Kindness is a gift of the being.
Kindness alters the thoughts and deeds
Where kindness manifests life evolves for the better.
Kindness is another face of grace and gratitude.
Kindness powers the being positively.
Kindness serves life in all subtlety from the heart.
Be kind where ever you are and whenever you can…
And its totally possible.
Would you be a little kinder than necessary?
For kindness kindles the human spirit to be better.
Kindness works.
Savvy
Art is a way of life. And when life imitates art or art reflects life there is evolution.
Trees are teaching…witness.
Survival is a matter of sustainability
And if trees can talk (as it is gradually being understood only now )…they would teach us about the interlinked communication and the give and take that is going on in more ways than one between them.
The art of life and living has much to do with reciprocal arrangement as well as collaboration beyond simply competing to survive kind of Darwinism.
One of the greatest learning from ecological observation is that even apparently different forms of plant lifes can be interconnected and interdependent to survive and sustain life.
From not only helping one another through sharing nutrients there is much proof where plants are connected at the roots and helping the boost of immune systems to defend from diseases through an invisible network of pathways.
After all it’s like… while you are bestowed with life..
Nurture nourish and evolve together.
You might as well enjoy the life.
And live creatively enriched!👍🙏🙂
Savvy
There was a question asked to Ramana Maharishi
Question: What is the best way to treat others?
Ramana: There are no others.
This is the simple truth of life and living well.
If only we can see how we are but reflections of one another then a lot of discrimination will stop right then and there.
Discrimination is the root of conflict.
To think one life as above or below another creates inequalities in mutual treatment and socialization.
Remember to practice non discrimination in life and living.
Savvy
Dancing and Management
What’s dancing got to do with management
Everything!
Oh, she is a dance teacher!
What will she know about managing a business?
This is the common perception of people in business setups. They have a dismissive attitude towards anyone who comes from a non-aligned field like arts for example.
Personally speaking, as a dance professional for more than two decades, I can certainly say that the experience trains you into a lot more than dancing. It helps develop & cultivate people skills, culture and mindsets, and the ability to empathetically understand attitudes that can be observed in life and living.
Besides, there are common skills that go beyond business management and enter life skills that one needs to navigate life effectively.
Here are a few skills that come to mind immediately…
Dancing movements can open channels of flow which translates into greater energy optimization.
And each dancer may have explored the art of dancing in different forms and its application would have the potential to create a greater depth of understandings.
The value of art may be high, yet the possibilities and the potential application of art are yet undervalued and undermined.
There is so much scope in the art of movement that we can realize. It’s high time to accept that dance education and application has much to offer the world beyond just a stage performance. Great to see radical shifts in the way dance is being perceived across certain parts of the world. But it has to percolate to where all it can matter.
Time to think beyond and open up to these yet underutilized but valuable life management skills.
Savvy
Such a beautiful share…
Both the words and the vision
So beautifully in tune…
They speak so much with passion
Touching the core of the heart.
Indeed! What a conscious connection!
Savvy
A young newly appointed Human Resources manager in a company, when told about the companys plan to induct empathy-based training for the employees, questions the founder why to invest on people when they may not stick around, speaks much about the necessity for such training.
Her question was more about cutting cost incurred per employee, but the management was looking at a larger picture. If through these training humane interactions can become a norm than a chance happening, the overall retention of employees will cut the costs of hiring them.
The value of empathy as part of work culture across the world is spreading far and wide.
Many times a leader can show empathy in one situation but not consistently. An awareness of what empathetic behaviour can alter in conversations is worth knowing. In fact, every employee can benefit from life skills training which includes empathetic communication.
How can employees be taught Empathy as a life skill?
Tools of Empathy can be practised in all office settings. Management can take initiative in settings precedents to practice than preach. This ensures faster retention and greater scope of emulation.
Senior managers can adopt skill sets that are conducive to the implementation of empathy in the workplace.
1: Practising good listening skills ceates a feeling that they are being heard.
2: Empathy is about taking into consideration another’s point of view in a non-judgemental manner.
3: Giving time and attention to employees increases communication and productivity.
4: Mindfulness increases in the workplace as employees begin to be aware of each other. Strength and weaknesses are mutually balanced and supported in cooperation.
5: Helps in conflict resolutions and negotiations and trust-building and thereby improving teamwork and collaboration.
Enough evidence to show the difference empathy based trainings can bring to offices and how it creates a positive environment. It is time to adopt and build empathy driven work culture.
Is your office empathy driven as yet?
Savvy
The essence of life is love
Wherever you are
Wherever you go
When life is calling
And you walk the path of love
Love brings life home!
Savvy
Gifts of life
Love and wisdom
Are two profound gifts of life
With love life feels meaningful
With wisdom life feels purposeful
Between love and wisdom
Life moves on and evolves itself
Bringing forth emotions
Deeply entrenched in our psyche
All is part of life and living
Interconnects deeply interwoven
The Circle of life flows on
Whole and complete.
Savvy
When the heart is willing the mind is opened.
When the mind is acknowledging, the heart is at ease.
All is a matter of tuning…
Between the heart and the mind.
Savvy
When you speak, the words are yours and the thoughts are sent outwards, so choose your words…
When you hear, the words are others and thoughts are inwards, so think positively!
Savvy
Effortless grace is visible in a dancer,
Who even in the dynamics of great extensions in flexibility
Can manifest great ease and subtlety.
Savvy
Life is both simple and sufficient
Simplicity is hidden
In the clutter and complexity
Sufficiency is hidden
In the grace of gratitude.
Life is strengthened in stability and flexibility.
Stability is hidden
In the chaos and confusion
Flexibility is hidden
In the flow of the structure.
Life is nourished in empathy and compassion.
Empathy is hidden
In the sensing and understanding
Compassion is hidden
In the actions from the heart.
Life is nurtured in Care
Caring is hidden
In love & in goodwill.
Life is a maze of the mysterious
Life is challenging yet resilient.
Life is full of wisdom in the challenges
But wisdom is hidden
In the very truth of life and living.
Life is a puzzle that awaits solution. The solution is found in simply living it.
Savvy
Commune with the very depth of your being
Connect with your own breath
Combine with your inate sense of calm
Coexist with nature as it truly is
Cohabit with the element of balance.
Counter the imbalance with patience.
Time settles it all
The key is in waiting
For the perfect moment
Allowing the winds to blow
Chaos plays precursor to stillness
It is the nature of the circle of life.
Sounds reign before silence
Movements arise before stillness
Remember all is in flow
Equilibrium is in the equanimity
Maintaining is the art of sustenance
Let go the expectations
Things fall into place
As they are meant to .
The art of stacking or stone piling is a gift of patience and a grace of thankfulness. Every stone stacked can signify a greater intention, giving into a larger purpose. Although I personally feel we must be careful about this art by not leaving any trail marks in nature, forests as these imprints may confuse or can alter signals for many animals living there. But having said that this art is peaceful and the practice of it can be healing as well.
Creativity is challenged by patience in waiting, giving way to balance in the flow.
Have a look at these amazing artworks by this very famous stone stacking genius.
One thing is very certain, it surely can teach us much about creating calm.
Savvy
Beyond words… are the realms of the heart!
Our cellular awareness is trained to transmit messages through feelings that convey where words fail. It is embedded within our conscious awareness to guide us from inside out. Many of our beliefs in trust, faith and hope are powered in and from this core of our consciousness.
In this understanding is the reason for the purpose of why we do what we do, why we feel the way we feel, have an instinctual sensation of the direction of where a path leads to. In the confluence of creativity in connection & compassion, there is confidence emanating through our deeds.
When we lead from here, many of our so-called equations held through by analysis often fail to make much sense.
When we follow in faith we move in synchrony with ourselves as we are not just in a flow, we are the flow.
Savvy
Mental /Emotional abuse in relationships:
Domestic abuse happens and it need not be only physical abuse.
In my career as a dance educator and teacher spanning two decades now, I have come across many situations of mental abuse that some of my female students experienced and shared with me in the course of time. Believe me, it is a lot more rampant than we choose to accept. Some time ago I had written an article extensively on the Dignity of the being
Back then I had brought forward a true story of my own poor house help and how she stood strong in spite of continued physical torture in the hands of an abusive alcoholic husband.
Consider this a continuation of the exercise to bring up another much undercover and consciously veiled topic… of the shades and degrees of mental and emotional harassment in the name of relationships.
Age, education, class or culture does not seem to matter. It could happen to just about anyone. In fact, some very educated women, students who were affected by such partners cut a very sorry and disheartening figure, privately after the class.
Hoping however best I could use abilities in my capacity would help, I used to hold some space and time free for them to share and express what is going on in their lives. And to make them realise the power of positive expression, in helping them know that they are not alone and helpless.
We as dance educators can be if need be and when required, a great source of support to our learners in our understanding of movement. For the body never lies, we can probably be tuned in to see which of our students needs our gentle guidance and support as well from time to time.
It hurts to see a seemingly brilliant and confident woman breakdown under the weight of abuse and harassment at home. Often they would break down to share their issues with me for want of support. In the course of listening and understanding of their frustration my abilities to counsel strengthened as I started offering supported listening for their unique predicament.
I ended up realising how no two situations are the same. And besides a dominating and subjugating nature of an individual, how alcohol or substance abuse ( even chewing tobacco)are often factors that cause aggressive behaviour other than work stress and financial worries.
Often the woman finds herself in a predicament when the aggressor’s behaviour differs like chalk and cheese between day and night. There may be mental torture inflicted under the influence of a few drinks. The reasons no matter but when words and tempers spew, unfiltered and uncontrolled especially at the fag end of the day, the victim often is clueless as to how to deal with the situation.
Often drained by sporadic and incessant attacks they end up weakened by sleeping less, tossing and turning through the night wondering what they did to hear so much insinuating words. Health issues crop up in time as the body cannot cope with the confusion. And probably without any physical evidence to show, mental torture is difficult to prove. There are not many readily accessible support groups she could go here in India as yet and for the fear of judgements she prefers to suppress her hurt.
For example…
A dominating husband has a bad day at work. He gathers up all the rage and is seething inside.
His vent becomes his wife and family and often he comes home late night in a foul mood and spews venomous hate over his loved ones. Often it may be a time when all at home are asleep at night.
The reasons or the trigger to get angry could be just about anything.
It could be about a deal that did not come through at office… which he may carry forth on the home front… it first converts to deep-rooted rage and lack of patience and tolerance in general. It could be about anything …like, not picking up the phone when he calls, it could be about the lunch sent from home, which he found had less salt, it could be about not opening the door on time, it could be about a credit card swipe at a supermarket which irks him.
After such attacks especially at night most often there is regret in the morning for the words said, but it cannot be taken back.. And pride and ego stops him from feeling or saying sorry and taking help for amending his ways. The patterns continue. Cold silence ensues on both ends for want of peace. Until things settle in the course of time only to rise again another day.
The victim is often clueless about how to help in such a situation as she is continually bombarded with her weaknesses and told that all problems arise because of her. She often takes recourse to silence as there may be extended family members staying with them or for the fear that the children would hear and get hurt further.
Dealing with anger and rage and temper tantrums.
If you are ever at the receiving end of unforeseen anger you need to brace yourself from getting hurt and affected due to sensitivity.
Especially when you are confronted with a situation where you are taken aback by someone spewing anger all over you, showering you with mean and unnecessary words and raining abuses over you for something you did not do, as well as creating a ruckus about silly things… remember your best weapon is non-retaliation.
Try as they might to get you to say something by provoking with crude words … do not engage.
There is nothing like nonengagement for handling mental and emotionally abusive relationships.
It does not mean that you accept the pain and hurt rather you are aware of what works and how it is a more sensible way to tackle such a circumstance.
Also, it helps to understand that the aggressor is perhaps suffering and doesn’t know to channel and deal with the issues at hand and perhaps takes the path of bullying, manipulating, attacking by verbally insinuating and insulting to counter the situation. Know and accept they need help too. If they have any sense left they ought to get it for their own self. Remember the saying, you can only take the horse to the water but it has to drink on its own. So accept that you are doing your best and let go of worries.
Yes, it amounts to a great degree of emotional maturity to be silent and not succumb to such provocation.
A few tips…
If you find yourself identifying with any such predicament, allow yourself to express yourself.
Take help, speak to an emotionally mature member of your immediate family
Do not suppress in the morning for you know deep inside that this can and will happen again. It is just a matter of time.
Let them know there is so much that you are going through and that you need help.
Sleep as much as you can for you might often be sleep deprived.
Take interest in what you are feeding your body, avoid junk for you might just be nutritionally deficient with all the mental tensions and conflicts.
The body needs a vent to release the contracted pain, exercise well as much as you can.
Breathing consciously deeper with awareness can calm the agitated mind.
If you can write, regularly try to maintain a journal of gratitude for all the good things that are happening with you.
Look around and notice your blessings. They will be in the form of children, friends, pets, your skills, your faith, your inner resilience or your never say die attitude.
Realise you are meant to live not just exist.
Remember there is always a way!
Remember you are full of inner strength that you can harness even in your vulnerability.
Trust that this faith in yourself will take you through!
Because you are enough for you!
Savvy
Contd.
Dynamics of Power
Savvy Raj 
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