I noticed a child monk—he can’t have been more than ten years old—teaching a group of five-year-olds. He had a great aura about him, the poise and confidence of an adult.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“We just taught their first class ever,” he said, then asked me, “What did you learn in your first day of school?”
“I started to learn the alphabet and numbers. What did they learn?”
“The first thing we teach them is how to breathe.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because the only thing that stays with you from the moment you’re born until the moment you die is your breath. All your friends, your family, the country you live in, all of that can change. The one thing that stays with you is your breath.”
This ten-year-old monk added, “When you get stressed—what changes? Your breath. When you get angry—what changes? Your breath. We experience every emotion with the change of the breath. When you learn to navigate and manage your breath, you can navigate any situation in life.”
I listened to my heart Every day As it shares from within And I write them out as words Sometimes as verses At times its measured In moderation. Its a zen moment For there is clarity In just a few words shared.
Then there are times
They flow like a river A torrent in a current Patterning itself In its own making Words come through me As if it needs to be spoken Sharing the sensitivity Of the moments at hand. I listen simply with rapt attention For in the slightest flutter In every movement in the moments Or the depth of silence There is wisdom in the stillness.
Just a casual conversation with a dear friend on Facebook threw open a facet of her innate personality, she loves to watch others dance and probably would love to learn too, but may be a complex of how it might be perceived, or so has kept her from trying. She also believes she has two left feet…
Well this is a notion held by many people, who may be basically shy or introverted by nature, or even perfectionists , or perhaps have some conditional experiences that makes them uncomfortable in daring to dance.
We went about talking as to how this can be helped.
Some simple yet profound movements that can help as starters.
A few things to remember:
It’s important to give yourself permission to begin movements, in whatever way you think best… a bow in prayer, a call out to yourself, or simply start with watching the dance of your breath in passive awareness and feel energized, with your in-breath and with every out-breath sense the release of that which needs to go …respect begins at home!
Sense, observe and feel one with any movement that you make, accepting the strange and the beautiful, the harmonious and the shaky moves … as part of the same source and believe there is a reason why they are what they are .
Take your time! There is no rush to prove anything so go with what works for you.
Preparation:
Allocate a time and place for yourself in the day at home. Clear the space and rearrange some furniture so that you have some moving space, without any obstructions. Option to have a mirror in front is totally yours as and when you want to allow it to happen. Mirrors reflect our actions so it helps to have one as a silent guide.
Make sure to remove jewellery, watches that may obstruct movement & avoid chewing gum as it is distracting.
As you begin moving on your feet it’s better to wear cotton socks for ease and flow of movement and preferably wear stretchable or loose clothes that don’t restrict body movements.
Remember the first time need not be the last time, just don’t give up! As with everything else, practise dancing from the heart and soul and be open to the changes in the flow.
With every movement we create energy in the room or space we are practicing. Each session is different. Sometimes exhausting, energizing, calming, stimulating, etc depending on a number of factors . Try to be receptive and accepting of that energy.
Aim:
To find yourself as you dance, accepting yourself as you create expressions through movements. Sensing the power of letting go & the power of Dancing as you move.
Take yourself a little less seriously. Enjoy Yourself!
My friend questioned me about how to actually start dancing. Having shared endless conversations completely whimsical or tremendously uplifting with her over the years I know her, I simply wanted to reach out to her and remind her, how much she has already moved with her unique experiences, dancing through the tunes of life. How many movements she already has explored in silent rapture and conscious presence. And how many times she has been supportive, constructive, connective ,caring, loving, giving, tender, gentle & corrective in her movements towards the ones she cared. People like me! Well it was time to gently remind her of her own innate creative flows…
Dance to your own tunes.
Depending on what suits your mood at the moment, let yourself hear some tune, that vibrates with the inner you. Knowing her soft and gentle nature, I suggested some soothing music to be played in the background without it being too overbearing. Since she was wondering how to begin… I suggested her to sit down and allow just her fingers, then her hand and then the arms to begin to move with the music, just yielding, flowing as she felt like from the depth of her soul.
Neutralizing the rest of the body allows the ease of tension of perceptions. With just the hands in front of the person as they move, one could draw a circle with each individual hand. trace a simple pattern, write their names in cursive , using the pace and flow that seems right for them. Many who don’t physically dance much in the open are self- conscious of their physical body. So its important to be gradual in the movements. Once the hands start getting comfortable to move from an inner calling of the rhythm, it’s time to allow the sway of the shoulders or even allow the foot to take a step ahead.
Soon the rest of body joins the dance gradually as you allow and acknowledge the presence of the creative dancer in you.
Movements may seem shaky and erratic at first and as you persevere you begin to see the changes.The movement starts getting connected with the inner you and you begin to merge with the tune and the movement.
After all there is a teacher in you for the disciple in you!
Treat yourself well
And treat others equally well!
Be true to your word
For both matter a whole lot
Value your sense of self esteem
But value another’s right to theirs.
True integrity lies in…
Practicing one’s own preaching
Being nice is not a weakness
Worry not a loss of control
For a little consideration
Goes a long long way
Let there be dignity of being
As it makes it easier to reach out
No one is an island
Every one is necessary and important
For who they are and deeply entwined
In the grand plan of life .
Be mindful and conscious
Of what you feel and say.
Be aware of what comes your way
And steer clear of the unnecessary.
Stay true to who you are
For you are best at being you
For Integrity speaks from deeds not words
Make sure your actions justify your words
And sense the calm you feel in your heart
And watch the ease of being when with another
All it needs is a little care and concern
For the world in and around you!
Savvy
A few tips…
In a world that can entangle you with varied opinions and beliefs…know you are a multifaceted unique individual.
Allow yourself to take time and understand your spectrum of being .
Accepting yourself is a great start to being you.
In knowing your self you are able to discern what your choices are and gradually you are able to be comfortable with your own self. Remember everyone of us here have our own journey of life to explore and fathom.
Allow yourself to explore the truths of your own being.
Be authentic enough to avoid being who you are not . It simply cannot last too long. And it is not a path towards your purpose of being.
Being yourequires a whole lot of respect for yourself as you are. In moments of turmoil and confusion, just say to yourself ‘ I am enough for me’ …
There is great power of truth in these simple words .
Trust that you are enough for you.
My Dedication in Celebration of the World Kindness Day yesterday.
Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. – LAO-TZU
Such profound words of wisdom from the great master Lao Tzu!
Always believe that when you share kindness with another, more kindness springs up, whether it’s in your thoughts, in your deeds, or in stillness too. Whenever you give with a compassionate heart and the receiver accepts with gratitude and appreciation, you have both made a foray, knowingly or unknowingly, into the dimension of empathic living.
There is a great abundance of learning to share.
Learning is never limited, it is endless and ever regenerating in itself. What I perceive to understand and to confidently and gratefully share with the world in my unique way, will in itself become known in the hearts of the ones I shared it with. This is the power of positive change. They will eventually distribute their own interpretation of that knowledge in their own creative way with another, and so on.
Then the incredible happens! With every distribution, there will be depth and dimensions a new, which in turn will pave the path for greater clarity and wisdom. However, the choice of walking the path is one’s own!
When one person shares from the heart, the result is always a regeneration of trust, confidence, and love in abundance.
With increasing love, there is a decrease of needs, and with that, there is greater contentment and fulfillment.
A few things to keep in mind are:
Share without motive.
Share without ego.
Share with gratitude.
The ones who bestow with acceptance writ in their hearts are the ones who know the value of letting go to reap its rewards.
Rewards that cannot be measured by time or days, as they abound in the infinite wisdom; a circle of conscious connections.
Savvy Raj 