Savvy Raj

Live Life Lovingly!

Category Archives: Education


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Soul Enrichers

Soul Enrichers…

I do believe the journey of life, broadens the mind and brightens the spirit if we are ready to acknowledge the unfolding gifts of connections. along the way.

In my journeys across the world earlier, as a Dance Educator teaching and speaking about dance applications and approaches there have been some amazing people both in the dance circuits and otherwise,who I have had very fascinating conversations with…

I want to share a bit here about some of these beautiful people from across the world who I had a chance connect with, nothing planned,yet meeting them was truly soul enriching to say the least.

Would like to begin the first in these series of posts with Emily Berry who is now a dear friend.

Emily, the beautiful intelligent woman with an Indian Soul all the way from New York … who dances with all her heart and soul 🙂

Emily Berry is the Artistic Director of B3W Performance Group, which has performed in the US, England, Greece, and Mexico...

We met in 2014 Greece, while we were representing our own countries at the World Dance Research Congress.

In her own words…

“I strive to create a safe space for students to learn, explore, question, and become independent thinkers and movers. In technique courses, I address each individual student’s unique body in order to help them develop their technique through muscle re-patterning. Students learn anatomical awareness and tools to help them move past road blocks.

In theory, improvisation and composition courses my main goal is to help student’s find their own voice. Creating a judgment free space is essential so students are not afraid to explore new movement possibilities.”

Professor Aviva Geismar

Berry’s choreography has been tackling such issues as race, the glass ceiling, domestic violence, women in prison, and war since 1995.

Today, brought in a beautiful memory of a time when I had an amazing afternoon walk with her, while at the Acropolis museum Athens.

I remember how a shared a common love for all things dance… got us interacting post our dance workshops and rest just fell in place!

We conversed like we have known each other from years ago…

‘Beautiful places… Beautiful memories ‘đź’™

Savvy


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Art of Movement

Personally speaking, I have a deep interest in the art of movements, especially the ones that elucidate the flow… perhaps that is why I love dancing but on the other hand I have been equally captivated by the beauty of Tai chi and more so Qi Gong.

The healing energy of movement has often been a subject of deep passion, respect and research for me.

Likewise I am especially fond of the flowing Waltz as well. Since childhood, dancing comes naturally to me but have always found myself grappling to understand why martial art is even necessary.Until much later I started exploring the potency of energy in each of us…through a little introduction into Tai chi as well by conscious choice.

Allow me to present my reflections on this subject in a flow….

In a dance
There is an interconnect
Of emotion and movement
As to emote is to sense
The feeling in the flow…

In dance there is an awareness
Of moving in response
Without anticipation.
As in one step less,
The music moves on
And you are left to improvise
On how to match the steps in rhythm.

Yes, truly to dance is to enjoy the life in the moves.

In martial arts
There is flow too
But a flow that is ever in alertness,
In strategic moves and self defense
The speed and swiftness
In reaction and response.

Martial arts often feels like dance… t
But often the difference
Is between life and death.

Both are connected in the deepest sense and yet distinctive like chalk and cheese.

The intention to dance and to fight…is what differentiates.

We dance to let go, to enjoy this now and celebrate it.
In awareness is a flow that merges in harmony to synch in with now in artistry of the moves

The warrior is fighting for peace for survival against all odds
Not knowing what is the next move but yielding to the now to decipher the countermove and strike.
Here too there is often a display of extreme artistry of motion in accuracy of time.

To learn both, takes dedication and practice in patience.
But most of all is the need for relentless will & passion to persevere .

Yes, there is a dancer in a warrior

And a warrior in the dancer.

Choice rests within you.

Just remember, to dance is to live the moments and explore its most aesthetic potential in the flow… choose not to make dance a fight.

Stay joyful in peace.

To learn martial arts is to get into the arena and survive.
Attack or in self defense with least possible harm to get out of harms way to stay in peace.

Both may have their own relevance in purpose
To negate one is to look at only one half of the circle
Just as much as joy is part of life
Safekeeping the freedom to be
Is equally important in every now…

Do you want to dance in peace
Do you want to fight for peace.
Choice is yours to make
Peace or war!

Savvy.


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On Trustfulness

Between belief and trust
There is a fine line
That makes all the difference
For to believe, is one thing
But to trust, is to let go.

In this trustfulness
Is where all the magic happens
And where the wonder comes alive
And beliefs finds meaning

In the ability to trust
Comes along the surrender
And the ability to accept the let go
In knowing there is always hope.

To trust, is to know there is
Always Something more
Than you or I
That will have our back

In complete trust
Life manifests and flourishes
Beyond the niggling doubts
And the unfounded insecurities

Trust is the power that creates possibilities
So important to trust and be trustworthy.
Trust and allow yourself to realize its potential.
To acknowledge trust, is a step ahead in faith.

Savvy


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Attitude of Gratitude

Gratitude is a beautiful attitude.

Both in the giver and receiver.

There is certain change of heart

Life evolves for the better.

Yes how beautiful it is

When we begin and end the day

With the grace of heartfelt gratitude!

Savvy


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Dreams to Action

Beyond the passion

The road to your life’s purpose

Is all about perseverance & patience.

When you choose to trust your dreams

To persevere with sincere intention

And believe with all of you

You are definitely closer to your chosen destination.

Savvy


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Heartprints Matter

True meaning of St Valentine Day!

Celebrate life and living

Leave heart prints

Wherever you go

Today and every day!


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Are you your own friend?

A true friend is there to support you if you fall.

Allow space for you to grow

Cheer you along the way

Take interest in your journey

Mean well for you

Stop you from self harm

Believe in you without a doubt

Yet dare to tell the truth to you.

Be with you so you are never alone.

Now think about it…

Are you your own best friend ?

Savvy


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Says it all.

All is in the journey of self discovery

The simple act of nourishing

The soul temples we live in…

Bringing balance, harmony

And happiness in and around us.

Savvy


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Train of thoughts

We are filled with countless thoughts

Every waking moment of life

Even more so when we are alone

What we do with those thoughts

Is what matters.

How dense are those thoughts

How much vividity & how much lightness….

This is what decides

The course of life itself.

Its all interconnected

Where the train of thoughts lead us.

Choose to think well.

Savvy


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Garden of life

The heart feels

The mind thinks

And generates a seed of thought

But the heart is all encompassing

In the core of the heart

Is the garden of life.

The heart is all pervasive

The heart is willingness

It accepts the seeds of thoughts

It colours it with emotion

Sometimes in all its vividity

In the brightest of tints

Or at times in shadowing tones

Between the dark and light of life

The heart nurtures and nourishes

Thoughts seeds to life.

In positively enriching thoughts

It empowers life to evolve .

What truly matters is..

To plant a positive seed in your heart

Allow the mind to help the heart

Discard the unwanted,

Weed out the unnecessary

Trim the excess growth

Support the saplings of goodwill

Balancing between the heart & mind

Every moment of awareness

Can change the course of life!

Savvy


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Crossing the Culture Threshold!



There is great power in words…
To  charm another,influence or drive a point home.

Engagement online can turn better on bitter in a split second.

It is all in the choice of words used to convey a message.
For there is much influence the words….such is the power of words.
 

Sometimes knowingly or otherwise  the way we express  or communicate   to another  by the words we may use may bring a chasm than  create a bridge.


Sometimes when we see another life, as beautiful and cant curb the need to express it away, we often get caught up in our own words and unknowingly end up …

Crossing the Culture Threshold!

What to one might be just a poetic expression

To another might be a glitch of discretion.

Express if one must

Feel free to feel the way you feel is the way to feel

But only as long as anothers peace you don’t unknowingly steal.

For at times in the surging words of emotion…

Arises unnecessary stress and discomfort.

Better to know the pause in the space between our steps

And value your edges in every move.

For in every positive step in discretion

There is simply the strength of trust without mention.

When I penned these lines they were specifically for driving the message home gently that no one can tread on another’s emotional space without permission especially online using the power and persuasion of words…


True respect for another being can simply be about letting others be.

Savvy


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Company Matters

In the journey of life

We cross many on our path

Some we travel along with

Some we let go

Some we strive to keep up with

Some we want to catch up

Some we want to be with

The company we keep, we become

While the destination takes care of itself

What makes life worth living

Are the ones who we connect with in our lives.

Good company is worth holding on to
Good friends are a gift of grace.

Gratitude for the good company

Savvy


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Free?

Freedom to be…

Every life deserves the dignity of being

Freedom to be respected as they are ,

Freedom, to be valued and feel safe and secure, as every other human being .

Are you…

Free to express yourself as you are?

Free to share without fear?

Free to find yourself ?

Free to think for yourself?

Know then that the world needs

Your uniqueness as you are…

Now more than ever before!

Savvy


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Reality Bites

Acknowledgement is a step towards improvement.

Realizing the effects and the cause is relevant to change.

Our world is a gift we have in life

We are interweaved in this tapestry of life and living.

And we are strengthened in the interconnects in between.

Yet we have distanced ourselves

The advancements create gadgets of convenience

But humane care and connection is distanced

We behave as if we are entities self centric without consideration

Humanity in humans is deeply affected

But we are yet to understand

The consequences our actions

Truth is reality bites.

Yet hope is here to stay.

Savvy


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On Acceptance

The Road to Acceptance has many challenges in the learnings… not often easy, but certainly transforming in one way or the other.

Like there are many aspects to understanding
In acceptance there are many perspectives
Acceptance is not giving up or being in the same place.
To me a practice of acceptance is an ability to respect the now and in turn acknowledge the transient nature of everything.
To accept then is to be able to have a feel or a vision of the situation as it is experienced in the now.

The Paradox of acceptance is being defenseless to yin and yangs of life and living. Yet to envision that acceptance comes from a place of strength, is to be able to understand that we are not one entity but made of many parts that matter to the whole.
So the stance of acceptance is about flow & movements in the stillness , in hope to evolve in time along with the changes.

Savvy