Immense is the power of creative movements to balance the body mind and spirit.
We are all creative beings.We need to honour our creativity we need to find avenues to let go express and share what comes natural to us. In that is a healing and restoring beyond compare…
Savvy
Stir swirl and swivel your passionate self.
Just dance your heart out!
Savvy
#dancelove #heartspeaks #dancingsouls
Parenting: The learnings in the nurturing.
Parenting is a long term learning process. With the first born every parent is going through a variety of emotions and various stages of parenting. It is true as an infant it is entirely on the parents- be its safety, its cleanliness, understanding its cries for various needs- all done with so much love and care without prior experience. As the child grows so does its mode of expression, tantrums, seeking attention, and the parents learn to cope up with all of it like experts. Cherubic angels with devilish moods. It’s a 24/ 7 job with full focus. The teacher in the child starts teaching valuable lessons, you may have not come across so far in any university.
You have to constantly learn new techniques with every child. One lesson will not work with the other as they are different individuals teaching you to handle the same issues with various means.
You will be learning new lessons with every stage of their growing up. Infants to toddlers to kids, youngsters to teen agers, Young adults to grown up,men and women, each stage teaches you different lessons.
You will be learning new lessons on changing generations, their changing values, how to maintain the balance and be a bridge to keep up the tranquility and peace at home. Though every phase has its testing period, it is challenging period when they are in their teens with their need to balance their inner and outer worlds. Once you cross that successfully you can enjoy a momentary peace till the next one starts.
Coping up with the the new relations that springs up in their lives, and the need to understand their changing priorities, to accept gracefully and take the back seat in their life though they remain as ur priority , without regrets. Ability to know the strength of the bond though invisible still remains strong and intact. The list of life lessons the child teaches goes on till the end.
That is the way life has to go on.
And all the while we pride ourselves as parents and that we teach and guide our children!
Who is the real teacher here?
These are a few reflections from my mothers perspectives on Parenting.
There may be many styles of parenting and the nurturing they instill may be relative to what they received. There is no foolproof way to successful parenting as success is itself subjective. However the idea of nurturing abilities and giving space for evolving helps the holistic development of individual.On Nurturing
In a nutshell …can think of 5 A’s of Nurturing as parents… but the list never ends .
Acknowledge abilities as uniquely significant.
Appreciate the good qualities & its application.
Allow the potential of personal expression.
Accept the challenges as part of life
Adapt to changing nature.
What are your views on Parenting and nurturing? Do share.
Life meets life
Life loves life
Life trusts life
Life births life
Life greets life
Life touches life
Life appreciates life
Life helps life
Life flows with life
Life inspires life
Life connects life!
Life hurts life
Life fears life
Life owns life
Life negates life
Life fights life
Life fools life
Life cheats life
Life hates life
Life fails life
Life takes life.
Life grieves life.
Life cherishes life
Life values life
Life nurtures life
Life goes on … such is the circle of life!
Savvy
Wheel of life.Artwork by Savvy
Getting to the truth of it all!
Beyond time is the eternal truth.
As time is caught in its own warp and loop,
Mirrored in their dimensions
Of patterns and pathways
Of their own making…
To aspire into the yet unknown,
To reach beyond existence,
Of knowing what lies beyond mortality
And all in the vulnerability and irrationality
And touch the core of creation
In coherent contemplation
As connected in continuum
In the interweaving of this interplay
Arises the dawn of consciousness.
To care to fine tune your skills to artistry
Is to perfect the preciseness of the point of view.
Envision this profoundness in the spaces between
Thought and action
In conviction and creation
Of a dimension that is but a mirror
Of its own very existence,
Bringing the fallacies and the facade
Out in the open to sift out the truth of it all.
Savvy Raj
About me:Wellness Mentor, Artist ,Dance Educator & Trainer Motivational Speaker, Writer, Freelance Designer
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 is 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.
Care to paint, write, draw, dance, sing and smile and simply let yourself be your authentic self and you will find the extraordinary in every moment.
Savvy
Artworks Savvy Raj .
Video link Watch this
An artist’s vision…
Savvy Raj
Desert Trails :
The call of the dunes.
The desert has a way with you.
Just sun and sand across and around you.
As much as your eyes can see in the yonder
The red tinged sands bears the patterns of movement.
Of many who walked in there in sheer amazement.
Of the eerie silence of nothingness around
Except the tunes, that the howling winds may sound.
The charm of the desert springs on at night
At the camp with carpets spread out
Surrounded by the bedouins tents
And a sheesha to indulge if you wish
Traditional Arabic hospitality peeks
And the swaying hips of the belly dancer speaks
Flowing and swivelling like the swirls on the dunes
Mesmerizing you in the alluring moves to the mystical tunes.
Bring it on you may yourself say…
You must at least for once pass this way!
Savvy
Here is a beautiful story share…
One day i decided to quit
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality… I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with god
“God”, I asked,
“Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”.
His answer surprised me…
“Look around”, He said. “Do you see the fern and the bamboo ?
“Yes”, I replied.
“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light.I gave them water.The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
“In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit.” He said.
“Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant…But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.”
He asked me. “Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots”.
“I would not quit on the bamboo.I will never quit on you.”
“Don’t compare yourself to others.” He said.”The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.
Yet they both make the forest beautiful.””Your time will come”, God said to me.
“You will rise high”.
Is
“How high should I rise?” I asked.
“How high will the bamboo rise?” He asked in return.
“As high as it can?” I questioned.”Yes.” He said, “Give Me glory by rising as high as you can.”
I left the forest and brought back this story.I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.Never, Never, Never, Give up.
Spend time on that which you love
It is beautiful to reflect and revel in joyfulness
Cos it does your body mind and spirit
A whole deal of good.
Contrary to opinion of what mindfulness is … being in the now is also about being able to witness the joys of your life in the sensing but without dependence.
Your own lifes better moments are deeply healing experience for your state of being.
The neurons that fire in the rememberance of positive experiences can bring association of memory banks long long forgotten in time. And suddenly you find yourself recharged, reinvigourated and regenerated in the wake of such moments.
Mindfulness comes to play in the simple witnessing and letting the memory move on in time naturally as it would rather than wallowing in the wake of and in the aftermath of happy memories.
So next time you find yourself in the beautiful times of the then, dont worry, a lot of healing is taking place sub consciously. Just take care to cross the bridge of the then to the now, steering away consciously and gradually from any self remorse and self pity.
This is where cultivation of gratitude comes in to help simply feeling grateful to have had some very blessed moments, and that creates space for abundance to move into your present moment.
Have a blessed day and blessed life!
You are your deepest intention.
Intend well. Live well.
Savvy Raj
Although I am no medical expert this reflection has come simply from many of my personal observations in life and living. As a dance educator and trainer, and having facilitated workshops for many seniors I have been blessed with many beautiful memories . But more specifically have been a witness to how fond recollections can be for them of a take back in time when I play music of 40s and 60s with dances from that era. Suddenly their faces light up with smiles and there is a spring in their steps.
There are so many incidents of positive reflections that come to mind and touch my heart….I particularly remember one of my senior most student at a glorious 89, mentioning to me excitedly how even a single class on a Monday evening would have them charged up with positivity for the whole week ahead . I know it is not just about the dance form but about the triggered recollections of the joyous times of the then and its associations that made their day ! The goodwill and cheer was almost palpable. Life is truly to live than just exist!
Savvy Raj
Wisdom truly lies in the art of management of two principles in life : one of never giving up and the other of letting go.
On one side is a dedication, discipline and determination and on the other is the dispassionate discernment and in learning to surrender to balance the ego within. Every attempt at achieving such a state of balance can be a great tool for learning to evolve with the wisdom.
For life is to evolve and not simply dissolve
For life is to live and not simply exist.
Take the path of purpose in faith trust and belief
Flow along with the path of light in passion and dedication .
And allow life to manifest its infinite abundance.
There is an exemplary account of life lived in such a path of evolution and enlightenment
Sharing the great visionary of India Swami Vivekananda’s account of life story in his own words here ….
“When you travel on this path of shraddha, (faith) veerya, (courage ) smiriti, (that which is remembered) you have to go through three phases. The first phase is Haasya (laughter/humour). People will make fun of you. Face them. Accept them. When you are taunted, reply in the same tone of haasya. Then slowly the inner consciousness starts evolving. Then comes the second stage ‘Virodha’.(opposition/ hostility) The same people will start opposing your stance – Accept all the opposition. Don’t fight with anybody. Don’t argue. The moment you get into the argument, then you are going to suffer. If you argue while you are going through lot of internal turmoil’s, conflicts and confusions, you will not be able to convince anybody. So, during the second part of sadhana, (dedicated practice)don’t argue with anybody. Convert the negativity into a positive fragrance and give this in return. Then comes the third stage of ‘Svekaara'(acceptance). The same people who laughed at you, the same people who threw stones, will do pranams ( respectful salutation)& accept you.
In my own life, I have experienced this but I had to pay heavily. Those who taught me became my students but only after I did tapas for 10 years continuously and silently. Understand one thing. Inner sadhana is not a revolution but an evolution. Revolution requires force, vengeance. Evolution requires love, humility and a great feeling of universal love. The consciousness has to evolve. This is an evolutionary process where the bud flowers. We have to allow time for the bud to flower. It will not flower in one day. It takes time. It has to receive proteins, vitamins and the necessary energy for all petals to open out. You have to have a great patience. You have to create an environment for the petals to bloom silently. This is Sadhana. “Swami Vivekananda
Any path of passionate dedication and discipline evolves you along in the strength of persevarance
To honor your path and vision is a task of a lifetime.
To steer clear of slack and sloth, lethargy and languidity takes a consistent mastering of the senses.
To stay true to your chosen way and vision is a commitment driven by your belief and faith in your life’s purpose of being.
To know is to reach beyond the sensing of the eternal truth of ones being .
And all the challenges happening along in the journey, will resolve in time on its own as the intent and focus remains unwavered.
For life itself is a spark of the divine consciousness.
Savvy Raj
Musings on the Middle East: Part 2
The Meet and Greets:
While this trip to the Middle east, was a great getaway of sorts, between the work and pleasure, it undoubtedly became a fodder for thought and much reflections in those moments of chanced and planned connects with some amazing people living there. And some of them I met for the first time and bonded so instantly as if I knew them forever and a few who I knew for decades but didnt get to meet and connect earlier.
There were many more on my list of people who I wanted to meet but have left that for my next trip sooner than later.
Connects of empathy:
Meeting another human being for the first time is an enigmatic phenomenon. In todays age of technology although you may try to connect in so many ways online. Real time meet and greets hold their own a bag of surprises and treats in tow.
One such meet was planned … by me and my dear warm hearted friend from online. Fatima.An eloquent writer with a heart of gold and a keenly developed insight of people and their resources who draws much strength in positive reflections and most importantly a kind and brave heart following her dreams.
The heartfelt connects established in moments of our first meeting was clearly visible. She treated me to an amazing authentic Arabic dinner that evening and while catching up on our lives, in between us was a complete ease of being which we both mutually sensed in the lovely ease of conversation and strength of connection in the little time we had that day. Her warm hospitality and generosity touched me and I truly look forward to meeting her again sooner than later and wish her the best always from my heart.
Then there was this local Arab woman dressed in the traditional Abhaya worn with the hijab and those alluring kohl rimmed eyes with whom I shared a lengthy conversation of their culture and learned much but who moved me in the simplicity of her words and in sharing her heart’s deepest desires for freedom of movement and her eagerness in learning to dance…
Another wonderful woman with whom my daughter and I shared a great rapport albeit in just a few minutes of conversation was a travel guide who invited us to her home in Abu Dhabi. We got talking about so many things in such a short span of time. We bonded without reservations.
There are many more truly endearing people I met and connected some who I managed to catch up with on phone …but simply put perhaps it is just my way of seeing but I found many friendly people from across the world living there making a living thriving in the tolerance and interconnects that makes up much of Dubai’s culture in recent times.
And yes of course my visit to the traditional city of Sharjah had its own share of charm . As the people I met there were my very dear friends connecting after so long … yet the heartconnects were entrenched so deep that it felt home to me .
A short driving across the city will lead you through the Corniche where you can stay on to watch the beautiful Arabian Sunset and may be drive further on to Al Ain as well.
Will not forget the trips to the Gold and Spice Souks and most of all the Creek and the dhow cruise on the creek one pleasant evening….
Foodwise :
Being a vegetarian I thought my choices would be limited to pizzas and pastas and of course my saviour’ Subway’ besides the Indian food . But I was pleasantly surprised to find my flavour in Arabic food. Suffice to say the sumptous starters of the Arab cusine and their spiced tea was perfectly suited to my vegetarian and satvic senibilities. And I must thank my dear friends, relatives and hosts who took so much care and put so much consideration while ordering that I will hold very fond memories of dining out in this delightful trip.
Thanks to my amazing hosts I tried many dishes some which were known like the falafel and some new to me…tabbouleh and the zatar and lentil soup
were just divine. Midly aromatic and
full of flavour and bursting with greens
and a dash of lime . Awesome indeed!.
A city may be made of concrete
But homes are built with hearts
And life thrives in these homes.
Savvy
Precious time spent there…
About me:
Wellness Mentor, Dance Educator & Writer, Motivational Speaker, Freelance Designer
‘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 being a writer and a designer, creating art and writing poetry gives me immense satisfaction with the infinite ways of expressing myself as I believe in enjoying the journey as much as the destination.’
Travel Trails : From At the Top
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.
Savvy
Savvy Raj 
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