‘The silence between our actions or movements becomes the bridge to our conscious experiences. The greater our awareness, the greater the creative potency of the action itself.
Savvy
On Actions & Awareness
Category Archives: lifecoaching
Putting things in Perspective
Any time I catch myself complain about life…there is a beautiful line by Abraham Lincoln to put things back in perspective ..
“We can complain that the rose bushes have thorns. Or we can rejoice that thorn bushes have roses.”
Life is in the way you see it!
© Savvy Raj
Power of Sounds
There is something about sound
That the world again is waking up to these days…
Wherever you go
You hear the sounds of music
Healing through harmony
And the magic in the melodies.
Reviving and regenerating us
All is in the energy of the sounds.
Sounds that move us within & beyond
All effects of resonance in our cells
Sensing the sounds in stillness
Sensing in the movements too…
Music heals the spirit & soul.
Such is the power of sound.
© Savvy Raj
Keep refilling
You can never give from an
empty cup.
So keep refreshing
knowledge and understanding
Make sure to breathe easy so
that you are not getting
engulfed in trying to find
solutions for another.
Exercise equanimity and trust
yourself to deliver.
Most importantly take care of
yourself.
Enjoy the work you do!
And give your very best.
It will certainly bring results.
How to keep refilling your cup…to stay updated.
Many ways.
. Be open to possibilities and perspectives
. Stay humble and sense your foot on the ground… Remember anyone can be a teacher.
. Choose to balance work and play. Respect your time and use it wisely.
. Stay curious. Keep your inner child alive
. Pause to rest and recover when you feel overwhelmed.
. Choose health and happiness.
Keep your self nourished.Self care isn’t selfish.
Do share what ways you keep updating yourself.
© Savvy Raj
A free flow…
An experimental poem
Yesterday evening, I asked my mother sitting besides me and sipping her tea, to share a few random words that came to her mind.
These are what she shared in the same order as she shared.
Time, Eternal, Free, Freedom, Connection, Heart, Destiny, Love, Emerging, Twinkle, Abundance, Garnering, Gather, Depth, Stardust, Voyage Spirit
Here is what I imagined in the dance of these words…
When Love is Destiny
Emerging in eternal time
Destiny twinkles on stardust
Garnering connections of hearts
Voyaging free in the spirit of freedom.
Gathering abundance in the
depth of love.
©Savvy Raj
Sensing…
Where there are no rules that bound
Where the music leads and you follow
Where there is no end and no beginning
All is in the flow as you sense you are the flow.
It’s all in the breath
Anger is like a storm rising up from the bottom of your consciousness. When you feel it coming, turn your focus to your breath.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Healing through breathing…
Here is one of the many techniques that can be practiced in awareness.
Box breathing
A Breathing technique to destress an agitated and tense mind to calm state and improve the mood.
A good practice for all and especially for those with depression, anxiety disorder and PTSD managing pains and insomnia.
The technique is simple and very effective.
1. Sit upright & Start with exhaling air out of your mouth slowly counting 1to 4.
2. Hold for four counts
3. Inhale deeply filling air section by section till it reaches the lungs & abdomen for four counts through your nose.
4.Again hold for four counts
5. Exhale for four counts from the abdomen and lungs slowly.
As a beginner choose a quiet place to begin this mindful practice. You can start by repeating for four times in one setting. Initially it is advisable to gradually take it up. In case you feel a little dizzy go back to your regular breathing and build it again.
The slow breathing and holding is the most important aspect which activates the para sympathetic system and thus helps reduce stress.
You can practice box breathing couple of sets in a day as needed to calm down.
Breathe away the stress
And breathe in ease.
Savvy Raj
Dancing with Prompts
As a dancer, I often use my dance education and experiences by associating concepts and find it helps me understand and evolve in the many life challenges and relate to the changing world.
In a world where almost everyone is interfacing with ChatGPT and AI and finding new and improved ways of prompting for application of technology for every day use, I find some relevant associations here with partner dancing and technology.
Dancing & Prompting has a lot in common
A dance with a partner is an action and response
More than a reaction. Likewise in today’s world every day is a dance with AI and our prompts are nothing but inputs towards an intelligent response than just a reaction.
The better the input the better the output.
Here I want to share a few thoughts for starters
Dancing with a partner is about being in tandem, one leading the way and one following without anticipation
Likewise prompting is about giving clear directions without ambiguity.
To dance is to set and hold the frame
In a good prompt setting the context and format helps to streamline the output.
In a dance the music sets the movements of the dance…
And in a prompt sharing the example of what it feels like helps clearer and relevant output.
In a dance a leader can evaluate as you go which steps will work with which partner. Assessing the dance space available helps in evaluating the flow. For there are no second moves… Whatever you do decides the dance flow… And you are free to improvise your self as you go along
Likewise in prompts evaluation helps check what is working and tweaking it gives better quality output.
When a dancer is a professional Dancing a single step may feel fluid but in breaking down the steps it’s easier to understand the flow.
In prompting dividing the steps well into multiple steps connected to a certain goal will give desired results.
Be it a dance with partner or with words for AI when you have a clear intention and purpose and are able to communicate what you want and where you want to reach, in easily understable and suitable way not only will you reach your destination You will enjoy the journey!
©Savvy Raj
Choose Well
You always have the choice
Choose well in every now…
It is a conscious choice in awareness to be in this now…
It’s about being intentional about what you choose to do.
It is said we are the product of five people we surround ourselves with.
So choose to surround yourself with those who lift your spirits.
Choose to be intentional on being with people who you appreciate and who you enjoy being with.
People who you feel bring out the best in you
And choose to truly care and cherish these people.
Focus on discovering your joyful paths in life
You can make your life a joyful journey whenever you choose to honour & enjoy the moment at hand.
Be in this now!
© Savvy Raj
On Self Worth
Do you sense love for yourself
Do you feel respect for yourself
Do you feel your sense of self esteem
Do you feel a sense of self worth
What is your self worth tied to?
Is it your education
Your fancy degrees
Your knowledge
Your partner?
Or your beauty?
Your abilities?
Is it to your achievements?
Your skills?
Your bank balance?
Or is it to your designation
Your children
Your home?
Your cars?
Your phone?
If you have answered yes honestly to any of the above please think again
Work on your independence
Free your mind free your heart
Free yourself from chains
Practice unshackling
Try to detach your self worth
From material things.
Others cannot always be around
We are born as unique beings
We are complete in every way
No one can latch on to us
Nor should we latch on to another
Self awareness is crucial
For true self confidence
Self Confidence creates self esteem
Self esteem develops self worth
Value the life you have
Understand your truth
Explore your potential
You are worthy.
©Savvy Raj
Simple tips to help you give a great speech
While you can use any of the latest AI Apps to enhance your presentation. And you may find it easier when you do the basic preparation of the speech.
A few things that are truly important is keeping yourself hydrated before a speech. Having to deliver a long presentation and speech can be quite challenging with a dry mouth.
Secondly doing a technical check if you also have a presentation to support, prior to your speech is equally necessary. As whatever be your presentation if it does not synch with your speech, it can be rather challenging.
Third make sure to take a deep breath before you start as it helps balance your mind & body easing the nervous system, and enhancing present moment awareness. This is truly helpful where you can easily improvise in case you forget a few lines which can happen to anyone Inspite of preparations.
Most of all having a good night sleep before an important speech keeps you looking fresh and in the now.
If you love what you do
And are lucky to do what you love
Speaking from your strengths is actually easy
For it flows from within
About that which you are passionate about.
Prepare well
But remember to flow…
©Savvy Raj
To share is to learn
Unconference, the word piqued my curiosity for a while until I checked it up on the internet, only to find that the idea has gained tremendous momentum across the globe.
The idea of un-structuring the ingrained structure seemed interesting to say the least, in creating spaces and possibilities to honour the learning.
Suffice to say recently, when I came across an Unconference event in the local newspaper I decided I must make a visit.
The venue of this Unconference was the well known Symbiosis School of Liberal Arts in Pune. I reached just in time for the proceedings to untold.
A customary registration ensued and I was greeted by a few volunteers with a relaxed warm and welcoming attitude. Clearly, the Unconference had started right there.
The word Conference kind of stiffens people up. There is a formal attitude, a thick air of competition to perform at their very best. There are fees and strict rules to adhere to. There are super busy organisers scurrying through and tension is writ large on their faces and their bodies as well are stressed out with expectations of the outcome of the event. Suited men and women whizz through looking super important. And yes there would be a Chief Guest of honour and a coterie of important people who need VIP handling… Adherence to their whims and fancies and most importantly their speeches which may or may not be of interest to any. But all must endure as to get up and leave is an offence to the speaker.
On the contrary here, there was a prevalent free-spirited feeling in the first place that all were in it together. The sense of community always takes time to build so I stood in that room with a small group of people waiting for the (informal introductory practice,) the opening circle.
The Opening Circle :
Someone from the group had taken an initiative to design a pretty pattern made of flowers in the centre of the space and light a lamp there.
A few introductory rounds later which turned out to be icebreakers with a few games to let loose and get into the flow.
There was a board set up with a mention of few rooms and a time slot to boot. The participants were encouraged to choose to attend or conduct workshops or just wander around and network.
A few people got up to mention their workshops and claim their slot. On a moment’s impulse although I was not exactly in the right attire for a dance workshop I simply decided to go with the flow and offered a Dance connection workshop by me.
Encouraged by a decent number of participants I let the moment take the lead. As I began teaching I witnessed the flow of the energy in the exchange.
I spoke about the dance, hold, frame and positioning and started introducing them to partner dancing and some basic steps. Bit by bit people shed inhibitions as they were getting tuned into the moves.
The moment strangers began to hold hands and face one another… for many, there was harmony to be found in the mirror imaging. For after all the lead and follow were simply an extension of each other dancing as one unit.
The energy in the room turned up a notch with the Achy Breaky Heart country cha sounds of Billy Ray Cyrus for company.
All started sensing the tuning in to the rhthymic expression of music & movement with their partners at that moment.
After the dance workshop I asked what they felt in that moment and here is what they shared immediately…
Deeply grateful!https://video.wordpress.com/embed/oSaZbzqt?hd=0&autoPlay=0&permalink=1&loop=0&preloadContent=metadata&muted=0&playsinline=0&controls=1&cover=1
The Give and Take
Truly to immerse yourself in that which you love all you have to do is to take a step … for your own good as much as for the others.
Essentially the whole experience was to me simply about honouring life energy in all its uniqueness of expression.
Great experience being a part of this interesting initiative!
Hope to see more of such initiatives across the country and our world.🙏
Savvy
#unconference #innovative #unconventional #life #positivity #appreciation #inspirations
Author: Savvy Raj
Dance Educator, Writer, Artist, Designer, Wellness Mentor & Consultant
Strengthen your feet
Sitting for long hours at work can be rather stressful for those who have sedentary work. In such cases taking good care of your feet health is very important for your heart and overall health.
What can you do besides wearing comfortable shoes, soaking your feet in warm salt water after work,
massaging your feet from time to time.
However when at work you can
incorporate a simple practice of taking a short walk every one hour to break monotony and reduce the impact of long hours of sitting in a chair.
As a Ballroom dance teacher I used some simple props for my students to help strengthen their feet.
Elevating your feet when ever possible, can reduce pressure on the blood vessels, lowering fatigue and release stress.
One is simply rolling a tennis ball under your feet for a few times in a day to release the strain and
tension.
Another easy way is to
have a small terry towel under
your feet and to try to lift it by
scrunching your toes.lt helps
tone, stretch & ease your feet
muscles.
They are both easy to carry and can help you do a feet workout as you work.
Do try and let me know if it helps.
©Savvy Raj
Empathy Matters
12 signs that show up an Empathic person.
1. Acknowledging another as they are
2. Being mindful of boundaries
2. Caring to confirm
3. Listening with Attention
4. Having patience
5. Sharing in authenticity
6. Allowing space for curiosity & growth
7. Behaving respectively
8. Being present & available
9. Respecting personal space
10.Valuing emotions in resonance
11.Holding space for perspectives
12. Showing care and offering comfort to another.
You may find a few empathic faces coming up in front of you after reading this… People who have been showing some or almost all of these signs.
Hold on to them. Learn from them Respect their ways… They have understood much about life and living and valuing the strength of the interconnects.
©Savvy Raj
Love Life Live
©Savvy Raj
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