back then.😊
Beyond passion is a light,
Of love and dedication.
Make that light lead the way,
Move beyond the pursuit of passion.
As passion can be blinding,
Create rifts and indifference.
Arise from love and light,
Allow yourself to be lead in love.
In each tomorrow care to lovingly envision Let yourself commune with light, give a way
As unlike the shades of passion
Glory of light will never lead you astray !
Savvy Raj
‘Your purpose is ordained and your passion is entwined with the light of your being . Moving beyond passion reveals the impassioned strength of the soulfulness.
In my painting above titled ‘Emergence’ I use red to depict the colour of passion at play and the blue streaks as a balance factor interspersed with the greys depicting ( the rifts and strifes) the shades and tones of colours in our life , taking us through the crossroads in our journey of discovering the self. The purpose of being I choose to depict the white background as‘Light,’ which is after all the’ Eternal truth of the Being’.
Felt I must leave this painting a little raw as all the answers we seek , ‘is was and will be ‘with us if we choose to see beyond the tinted glasses and acknowledge the glorious light that we actually are.
As inspite of the disarray and chaos that it portrays, if we choose to see beyond the games of passion …
There is always a lurking grief in the lack of love.
3 simple word could make a difference
3 simple could assure another
3 simple words could bring hope in despair
3 simple words could change a life
This world is busy, with no time to spare
People living nonchalantly without a care
I me and myself seems here to stay.
Unless we find in our hearts to live in a more caring way.
ARE YOU OK ? Care to ask another
Strive to thrive with one another
And you will hear the truth by far
There is no use rushing on,we are all on par.
Savvy Raj
The title of this poem is inspired by Lance Scoular’s very relevant post that speaks for Suicide Prevention and the thoughts seeded from the very reflective post recently by Fatima Williams instilling self worth in times of lost esteems lost hopes and lost battles.
A topic many refuse to confront as it is too sensitive to deal with. But its prevelance and increasing numbers only show the need for empathy consciousness in today’s world.
A little sensitivity and empathy can go along way in prevention of widespread negligence by society on such issues.
A few musings…
Even writers and artists of all fields are categorized as hard nosed focused and practical business driven… hence successful or the rest who are supposedly impractical, quirky, emotional by nature or sensitive by nature with empathy consciousness hence not too touted for success in the mainstream.
This categorisation happens amongst all walks of life . Amongst many so called professionals in every sphere there is this distinct elevated difference that seems like they have it all figured. But reality often presents a different picture.
We often we find that the pinnacle of success is a perfect place for a downfall. No one is taught the way down after a climb. In a society that values only the successful, that often teaches to work one’s way to the top by overt competition, ambition and promotes the need to prove, sadly there is one to catch you when you fall or no one to hold your hand if you slip and definetely no learnings in place for support and follow up care in case of a miss. You are left to fend for yourself until u can find a place for yourself under the sun.
Although the world is on one side recognising multiple intelligences yet the assumption still remains that all can work with the same rules of the game .
It is what is unique in you that truly matters. Keep knowing you matter as you are.
Savvy
The world is busy all the time, to realise the significance of contribution by these so called sensitive and caring people who can find in themselves the time to ask another… Are you ok?
Ms Savvy Raj is a Dance Educator and Corporate Wellness Trainer she conducts workshop in Social Dances, Holistic Well Being as well as Personal Effectiveness. She is a Member of the International Dance Council UNESCO the official world wide organization for all forms of dance.
She is a certified adult trainer who uses the creative medium of dance towards bringing empathetic consciousness in her students.
Using International Social dance forms and a variety of improvisational techniques as well as creative movement exercises she brings forth the human connect in it all. Working towards the development of an individual through dance applications and nurturing in the learners an enthusiasm to see and live life lovingly.
Savvy is also Certified Graphologist who pursues this as a hobby in her spare time along with a passion for writing, painting, poetry, drawing, sketching and designing.
I had written this poem about life and living more than a year ago before I even got connected with my friend Christoph. But as I started to really understand about him and his work, I sensed a lot of what I had written about following the path of peace and equanimity as a way of life and living, resonates and connects to his chosen path.
There are some people who connect with you and you get the feeling you have known them all along. And sometimes you get this feeling without even meeting them in person ever before.
Christoph my friend from France mentioned he would be travelling to India and we decided to catch up in person. With a comfortable venue and time decided, as we finally met, what struck significantly was how we both spoke at length with an ease and comfort of a trustful knowing that words cannot describe.
It is not often you feel deeply privileged to meet someone so humane and humble like Christoph Eberhard. A man on a mission to spread good energies, a man on the path of promoting peace and well being in the world, through dialogues for change and so much more.
To introduce my friend Christoph here is an absolute pleasure. So after meeting and speaking with each other for hours, I just knew that here is someone whose inspiring reflections must be shared by all who have the good fortune of meeting him. So I proposed the idea of this interview and he graciously accepted.😊
So join along with me in a journey of discovering more in plenitude about this ‘Peaceful Warrior Christoph Eberhard.’
To my readers, especially those who followed my earlier conversational interviews may perhaps know, this is where I share stories straight from the heart of some of my very inspiring friends who I happen to connect with deeply.
In these series of conversations on ‘Life and Living’ I intend to share some real stories and what happens when dreams that take shape through intention, passion and dedication.
A heartfelt dialogue in the interconnects can open doors to new integrations of thought. And that is one of the reasons for doing such interviews. There is always so much learning in the sharing, after all to share is to learn some more…
Savvy : To begin with tell me, how would you like to see yourself… besides being a teacher. Are you more of a discoverer, learner or a traveller?
Christoph: What I would like to become is a true human being. As I like to say: “Life is not a void to be filled. It is a plenitude to be discovered.” Similarly, our humanity is also a plenitude to be discovered. Many traditions see the human being as a pillar spanning all worlds and linking them together. The Chinese for example see the human being as standing between and linking Heaven and Earth.
So, basically, I see myself as a human being amongst fellow human beings. We seem to be beings of dialogue. I became aware little by little that my whole life revolves around four kinds of dialogue: dialogue with others, dialogue with oneself, dialogue with the world and dialogue with “beyond”.
Life is a journey. So, we are all travellers. During that journey, we discover many things. So, we are all discoverers. Our discoveries teach us. So, we are all learners. We share what we discover and what we learn with others. So, we are all teachers.
Savvy: And what brought you to India the first time around? Give a bit of your backstory.
Christoph : I am Austrian. I lived in Austria until I was 10. We then moved to Romania for 4 years. It was at the time Romania was still under the rule of Ceausescu. From there we moved to France when I was fourteen. So, I experienced different European settings, both “free” and “communist” at a young age. I also experienced different ways of living, different languages, different cultures. Being bilingual (German and French) made me wonder very early about how much our perceptions make up our world. We cannot translate everything from one language to another. So, is the world real? Is it dependent on the language through which we approach it? These were questions I started to ask myself a lot when I was around 10 years old. I read a lot of Paul Watzlawick at the time on the socio-psychological construction of reality.
After finishing school, I decided to study Law, in order to understand how societies organize themselves. After my Bachelor, I went for a Master in comparative law, focusing on German Law.When I was about to finish my Master in Germany, an opportunity came up to go and study in Delhi, at JNU. Because of my passion for martial arts (I started my martial arts journey with Judo when I was 7), I always wanted to go and spend time in China – so, there was this idea in my mind since a young age that I wanted to travel to Asia. So, I went. I signed up for a M.Phil. programme in International law. The idea was to get a non-Western perspective on globalisation and experience a non-Western culture. Honestly, at that time, I did not know much about India and I was not particularly drawn to it. It was more an opportunity I seized to deepen my exploration of the world we live in, of pluralism and the challenges of intercultural dialogue.
This was in 1994. India had not opened up to the global market then and lots of our discussions in the diverse classes were about: should India open up or not? JNU was also a very interesting place: being an All India University, I had friends from all over India. So many different languages, cultures, religions, communities… Pluralism indeed! My stay and my studies in India increased my awareness of the challenges of intercultural dialogue: I realized how Western international law was… and how Western Indian law was, as a legacy from the British. So, I started wondering: what about all those who are excluded from these “modern, Western” dynamics.
It is in India that I started deepening my knowledge of anthropology and that I consciously started to explore possible ways of bringing together law and anthropology in order to map out more inclusive, more dialogical ways of living together. It is when I came back from India, that I did my Master in legal anthropology in Paris and that I started to work on the question of Human Rights and Intercultural Dialogue which then became Ph.D. topic. My question was: how can we live together in harmony and peace in our contemporary global society where awareness of pluralism is increasing?
Savvy :What did you want to become in your growing years?
Christoph : When people asked me what I wanted to do in my life when I finish my studies, I always answered: Peace. I did not know how it would manifest. But I felt I have to work for peace. To echo what I said at the beginning, I realized that this meant for me: peace and harmony with oneself, others, our environment and beyond. And I should add this: if we kill everyone and everything, we may have peace. But this is a dead peace. And I am not talking only about “outside”. If we kill our emotions, thoughts, dreams etc. we may experience a kind of dull peace. But this is dead. I was always interested in living peace. How to have peace amongst all our diversity, our different points of views, our conflicts etc., internally and externally, individually and collectively? This is why dialogue is so important to me. Peace, harmony and dialogue are intimately connected.
Savvy : Could you share about this journey you are on…What brings you to India now?
Christoph:The journey is a journey of peace and dialogue. It is a journey of sharing, discovering, becoming. From 1995 where I started my work on Human Rights and Intercultural dialogue up to 2013, I mainly expressed this journey in an academic setting as a professor and researcher. I brought together scholars from all over the world and from many different disciplines (law, anthropology, economics, sociology, political science, philosophy etc.) to map out paths for a responsible and dialogical living together in our contemporary era of globalisation. We published a number of collective books and I also wrote my own books. I see them as spaces allowing different sensibilities to unfold. In a certain way, I was lucky that I did not really fit the system. I always found myself in a quite precarious situation as I did not match the existing boxes. I never fit in, but at the same time I had a foot in “the system” as some people saw the relevance of my work and supported me. Private foundations funded my research projects – and I am really very grateful to them for that! The Academic world is very competitive. “Publish or perish!” At the beginning, being enthusiastic about my research projects intending to contribute to a better world, and also needing to establish a legitimate base, I carried out more research, especially on the question of dialogue between different systems of knowledge (like for example modern medicine and traditional medicines). I started to use my free time, to deepen the traditions of knowledge I was interested in. I especially deepened my knowledge of Yoga in India and of the internal martial arts and life nourishing practices in China. I also started sharing them with friends on a regular basis.
I decided to start teaching Yoga, Taiji Quan, Qi Gong and the beautiful arts of Wudang Shan. I decided to let things unfold naturally. One thing I have learned is that anything of value can only happen if the source flows. Let the source flow. If it does, vegetation will start to grow, animals will come, humans will settle, whole civilisations may flourish. Take the water away and nothing can subside. So currently, I have decided to put myself at the disposal of those who want to work with me, while keeping enough time to continue to deepen my practices. I am teaching on a regular basis in the South of France and I am giving some workshops internationally. I have also kept in touch with diverse research institutions and do some work with them. In the long run, a dream would be to open a center where we could share the beautiful and enriching traditions of art and knowledge of our world and make them dialogue!
The last years when I came to India, it was especially in order to deepen my knowledge of Yoga and also to meet different people who are holders of traditional knowledge to learn from them and also to exchange on how they see the challenges of their traditions in the contemporary context. In a certain way, my travels have become pilgrimages. This year, my pilgrimage in India took me from the Himalayas all the way down to Kanyakumari. I met many beautiful people and had many enriching exchanges. I feel blessed to have this opportunity to be able to meet people and to have the time to exchange with them.
Savvy :You have gone on to seek and imbibe the learning of the east, have you always been attracted to the wisdom of the east so to say?
Christoph : The East is where the sun rises. Where the light starts shining. In that sense, yes, I was always attracted to the wisdom of the East. But it is not so much the geographical East, than this spiritual East I have been attracted to. Geographically, I also seem to have a connection with Asia. All together, I spent a few years living in India! And I also spent a few years living in China. And lots of the time spent there was devoted to practice and deepen some of their spiritual paths. But I am also deeply appreciative of my European traditions, the “spiritual” ones as well as the “secular” ones.
Savvy : Certainly! Spirituality may seem elusive and yet its presence is boundless in the path of awareness of every now. What were your challenges along the way?
Christoph: It is not easy to walk a path which is not a mainstream one. I wanted to work for peace. This put me into quite precarious situations. I was the top student in all the Masters I did – and they were from top world universities and I wrote my theses with the world leading experts in the respective fields. On paper, I was the best. And initially, I felt some sense of entitlement: as the best, you should be given a scholarship, you should be selected for a job… But this is not what happens when you honestly try to follow a path that does not really fit in… although it may make people dream of better tomorrows. So you learn humility. You learn to open up your eyes to all the other people around you who also have amazing things to share, but for whom nobody cares. At some point, because you have to keep on fighting all of the time, you start to feel like a hero who is sacrificing himself for the world. While your friends start to get established, start a family, move into a nice house, climb their career ladder, you are still “going nowhere”. You are a loser. So, your ego plays this trick and tells you: you are a hero! You are working for everybody, for the good of all! To let go of this is a big lesson of humility. No, you are not special. No, your mission is not to save the world. Be human. Try to live a humane life. Your struggles are not different from that of any one of us, even if you like to coat them in sweet illusions of helping the world.
Being more humble and more simple also allows to be “less full of oneself”. So, we start to be able to give more space to those we encounter. We start to fill our lives less. And we start to discover its plenitude more and more. It is a beautiful journey. But at some point, as Robert Vachon from the Intercultural Institute of Montreal, a great friend and a big inspiration for me, used to say: “it is crucifying but liberating.”
Life is beautiful. Suffering we have to go through can teach us to become aware of its beauty, to listen, to open up.
Savvy: Yes indeed! And now with so much achieved in such a short span of time what are your goals now?
Christoph :Wuwei: action in non-action, letting that which has to manifest manifest naturally.
Savvy: To the uninitiated healing movement practices sound abstract and difficult to comprehend what do you say to that? And how accepting is the western world to it today? Have you had to work at diluting and channelling the learning for the Western World especially who have no background of this at all?
Christoph: If you talk about Qi Gong / Taiji Quan / Yoga, I would say: Practice! Taste! There is not much use in talking a lot about these things. Practice and see what happens. Taste and experience. And then draw conclusions if you want or just enjoy the journey. There is a Taoist saying: “Empty your head and fill your belly!” This means: Stop thinking and nourish your energy, which initially can be gathered in the lower dantien, an energy center situated at the level of the belly. As long as we are agitated, energy cannot gather. We have to become still.
How accepting is the Western world of that? These practices have been around for quite a while now. Many people know about them and are in one way or another exposed to them. They have also become very fashionable. I think Yoga is currently the biggest wellness / fitness industry… and the Chinese arts are catching up. In the process, they get commodified, institutionalized. They get turned into sports, into therapies…
On an individual level, there is no particular problem to share those arts with people who are interested in them. On a more global level there is more politics involved because it is about the access to the health / wellness / fitness market. On the medical side, there is still a predominance of Western medicine, but non-Western medicines are increasingly gaining recognition.
Maybe I should clarify, that Qi Gong, the art to master energy, encompasses different orientations. Qi Gong for life nourishing: keeping yourself healthy and increasing your vitality. Qi Gong for healing: mastering energy for healing oneself or others. Qi Gong for martial arts: building up one’s power for martial arts. Qi Gong for spiritual practice: building up the necessary energy for the internal journey. My focus and interest has essentially been on the two last ones. Health was more of a side effect for me, not a reason why I practiced it. It is only now, because of what people need, that I start to deepen the specific health aspects more. So, my answers are obviously different from the ones a practitioner of TCM, traditional Chinese medicine, would give.
Is there a need for diluting the teachings in the West? I feel there is no specific problem about East or West or North or South. At the beginning, everybody is a beginner. Every journey starts with the first step. And every teaching situation is a meeting between somebody who wants to learn something and somebody who can teach. The Taoist approach is to make oneself available. You are not here to promote what you are or what you do. If people are interested, you share. That’s all. There is no place for trying to convince people or for proving your point. You are interested? Look there is this gate! You want to enter? Enter! You will have to enter by yourself. You are the one who makes the journey.
Then of course, you have people of various backgrounds – so, you try to speak their language, so that they can understand you, at least as much as is necessary to be able to work on the level they are on. The beauty is that you have practices. I have shared certain things with friends who did not speak a common language with me, where I just knew a few common words. But you can show. The person can experience. So, you can learn. I myself only speak very basic Chinese and often I was in situations in China where there was nobody around speaking anything else – so, I also learned a lot just by observing and practicing. Theory is interesting. It also has its usefulness. But the important thing is to practice and to taste your practice. One of my masters said: “Taste every movement like a good cup of tea.” First, enjoy! And then, taste! Taste! And so, little by little you start to taste yourself and you start to come to know yourself a bit more.
Savvy: Speaking of when one begins the journey to internalize the wisdom of healing movements what kind of changes can happen to oneself.
Chrisroph: It depends where you start from and how much you practice. Many things happen on many levels. The most important thing is the development of a gentle awareness of yourself and little by little of others, your surroundings and beyond. Some people realize that they breathe – something they never experienced before consciously. They become aware of the quality of their breath, of how it changes. They start discovering their bodies, emotions, mind more. They start to become aware of their tensions and start to experience the possibility to relax. I have started martial arts quite early, when I was seven. So, somehow they were always part of my life. When I was thirty, I went to the North of China for a year to practice internal martial arts. I practiced a lot every day. That was the only thing I had to do. I spent hours and hours every day sitting, standing, moving in slow motion… breathing, being aware. There was also more dynamic training involved. There you witness more dramatic changes. Your body becomes healthier, your energy level rises and your mind becomes stiller and clearer. Your experience depends a lot on what you look for and how deeply you get involved. If you can only practice one hour a week, your experience will be different. What is common, is that you will taste being more aware, open, relaxed, centered, aligned. And this will have effects on the rest of your life. Some people start with one practice. Little by little, it affects their whole life and they change their life style: how they sleep, eat, work, interact with others, nature… and themselves! Savvy: Could you in brief discuss the effect Qi gong have beyond the physical body — on the emotions, the mind and the spirit?
Christoph : In the arts of Wudang Shan that I practice, the path is quite straight forward. First, you have to gather vitality, jing. Jing has to be refined into a more subtle energy, Qi. Qi has to be further refined into mind, Shen. Mind has to be opened up. It has to open up to Wuji, that which is beyond, the fundamental openness, the non manifest. At this point, one becomes one with the Dao, one with everything. And then of course the Dao will manifest in our mind which will manifest in our energy which will manifest in our vitality which will manifest in how we are outwardly.
Another way of looking at it is that you gradually open up and relax into being. First, you open up on the physical level, then on the emotional, mental and spiritual levels. Finally you open up at the cosmic level and beyond. All levels are interlinked. By opening up more and more, you also center and align yourself more and more. You discover your unity. Harmony sets in gradually. When everything is harmonized, it can be said that you are fundamentally healthy. In Taoist terms, you become an immortal. In India, you would say you become a Buddha or a jivanmukhta, an enlightened being.
Savvy: How relevant has Qigong and Tai chi training been personally to you in your intercultural beliefs and how can everyone benefit? How do you use / apply this wisdom in the challenges of life and living?
Christoph: Learn to taste. Learn to relax. Learn to be aware. Learn to be aligned. Learn to remain open. Beliefs are things we do not know. So, we accept certain things on faith… a lot actually! By learning to taste, we learn to experiment and to get firsthand experience of life. We live in the world of forms. Forms are limited. The wise man points at the moon. The fool looks at the finger. Starting to see the moon, gives us a better understanding of what the finger is about. The whole of creation is a big finger pointing to what is beyond. So, both these aspects are there. Once you start to get a little taste of what is beyond form, you gain a new perspective on forms. You see their relevance but you are less imprisoned by them. This helps to understand different points of view. It allows to “stand under” different horizons of intelligibility without losing one’s center, one’s alignment. It also helps to go through the existential crises of life without closing up completely. You become aware that being deeply shaken is part of Life’s manifestation. It teaches you to become more humble, more simple, more open and at the same time more aligned.
Savvy : Could you mention a bit on Internal and External Qi Gong.
Christoph : Qi Gong is basically part of Nei Gong, internal work. But then, as we mentioned before: all levels are interconnected. Energy is wonderful. But you have to have an adequate structure where it can circulate. So, there is a range of practices. Some emphasize more external aspects, strengthening and loosening up your body. Some emphasize more the energy work. Some little by little enter more the mind aspect of the work. Meditation and internal alchemy, practices of spiritual transmutation of what we are also part of the path. Think of the path of Ashtanga Yoga, the Eight Limbs Path of Yoga laid out by Patanjali: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi. Qi Gong can be equated to Pranayama. It occupies the same place in the Taoist system as pranayama does in the Yoga system. At one level, it is the bridge from the external to the internal work. As long as there is no conscious use of energy involved, one cannot really speak of Qi Gong – maybe of preparatory practices to Qi Gong. Once energy is there, everything can become a Qi Gong. And little by little, everything may become a meditation.
SavvyWhat is your message to the world in this moment?
Christoph : Relax!…Which does not mean collapse! It means: Open up! Be aligned! Be aware!
Savvy: On a lighter note… Do you watch films and if so which are your favourite Martial Art films, I like a lot of them especially Ip man.
Christoph : I like movies and I do like martial arts movies. I also liked the Ip Man trilogy. When I was young, I especially enjoyed Jackie Chan movies – the traditional ones. I loved how he made his whole environment dance: he used not only his hands feet and weapons, but vases, benches, tables etc… Later in his action movies, the dance was expanded to helicopters, cars, boats, roller skates and what not! In each movie, he would come up with something new. And there was no computer animation then. They really did their stunts. In the old movies, I especially enjoyed the training sequences. They inspired me for my own training. With some friends, we also tried to pick up some moves we saw in his movies – they became little challenges for us: would we be able to do it? I also liked the positive vibe about his characters: usually a nice guy, getting himself into trouble without really looking for it. I thought a lot about why I liked his movies so much. For me they symbolize the cosmic dance. Action in every direction. And at the center? Jackie Chan, the open space. The humor in his fight scenes gives a spacious quality to his choreographies. You see life unfolding. You see his creativity manifesting in the middle of all this action to get him out of his predicament. I also like Jet Li a lot. But his choreographies are more like perfectly executed partitions of classical music. It is a different beauty. On a deep level I prefer Jackie Chan’s. Drunken Master was one of my favourite Jackie Chan movies. The first movie I saw of Jackie Chan was The Young Master – so it has a special relevance for me. A beautiful and very meaningful martial arts movie for me is Hero with Jet Li. There are many aspects in this movie. For me, it is especially a movie that captures the spirit of the sword. I saw it when I learned my first sword forms in China. The movie is beautiful. It shares many layers of depth of martial arts and of their philosophy and the visuals convey the purity and sharpness of the sword.
Yes indeed! And these very words say it all about this inspiring man and his path. Do join me as I wish him good luck in all his future endeavours towards world peace and well being.
Savvy
Savvy Raj & Christoph Eberhard
@ Raasta Cafe Pune India
For more information on Christoph do visit his You Tube Channel Dialogues for Change
Ms Savvy Raj is a Dance Educator and Corporate Wellness Trainer she conducts workshop in Social Dances, Holistic Well Being as well as Personal Effectiveness. She is a Member of the International Dance Council UNESCO the official world wide organization for all forms of dance. As She is a certified adult trainer who uses the creative medium of dance towards bringing empathetic consciousness in her students. Using International Social dance forms and a variety of improvisational techniques as well as creative movement exercises she brings forth the human connect in it all. Working towards the development of an individual through dance applications and nurturing in the learners an enthusiasm to see and live life lovingly.
Savvy is also Certified Graphologist who pursues this as a hobby in her spare time along with a passion for writing, painting, poetry, drawing, sketching and designing.
It is often the steps we choose to take consistently that makes the dream a reality.
Yesterday I happened to revisit this very strong yet contemplative piece of writing by my dear mother. And I knew I just had to request her to share this because of its significance as much as the sensitivity of content which I felt is very relevant to the times we live in.
My mother writes a lot on and off and I want to share this as I feel she should put out her writings in a blog but she simply hasn’t done so yet for reasons best known to her. So while I try convincing her to write and share more, here is this post from her that touched my heart💙💚💙
Savvy
Love All!
Making someone feel badly about the way they look is the worst thing that one can do to another individual. It has the power to make someone feel unlovable. It creates so many insecurities and unwanted feelings. That is something we shouldn’t do or inflict upon anyone.
Body shaming has to stop. We have to stop tearing people down just because they don’t fit to the standards created by another in the first place. We also have to stop judging people based on their appearances. There is no meaner phase of being than hating oneself for the looks and it is not fair that we are pushing people to that point. We need to be accepting of all body types.
We need to encircle each other rather than bring each other down and we have to understand that every one is different, both physically and mentally. Anjana
We are created to be different, and we need to learn to love those differences.
Body shaming, a term that has become all too popular recently because humans are obsessed with appearances. We criticize the way that others judge us yet never hesitate to pass comments on others in a sarcastic friendly manner. We have separated ourselves into categories based on the way we look and it is wrong.
Effects of body shaming
What people don’t understand is what body shaming really does to an individual. It gradually breaks their confidence. Instead of holding their head high — they scan the floor because they don’t want people to notice them. Instead of feeling beautiful, their self worth decreases and feel like an alien in their own skin.
Body-shaming is a serious issue that’s secretly and silently ruining the lives of many out there. It’s high time we addressed it. And equally so for both women and men and children.
Those who are born fit or beautiful or intelligent didn’t do anything great to achieve it . It is the way they are born genetically.
What use is physical beauty if the mind is ugly? Let’s learn to value individuals for the values they hold, their character, their goodness and compassion, their talent and in general as a fellow human being who are all equal to one another.
As it is the society has created large gaps based on caste, creed, status and richness. On one side as educated and civilized people we are trying to eradicate them and on the other side creating new dividers between individuals.
Respect and value individuals for what they really are.
Instead if seeing others as
Being short or tall,
Being fair or dusky,
Being fit or fat,
Being beautiful or ugly
Being rich or poor
Being modern or simple
Let’s learn to see others as
Being kind or cruel,
Being adaptive or adamant,
Being compassionate or egoistic
Being selfless or selfish,
And above all
Are they humane enough ?
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.
Nature need not have to create so many different species to co exist, it could have easily made an assembly line of similar looking robots.
It is not necessarily age that makes one lonely, it is the apparent disconnect with the self. And it can catch one off guard at any point of life and living.
Here is a share of my thoughts on this…
For anyone feeling a tad bit lonely in this now.
Loneliness is a difficult road to travel.
If it makes it any easier, remember
You are never truly alone
Neither in your grief or your glory.
Every beat of your heart is the work of the divine will…
Sense the divine presence reflecting in every beat that keeps you alive to the rhythms of life and living. Savvy
A few practical tips to beat the blues if you ever find yourself on the lonely road…
1. Get moving… engage in any activity that involves all of you. Or simply take a walk!
2.Share some kindness, speak kindly, think better of yourself and others, focus on positive reflections.
3. Join a group activity or start one on your own. There are always some ways to find yourself a hobby that you may enjoy.
For example if you enjoy reading books out aloud…You can offer to start a weekend story reading session for young children in your area. That way you will find yourself looking forward to spending some fun filled weekends of laughter.
4.Start seeing the world with wonder, than merely looking with lack. Often the feeling of loneliness comes tied along in a bundle with strings of sadness. Bouts of loneliness is best tackled one step in time by learning to shift perspectives of how we envision the world around us .
Loneliness expresses the pain of being alone and solitude expresses the glory of being alone. Paul Tillich
So convert your pangs of loneliness to the sensation of solitude. Start out by observing the good in the world . Learn to unconfine your thoughts of seclusion and be inclusive and expansive. Accept your vulnerabilities. Cultivate a sense of belonging to the world and steer clear of feeling unwanted or indifferent. If you see nature surrounding you, at different times of the day you can sense how it changes, and yet balances itself, quite likewise to human nature with its many phases.
5. If you still find yourself a little lost, then care to consciously shift your attention from the self to the bigger picture. Think of how you can contribute yourself to the cause of improving your community to begin with in your free time.
Personally speaking I have always found that whenever pangs of loneliness strikes, writing, walking or working out either by dancing to some favourite songs or even listening to some happy upbeat tunes are wonderful ways to get back to balance.
As a dance trainer I have conducted and facilitated dance workshops for the marginalised sections of society as well as for senior citizens to spread joy and well being in their hearts through movements. What motivated me? Well! The biggest takebacks were the goodwill of shared laughter and a love loaded heart I would reach home with.😍
This is one of those moments when writing and sharing stories from our lives bring us a deep sense of connection… with our readers and ourselves in gratitude for the learnings. And there is that sense of magic through words. This is an old story but to me, but sharing it evokes the same poignant feeling of fond memories of the people that are attached to it.
It is interactions such as these that leave us touched beyond words in the circle of life and living and propels us to do more. Savvy
So go ahead and build your life in every moment. Start now, let go loneliness & load in love.💚💙💚
According to an old Native American legend, one day there was a big fire in the forest. All the animals fled in terror in all directions, because it was a very violent fire. Suddenly, the jaguar saw a hummingbird pass over his head, but in the opposite direction. The hummingbird flew towards the fire! Whatever happened, he wouldn’t stop. Moments later, the jaguar saw him pass again, this time in the same direction as the jaguar was walking. He could observe this coming and going, until he decided to ask the bird about it, because it seemed very bizarre behavior. “What are you doing, hummingbird?” he asked. “I am going to the lake,” he answered, “I drink water with my beak and throw it on the fire to extinguish it.” The jaguar laughed. ‘Are you crazy? Do you really think that you can put out that big fire on your own with your very small beak?’ ‘No,’ said the hummingbird, ‘I know I can’t. But the forest is my home. It feeds me, it shelters me and my family. I am very grateful for that. And I help the forest grow by pollinating its flowers. I am part of her and the forest is part of me. I know I can’t put out the fire, but I must do my part.’ At that moment, the forest spirits, who listened to the hummingbird, were moved by the bird and its devotion to the forest, miraculously they sent a torrential downpour, which put an end to the great fire. The Native American grandmothers would occasionally tell this story to their grandchildren, then conclude with, “Do you want to attract miracles into your life? Do your part.” “You have no responsibility to save the world or find the solutions to all problems—but to attend to your particular personal corner of the universe. As each person does that, the world saves itself.’”
If someone asks your help remember this story.
A lovely read I simply had to share. I am doing my bit…
A young entrepreneur I know, just does not seem to have the time or patience to listen to the employees. She says how can she find time to run the company if she has to hear them all…
Well it’s actually valid as her company has more than hundreds of people.
I have had many things to say about the issues, worries and problems that are of concern, but as her friend and confidante too, it is somewhat very challenging to get the messages across all the time.
Here I share a few of my observations as suggestions that may work for holistic development of any organisation.
It is very important…
To know your circle of people.
Those who work with you
Those who work for you.
To show genuine care & understanding.
Genuine appreciation and acknowledging people for their work without favouritism makes a huge difference.
In return
You as a leader understand much more
Of what motivates them
Or challenges them
And you begin to create
Possible ways to make a meaningful difference
And grow together.
And if by chance you sense a lack of common purpose
You know you need to be ready to draw a line,
And let them go, if need be.
But all the same it’s important to be aware of, and connect with your circle of people well.
Evolution happens in the changes that are a precussor to transformation.
As humans much of our creativity is often boxed in association of concepts and experiences and their correlation.
A conscious unshackling of patterns of thought brings forth new and different ways of seeing & thinking. Every now and then take a pause, acknowledge the diverse new associations for it breeds creativity.
A deliberate action that reaches out far and wide to step out of conventional thought patterns is never easy especially as humans like to feel safe and secure in comfort of knowing of a stability and at ease at rest.
Change can be unsettling and startling for most to accept, to digest & acclamatize in the new shifts.And yet to create new spaces for light is to step up in the gamut of creativity there need to be, a dare into the unknown that explores dimensions beyond.
In difficult moments Think of life As ocean waves Waltzing with the tides Highs and lows Are both part of the flow Think of yourself Realize you are Not just in the flow You are the flow!.
Timely decision making is a valuable skill for one and all and especially for a manager.
As a Consultant and as Dance Educator I have often coached teams and dancers on this important skill. For procrastination can not only lead to delay and erode trust in teams but also have dire consequences .
Here are three simple ways to help take better decisions.
1: Think through to ask, thought-provoking questions. Questions that make way for reflection and greater insights.
2: Set goals and expectations and then explore varied perspectives & consider multiple alternative options.
3: Broaden perspectives, explore possibilities beyond the obvious. And challenge the self limiting assumptions that often create doubts & stall decision making.
Light is only light as long as you can see it. Else there at most the anticipation of light. What you see as light Is your choice For it is your point of view
But if light is a sense Of the tingling warmth Or scorching heat Or the tenderness of touch Light is sensed in its glow Then light is a feeling In the sensing Of its so called attributes Associated by you. Then it’s your point of sense
What you see What you feel What you sense Is a dance of illusions Of the perception All within you!
So is light light? And is dark dark at all? It is all in you!
Savvy Raj 
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