Image Credits: painting by Savvy Raj.
Titled: Interconnectedness
Image Credits: painting by Savvy Raj.
Titled: Interconnectedness
Life reflects itself through the things you do, the people you meet as well as in your passions and perseverances, in so many intriguing yet enthralling ways.
One such beautiful reflection I experienced in my travels earlier in France.
A sense of deja vu, a throwback to the fond memories of teaching dances to people in the different places, all thanks to the Dance & the magic of movements.
While visiting France I met my colleague from the world of dance, Celine Maheo who resides in Rennes
Celine is a practicing clinical psychologist and an Argentine tango dancer.
What’s beautiful is that she is a dedicated professional who uses the dance therapy for helping Parkinson’s patients with their movements through Tango dance sessions.
My interest was piqued, as earlier I had been conducting very similar dance sessions as well, especially remembered our Seniors Dance for Wellness workshops back in India.
So over a beautiful meet and greet sipping cups of hot herbal tea at the Les Grands Gamin at the heart of Rennes, ensued a free flowing conversation where we exchanged notes on each others life. Our passion for dancing was the visible to see as we hardly knew how moments passed by.
To dance is to sense connections beyond the dancing bodies.
To dance is to honour life and its unique expressions in the movements.
Savvy Raj
And when Celine invited me to her next Tango Therapy Workshop, it was an offer I could not refuse. I was actually keen to understand whether and how the cultural differences change the way of conducting and experiencing workshops here.
Dancing can improve the mobility and balance in senior adults.
Adapting the dance to suit the requirements of the group, like simplifying the steps, the placement of the feet, improves their coordination, mobility and balance.
The dance session was deeply engrossing & truly inspiring to witness and participate as well. The music played that day stayed with me well after the session.
So the next step turned out to be me conducting a Chacha session for them. The challenges of language barriers were surrmounted easily as Celine offered to translate my teaching from English to French.
Everything fell in place beautifully and voila time flew again.We danced a bit of Chacha that day and also some more in the next few sessions as well. I was told later by the learners how much they enjoyed it!
It was an amazing experience sharing the joys of movements and I thank Celine for her inclusivity in requesting me to conduct the dance sessions as well. And I deeply appreciate all her beautiful learners that I met,connected and danced with. It was a truly warm and wonderful time spent with them all.
After the sessions we would gather together and discuss opening many facets of the learning and imbibing. It was a beautiful way of empathising and understanding each other.
Some of the beautiful souls I got to interact with in the few months I was there.
Dance has a way of soothing your entire being and bringing forth and connecting you with the depth of who you are. That is when dance begins to feel meaningful and transforms life.
The dance connects established, in those sessions is a beautiful memory etched in my heart, that I will cherish forever.
I chanced on these beautiful moments again as I found the photos I clicked back then and I decided to give them a little artistic effect.
All across the world April 29th every year is celebrated as International Dance Day, although every day is a great day to dance!
I dedicate this post to all my dance friends and colleagues and all the dance educators in the world who are making the world a better place, with every step in time.
Savvy Raj
In the vividness of imagination
At times there is a turbulence of thoughts.
Of emotions entwined in the sensing.
Moving beyond, patterns forming…
Inspiration & ingenuity births itself
In the very uniqueness of individuality
Yet the source of creativity is infinity
Such is the divine artistry of creation
Savvy
Every tree is beautiful
No matter where it is
But some take your breath away
In the sheer grace of abundance
Of nature’s manifestation.
Speaking of trees
There is tree that comes to mind
That I used to always be charmed by
In my daily walk while in a distant land
It is a beautiful tree in Rennes France
A glance would be enough to feel
The gratitude welling up in me
For the bounties of nature!
So grateful!
Savvy
What kinds of goals do you set for yourself?
How often do you set goals?
Do you often check on your goals ?
How inspired do you feel by these goals?
Do you feel motivated by your own goals?
Do you often stretch your goals ?
Do they challenge you to do more?
The goals you set for yourself
Speak much about you and your nature
The goals you set ought to lead you
Towards a journey in faith and belief
In trust and in synch
With your convictions of your intentions
Aim high as you set your goals
And reach out some more .
Evolve yourself as you grow
Savvy
Whatever you resist persists
Steer away from impulsive resistance
Yes while resistance is natural in life
Resistance may create tension
Yet it can be a signal of change
In channelling this very resistance.
In allowing to let go completely
Soon tension eases in the flow
In perseverance & patience.
In response than reaction
Creating positive transmutation.
In thoughts words and deeds
Sifting & sailing through your perspectives
Till harmony becomes you.
Savvy
Cage not the spirit of a bird
If you truly want to hear
The soul song of a bird
Plant a tree…
For life gives unto life
Such is nature of nature
Savvy
Wherever you are
Be a messenger of peace
Sense the hope that peace brings
In its wake, life regenerates.
Savvy
Are you feeling you are trying to live
Between the raindrops?
Or maybe you feel
You are surviving between the rapids
For life is not always a bed of blooms.
Is there a trick to the whole process?
To thrive from between to the beyond
To live through the unfolding journey.
Waltzing through without warping up
Smiling throught it all
Singing the song of hope than remorse
Question yourself
Is it just a matter of priorities
What truly matters after all?
What makes for a life
That’s worth its while?
All one needs to do is experience the journey
Because the destination takes care of itself!
Savvy
On song writing:
“We human beings are tuned such that we crave great melody and great lyrics. And if somebody writes a great song, it’s timeless that we as humans are going to feel something for that and there’s going to be a real appreciation.” -Art Garunkel
What is great music to you?
Is it the song how it sounds to you ?
Do you pay attention to the lyrics?
Sometimes great lyrics alone don’t make a great song,
And often great song has hardly any depth to its lyrics
So what are your favorite or evergreensongs the ones you listen to always?
What is it that makes it, to your favorite list?
Savvy
One of my favorite quotes:
“Tomorrow I’ll think of some way… after all, tomorrow is another day.
Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind
This post is a dedication to a hopeful spirit.
No matter the calamities
No matter the challenges that come along…
In moments of deep despair
Know there is light around the corner
When the night turns dark
Know the dawn awaits full of light
Keep the faith & trust there is always more
In the infinite abundance
When one door closes
Another opens they say!
Keep the hope alive in your heart
And trust the magic of new beginnings💙
Savvy
Throwback to last week when I recorded a demo and forgot about it
Shown here is one of the riskiest parts of the process — removing myself from the fragile balance without disturbing it.
In order to balance something like this, I usually need to basically wrap my body around it while sitting and building.. using knees to hug / stabilize the lower section(s) like a scaffold. But once I find zero, I need to remove my body without causing the structure to collapse.. on my body.. it’s when I’m most vulnerable.
But as seen here, I keep my gaze firmly on the structure while maneuvering my body away. It’s like a weird hyper focus where I’m spatially entranced on the relative positions of the rocks, and if any data point deviates from the whole, I have maybe a second to react before it becomes dangerous, especially for my left hand here which is planted on the stump I was sitting on, hoisting my body away.. if that top decides to fall on that hand, bones would likely break… not a situation where I can afford to break focus.
Some self removals are easier than others — it really just depends on a firm hold for my right hand behind me, the sensitivity of the structure itself, and what the wind is doing..
https://www.facebook.com/100044215910223/posts/456853939131799If
This post made me think further on
The Art of Self Removal
In any creation
The creator is inextricably
Interweaved in the tapestry of creation
And yet the Creator detaches the self
To step away from the creation
Distinguishing the completion
Of one phase of the creation
For it to begin it’s own journey of being
Savvy
The Antwerpen Christmas Market is spread out over several streets and squares lighting up the entire historical centre of Antwerp beautifully into a huge and happening zone to stroll around in…
Glowing in the night!
Beating the winters chill
Sitting by warm fire pits…
Sipping hot glühwein!
And the mistletoe?
Well its no small branch
But a giant one indeed!
Fit for all the crowd that gather under
Just to share their love for each other….💞
Savvy
#reminisces #travels #inspiration #life #journey
Bruges’ is an absolutely fascinating fairytale kind of town,and at night, under the moonlight, it’s magical atmosphere intensifies.
A canal trip in the Reie named after the river Roya totally worth it.
Savvy
#Brugesatnight
Dancing lights
Shimmering Christmas lights play on water ever so gently creating a moment worth a capture.
Waltz of lights on the water….
Savvy