One of my favourite time of the day is the time I dedicate to walking.  An activity I enjoy immensely and every once in a while I walk at the local park. I have been witness to the gait and posture of so many patrons of the park, some regulars, some occasional entrants or whom I call mood walkers.

In the course of time I have been witness to a variety of walking personalities. I would say that most people walk with a purpose and their gait  at times potrays the keenness to be fit.  But age and gender considerations apart I have seen a common gait adopted by most of them. There is certain heaviness in their walk. It is as if the stress inside is imploring them to push themselves ,faces constrained, arms hung, legs heavy almost stomping up a march on the ground accompanied  at times by a vacant , grim expression almost lost  as if left without a hint of smile in their hearts.

 I do believe that life is about great many things to be achieved and done, most of all it’s about living light and easy. Let your walk flow from pace to pace, strengthen it with fluidity in your thoughts to your movements, intention and purpose. Make your presence feel easy on others. Ease up your walk and grace up your life. Walk your way as fast or slow naturally with lightness in your stride.

Feel your inner light and help lighten your outside world. Just take care not to transfer your negative emotions on to the people around you. Instead let yourself be connected to the earth being a medium of energy. Whenever u realise there is a tendency of heaviness anywhere in the body, usually the shoulders or in the legs, you will notice that your gait is affected. A simple exercise in awareness is to keep sensing the ground you are walking and realise that it is taking your bodyweight. Be thankful to nature for being there beneath you as a firm and supportive ground for you to walk and feel the air around you that you breathe in to live and sense the beating heart and walking feet that carry you as you go. Feel the moment, straighten the slump of the shoulder and open your heart and life by regaining your natural posture so that the sight of you becomes an inspiration to someone else.  It’s simple genuine attempt to be at ease by replacing and, transforming your strained patterns of movements with grace.  Rest assured if you allow yourself to come this far into positive space your light is shining through as beacon to others much in need.

Anyone can improve upon their posture in a matter of minutes.

 A few simple tips for a better and natural walking posture.

1. As you walk breathe and gradually engage your core and gently feel your belly moving back towards your spine. Keep the back naturally straight.

2. Let your shoulders be relaxed and down but slightly back and head held straight, keeping the chin up and parallel to the ground. Make sure your head doesn’t bobble around too much as you walk as that would strain your neck and disturb your balance.

3. As you walk engage all the lower body muscles i.e. the thighs, hips, legs in working together. When you utilize all the muscles and sense it working you are less prone to overstraining any one muscle group and thus can avoid injuries or soreness.

4. Make sure you keep your toes pointed forward as you walk … as this will keep your gait stable and balanced. Let each foot land on its heel and spring to the next step from your toes.

5. Make sure you don’t have a clenched fist (it could elevate blood pressure) but just loose and partially closed curl.  Keep your elbows close to the body.

6. Swing your arms  but avoid pumping with your hands high up as you walk as it does not help propel you.

7. Keep looking forward 10 to 20 feet ahead and not down as you walk.

8. Walk tall and start walking  3 times a week at least and then gradually increase your walking duration .

9. Maintaining a firm centre of gravity brings on a better walking posture.

10. Finally focus one  or two aspects at a time and  find yourself having a great walking posture.

Slow and mindful walking helps in centering and relaxing and  while a power or  brisk walking can be energising and rejuvenating. What is most valuable is theimportance of tuning into the breath and sensing its rhythms  while caring to mindfully replace negative thought patterns with positive and happy thoughts and feel the lightness in your stride and in your life .

Today is the World Health Day …  take a step towards your health .

Have a healthy walk everyday !

Savvy Raj

Life is a reflection of our Creators magnificence

Of manifold dimensions, of magic and mystery 

Sometimes mayhem and melancholy…

Yet moving on to its own melody 

Mostly manageable and markedly memorable 

With every majestic thought of magnanimity …

All is truly well in mindfulness and moderation.

We are all masterpieces in making.

 Moving to unite as one with the master  

Only to manifest  in time as another magnificent  masterpiece

By

Savvy Raj

http://www.savvyraj.com

Us Beyond The Mine !

 The Learning in the Sharing Part 2

  ‘Happiness is in every step you take.’Savvy Raj.                                                                                           With the kids at the School for the Visually Impaired Children.

I went to teach these kids in my spare time
And came back with learnings for a lifetime .

I went there with a dance lesson to impart
And I came home with a gladdened  heart

I reached out to hold one hand today
And I was surrounded with tiny arms in sway

I shared with them some fun and glee
And I got in touch with the spirit of dance in me

I understand they may not see my face ever
But their memories are now my hearts  treasure

These are a few children in the circle of love
Who cannot see but live happily in the now

For them time is in the sound they hear
Before you arrive they can sense you near

Life is a vision they imagine and sense
Their every movement is real without pretense

They have their insecurities loud and clear
But its  their spirit of resilience that makes them dear

Every step in their way is a test of skill
But they march on with steel in their will.

Their light rests within them
As if guiding their path in tandem

Dancing  a cha cha  with no shoes to wear
Is unimaginable to the elite dancer

But  well that’s just how they truly are
Hope to work around and bring them on par

With a song on their lips and the beat in their heart
I envision them dance as they are, for a start

And as time moves on, to cha cha they will train
And write I will , about them again

My earnest writing will find a sponsor
And my prayers for them will get an answer

May be shoes may come to support them some day
But dance  we will to swing and sway !

I hear some twenty pairs of dancing feet
I listen to the sounds  of their cha cha ing sweet

It does not matter if they perform later
A few more life skills is what they will  master

With simple step is the joy in harmony
With songs to help in sensing the synchrony

With  sounds of  beats  acknowledging the interconnectedness
With  the rhythm that tunes with the  inner consciousness.

As the art of partner dancing can teach lessons fine
Of the world of ‘us’  beyond the mine ….

Yes I am grateful to interact with them upclose…
To sense the happiness that’s within us, if we chose!

Savvy Raj

This is an excerpt from my writings on The learning in the sharing Part 2….

”Sharing the Magic of movements  is a privilege and I value every workshop I have had the opportunity to conduct,  in deep gratitude for the learnings in the sharing.  Learning to Dance socially is helpful beyond just the entertainment values as it can help in rehabilitation of the body and provides vital tools for reconnection to the body and to the self. The general goals to facilitating our Dance for Wellness workshops besides the simple joys of learning Social Dancing are to help  individuals/ groups learning to dance feel stable and safe in themselves and with others, increasing self confidence and self esteem with a focus to integrate the mind and body connection using the power of Dance especially Partner Dancing…. ”Savvy Raj

# Dance Applications # Power of Positive # Sharing Rhythms Sharing Happiness

http://www.danceconcepts.in 

Touch beyond the feeling

Sense beyond the seeing

Move beyond the doing

Listen beyond the hearing

Engage beyond the working

Give  beyond the gaining

Think beyond the worrying

Play beyond the winning

Blend beyond the bordering

Involve beyond the training

Share beyond the owning

Will beyond the trying

Help beyond the supporting

Heal beyond the curing

Flow beyond the envisioning

Care beyond the loving

Dare beyond the comforting

Explore beyond the limiting

Reach beyond the knowing

Live beyond the existing…

Know the Infinite is the truth of our being!

Savvy

 www.savvyraj.com

Flourish in forgiveness and awaken to regeneration.

 In every step to forgive there is the silent contemplation.

The ability to see other perspectives and dimension.

An exercise in forgiveness is bountiful in expansion.

 One look at the stars above and the earth below

 Is all you need to know your place under the sun.

As the magnanimity of the universe knocks on you as times flow.

You reach the acknowledgement  that all is one.

Core is the source, in unity of consciousness.

  As every form follows an awakening of its being.

 Life manifests uniquely in all its profoundness.

To transcend beyond the limits of your understanding.

Savvy Raj

www.savvyraj.com

A Sunday well spent sharing the magic of Dance with these endearing kids at the School for the Visually impaired children @ Pune .
Getting set to begin the Cha cha cha …

I went to teach these kids in my spare time
And came back with learnings for a lifetime .

I went there with a dance lesson to impart
And I came home with a gladdened  heart

I reached out to hold one hand today
And I was surrounded with tiny arms in sway

I shared with them some fun and glee
And I got in touch with the spirit of dance in me

I understand they may not see my face ever
But their memories are now my hearts  treasure forever.

These are a few children in the circle of love
Who cannot see but live happily in the now

For them time is in the sound they hear
Before you arrive they can sense you near

Life is a vision they imagine and sense
Their every movement is real without pretense

They have their insecurities loud and clear
But its  their spirit of resilience that makes them dear

Every step in their way is a test of skill
But they march on with steel in their will.

Yes I am grateful to interact with them upclose…
To sense the happiness that’s within us, if we chose!

Savvy Raj

Today I embark on a new journey . I wish me luck and hope to succeed in my endeavour . Am meeting the children of the blind school in Koregaon Pune and hope to introduce them to some Ballroom dancing. Technically knowing to dance well is not equivalent to knowing to teach dance well  and more so with the challenges in the making . I had promised  myself to visit and see if I can help bring any positive shift in my capacity . I have no clue as to how I am going to acheive this and yet trust to  simply  flow with the rhythm and beat of the moment.At the moment my entire being is tuned in to that moment of connection when I actually meet the children.(my reflections before the session )

 Excerpts from : Sharing the Magic of Dance …www.savvyraj.com

I thank  Mr Uddhav a Compassionate Volunteer at the school  for introducing me to these endearing children. I look forward to seeing the children again .

Savvy Raj

www.danceconcepts.in

Fractals ”Profound Manifestations ” by Savvy Raj

Seek if you must, but seek to be ready for the master to appear.

Seek if you must, but seek to train the self to reach beyond attachment.

Seek if you must, but seek to move with the lightness of your being.

Seek if you must, but seek with the knowledge that answer rests within.

Seek if you must, but seek the stillness of your restless mind.

Seek if you must, but seek to evolve with every new moment.

Seek if you must, but seek the path of truth with all your being.

And then that which you seek appears in ways you may never fathom.

It makes its presence felt as a guiding light.

The master’s plan is simple —

To work with you to find yourself

In a way that is best for you.

You may never need to seek at all

In trust, hope and faith

That the spark of light within you

Is the master you seek all along.

Believe in the benevolence.

Fulfil your duties with responsibility.

Act with dignity

And respect your being

And you will be assured

That you are on the plan

That you were meant to be on.

The divine plan includes, along with your own creation, your path from doubts to discovery, from confusion to reflection, from self-assessment to self-realizations… 

To use one’s doubts to delve deeper and discover,

To evolve from states of confusion to clarity,

The power of choice is always one’s own!

 Savvy Raj 

www.savvyraj.com

Aspire to Inspire

Seek with…

Eyes that envision the goodness

Ears that seek sounds of peacefulness

Mouth that speaks with mindfulness.

A voice that emits happiness

Arms that reach out  to envelop with kindness

Feet that move towards joyfulness

Aspire towards…

A heart that beats with gratefulness

A body in the pink of health and wellness

A spirit that is evergreen in youthfulness

A mind that is balanced in awareness

A life  of living in zestfulness

A resolution to work with willingness

With actions that is full of helpfulness

In giving with generousness

And  connect with all in gracefulness

Valuing every life’s awesomeness

Savvy

http://www.savvyraj.com

An Indo- French Creative Collaboration : Project : Vision & Verse A Trilogy – ‘ ‘The Sea Knows’ ‘The Lofty Mountain ‘ ‘Gratitude ‘

Written By Savvy Raj  India                                                                       Photography by  Florence Perraudeau  France

Title: ‘Towards Light’ By Savvy Raj

Peace cometh from light

Boundless and infinite
When it shines from the heart
In every aspiration to breathe
In every inspiration to bow in the bendiction of the spirit

Transmute to transcend towards light
Let go of propensities of pettiness
Envelope and embrace this aura so bright
Let the wisdom of light be always in conscious awareness.

And to simply remember the light of  the suns ray
Will always show the way ….

 Savvy Raj

As as  a new solar cycle begins …. let us all envelop ourselves with the light of a new dawn   and feel the light  that envelopes and embraces  the world   in trust &hope, in peace & faith for a better tommorow for us all.  Savvy Raj 

I like ….

The old world charm of an elegant  Foxtrot 

The  magic in gliding  to a whirling  Waltz

The  tantalising  passion of a Tango

The sizzling chemistry  in a  Rumba

The gay abandon of a Samba

The freedom and gaiety of a Jive 

The  spiritedness and fun of Swing

The stylish charms of the Cha Cha cha  

The sensuality and speed of Salsa

The teasing hips moving to a Bachata

The synergy of a march in a Merengue

The flamboyant  frills of a Flamenco.

I like it all and more 

And yet most of all I like the simple joy of dancing naturally. 

I like…

The touch of pen to paper

The flow of colour on canvas

The smell of a brand new book

The joy of reading  and writing

The rhythm of rhyming stanzas

The soulfulness of a profound poem

 
I like …

The smiling eyes of a happy child 

In the joy of holding a present unopened 

The caring ways of friends so dear

The warmth of a genuine  smile.

I like…

The peace in every mindful moment acknowledged…

The morning walk on a sandy beach

The  gentle waves embracing my feet

The smell of the first rain invigorating a patch of earth

The fragrance of jasmine  flowers 

The whiff of warm enchanting  woods

The chirping of birds in the trees nearby

The caress of a  breeze so cool

The  chill of winters day

The twinkling of the stars on  a clear night sky 

The passion play of a full moons day 

The dancing lights of twilight  

The shimmering moonlight on a tranquil  lake

The magic of morning break at dawn 

The enthralling evening shadows playing at dusk

The enchantment  and rapture of a saxophone 

The twang and elan of a accoustic guitar

 I like…

The smell of fresh ground coffee waiting to be sipped 

The aroma of baked goodies out  from a hot oven

The melt in the mouth bite of a dutch truffle cake

The steaming cup of tea on a cold winters day 

The tinge of a touch of warmth of ginger 

The  spice n flavour of aromatic cinnamon

The  chewy goodness of a oats and raisin cookie

The crispiness of a chocolate chip cookie 

The quench of thirst from a pure glass of  water 

I like  it all and so much more…

Yes there is so much in life to like and love

The list is endless! And I am pretty sure  it is the same with you  :))

Savvy 

 ‘This is a mindful and gratefulness practise that I do every once in a while …. What we like may be very unique and may change with time, but that is not as important as acknowledging it . Gradually we learn to see the bliss in the blessings. To acknowledge the simple pleasures of life and living is to know its worth .Try to make your own list … adding as you go along and you will soon have so much to be thankful for that you learn to live like this moment is completely worth it and never take a moment of life for granted.’ Savvy

http://www.savvyraj.com

The calm’th of the sea terrifies me

As I walk in the waters engulfing my knee,

Not a single wave does ride

Just as if no flicker of hope is left for me to pride

There is the memory of all that is conceded

Of all that is seemingly  receded.

But I will not have me capitulating

In  despair however frustrating

Even though the future may look bleary

never for once my trust and hope will vary.

Though I thought my spirit had reached the point of going berserk

My muddled mind prefers  fortitude even in momentary oblivion than to it havoc wreck.

My abode once a cynosure of a loving hearts, is now wrecked in the debacle.

To what heights can resilience tackle?

Of troubles that seem to reach the welkin ,

Of travail through fathomless depths yet in the making?

Yet  I do not seethe! I do not seethe!

Savvy Raj

http://www.savvyraj.com

Artwork by Savvy Raj  Title : ‘Spirit Of Resilience ‘www.savvyraj.com

The above artwork titled  ‘Spirit of Resilience ‘   is about arising with your inner strength amidst the chaos  and finding  and building strength in the each other to bloom again . The Spirit of Resilience ‘   has been  has been in my thoughts after hearing the news of the earthquake in Nepal  and India  and so many other areas. . My heart goes out to the lives lost, stuck under the rubble or engulfed by the water,  and to the hapless vicitims of  war  atrocities  or flooding or droughts  across the world .

My heartelt  homage to the spirit of resilience in the people that overcome all odds ….  all the disasters and calamities whether it may be the earthquake which shook Japan, Nepal  earlier , or the recent  Chennai Deluge closer home .

We are one soul in many bodies , the spirit of tenacity carries us through beyond the unsumountable odds !With deep belief in the power of positive heartfields I request my readers to please join me from where you are  in  heartfelt  prayers  for restoring hope and faith to those in the affected zones  .

Spirit of Resilience by Savvy Raj

Leave footprints if you must .
On the sands of time in trust
Just remember ….
No footprint is totally foolproof
to be washproof

All is a game
like the tides that tame
Even the strongest surfer …
Eternal to all is time and nothing else
And sparking in the cosmos we are all just wayfarers

Tread softly
Love authentically
Live lovingly
Behave empathically
Speak truthfully
Move consciously
Grow gratefully !

Savvy

http://www.savvyraj.com