Savvy Raj

Live Life Lovingly!

Tag Archives: Learning


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You Most Certainly Can Dance

You Most Certainly Can Dance

A short story of inspiration for beginners learning to dance!
A pleasant Sunday morning, finds me in a new venue, a family club actually for my dance workshops in the suburbs of Mumbai , well it was a start of something new, so there I stood before my new batch of learners. I notice a lovely couple  had brought their daughter of five along with them. Being a parent myself I understand the limitations of nuclear parenting in Mumbai and the fact that there are times that one has to just take the kids along where you want to go, as sometimes, there is no one you could leave them safely with.

The keen observer in the picture is the little girl  I have written about  🙂

I smiled at the little girl who gave me a warm smile back. Very sweet I thought! Soon enough I began the session with the usual round of introduction to the dance form and then went on with the basic step of swing. I was quite busy with the parents and just had a cursory glance the little girl who I saw amusing herself standing near the corner where a couple of chairs were stacked.I went about explaining about the beat, counts and the rhythm and the body positioning and was halfway through the session . I was engrossed in teaching so much that I was suddenly jolted with a soft but insistent tap on my arm. I turned and was absolutely amazed when the little girl showed me the basic step with perfect timing to music. The little girl had carefully observed what I was doing and imbibed it for sometime standing quietly in the corner and once she was confident she came up to me silently for approval.
I was clearly bowled over by the power of observation and interest in this child. Many a times with power of observation we can master all that we want to by our-self , provided we have the determination to focus on our goals.
The little child’s brain had mapped a visual imagery of the step clearly, and was able to recall it at will even though she had not practiced it half the number of times her parents had… along with me.

 The power of observation has no age barrier, some are gifted and some have to develop the latent power within, but  we all certainly have it within us to  reap the potential of this power.So do care to see a little beyond the denials and negations just trust and believe you can dance and then You Most Certainly Can Dance!

Savvy 

Author 
PS:

This was first written for my dance students and future learners, a couple of years ago .But I felt it can be shared  for the power of perseverance and belief makes all the difference ! 

 

  • We are all unique in our movements , so we must strive to find our own path to fulfillment , wherein lies our success. Success follows whenever we move with the strength of intention to learn to dance !
  • Take a step , start dancing today ! Make dancing a way of life, To find out more about learning to dance at your pace…
    please contact  here or write to me:  savvy@danceconcepts.in


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On Faith

 

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Flow in faith

Time evolves one and all,come what may

Yesterday’s mountains have become paths today

Love of life will show the way

As you keep building bridges not walls I say!

Savy_Email-Signture3

 


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Art of Management : Commitment

Art of Responsible Commitment.

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Tip 5: Art of Management.

Don’t bite more than you can chew!

Years ago when I was in the university doing my masters, I have a distinct memory of our Head of the Department carrying a book which read. ‘Don’t bite more than you can chew ‘ written in bold on the cover. A diminutive bespectacled gentleman every day he would carry it along with him to his lectures. And habitually as he reached his table he would carefully place it towards him and then start to speak.

The words on the book always intrigued me for its significance in our life and living.

Today as we discuss the art of management I see how this applies so beautifully.  Commitment is an art of management.  To manage your ability, capacity and resources at hand optimally and sustain it successfully learning to avoid overcommitment is a necessary skill.

A few Tips On the Art of Responsible Commitment.

  • Avoid over-commitment. To fulfil any commitment, before committing, simply make sure to clarify and define your own abilities and capacities to yourself. And communicate that in your actions as it will steer you clear from falling short of expectation from others.
  •  Be wary of over-compensating Remember every time you are over-committing somewhere you are weakening the very relationships you are trying to strengthen either your family or with your self by trying to overcompensate.
  • Respect your need for well-being as over-commitment is stressful and creates opportunities for health issues gradually.
  • Strive to bring a sense of balance. You know your abilities best. If you wish to expand your horizons and venture beyond your comfort zone, trust your intuitive intellect it certainly will not let you down.
  • Inculcate integrity in your approach to commitment at home and work for a balanced life and living.

Savvy Raj

About me : 

Wellness Mentor, Dance Educator & Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Writer, Freelance Designer 

 http://www.savvyraj.com

A few related Links

ART OF MANAGEMENT : Managing Self

ART OF MANAGEMENT : Managing Thoughts.

ART OF MANAGEMENT : Managing People

ART OF MANAGEMENT : Managing Conflicts


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ART OF MANAGEMENT : Managing Conflicts

 

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Art of Conflict Management

To bring back a sense of compatibility between the factions is to resolve to find mutual ground.
Tip 4: Resolve to Reconcile

The idea of any kind of truce to see eye to eye is not easy, but then war is never the answer. In management, Conflict Resolution is an important skill in the arena towards issue settlements by finding the middle ground.

From the suggestion of mutual benefits to warring parties in a dispute by a shared positive interest of a goal and clarification of needs in the situation at hand and if need be coercing an influence goes a long way in securing a reconciliation and resolution of conflicts.

Savvy Raj

 


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Power of Possibilities

 

Explore the Immense Power of Possibilities!

At times we find our road has got rough

Many times we give up when the going gets tough

At such times if we muster the strength to persevere

The very perseverance leads us to new paths

Paths we may have never accessed in the fear of trying.

To try to forge ahead in spite of hopelessness

To try to discover the power of possibilities

To try to seek the connecting dots that may have faded in time

To try to find new pathways in the making

Such is the power of life in the living.

There is always a way

To make it happen

Often enshrouded in

All we need is to see beyond the looking

Envision the potential that rests within

Trust the options we have at hand,

And lo and behold!

There is so much more than what we thought was possible.

Come let us dare to explore the power of the possibilities!

 

Savvy


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Ease Into Alignment

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A life lived well…

Is more about being and doing well

Than about doing much

& finding no time to be you

& all that you actually are.

 

Resonate with your own reserves

Reach out in the knowing

That you are enough for you.

Align your posture, let go tension.

Acknowledge your needs at this moment.

 

Sense the potential in this now

To alter the reality of this moment.

To make a positive difference in your ways.

To pursue your passions,

To love well, to enjoy life.

 

You need to create a balance between

What you can do and what you are doing.

Sometimes the tilts are unavoidable

And then life takes care of itself.

 

But it always helps to not tilt the balance

By overdoing, over-controlling, overindulging

Overstepping and overshadowing your own self.

Aim to balance the holding back & the letting go

With discretion and discerning

Of conscious intention in awareness.

 

Modern maladies are mostly self-inflicted

Due to excess of thought, action and deed.

With awareness, your own free will

Can be your best ally in the understanding

That freedom and responsibility go hand in hand.

 

And soon you will reach a level

Where you feel grounded

And yet light as a feather in flight.

Make sense of the choices you make in every now

Every now matters after all!

 

You have one life

Live it well

Because you can!

Savvy 

 

About me : 

Wellness Mentor, 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 can be 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.

Savvy 

http://www.savvyraj.com


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ART OF MANAGEMENT : Managing People

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Art of People Management  

 Tip 3: Take the lead! 


Leadership is a quality that is the backbone of  People Management skills. An ability to lead well is an asset to any organisation. To be able to take the lead and lead well there must a deeper understanding of people and their needs besides being a quick thinker and a whole lot of self-confidence. A positive inclination, an assertive approach, determination with a focused attitude to life can be a tool for a successful stint at sustained leadership.

 


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ART OF MANAGEMENT : Managing Thoughts.

Art of Thought management.

Tip 2 : Choose to think well

Our thoughts can make or break us in every now.. and our life seems like a hell or a blessing in the way our thoughts unfold . Every life has a unique purpose and a perseveres on with the thoughts to fulfill its being .

A transition in thoughts is an expansive phenomenona. It courses on even in attempted conquering of thoughts through control or manipulation of its meanderings into an intentional channeling in consciousness.

Transcending thoughts is a choice as thoughts come and go ..the patterns we choose to create with, through and in them, makes one consciously or subconsciously a sculptor of one’s life. And through every exercise of such a choice we can leave a poised mark in time.

That said, yet, when we choose to make our presence felt and how we emerge will all figure out along the way in the strength of an interrelation of thoughts in interdependence. So truly choices we make matters a great deal . Think well!


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Follow your passion…find your purpose… fulfill your presence.


The highest motivation that can change the way we behave for the better is always intrinsic than external factors. There have been many research studies conducted to find out if we are influenced to perform better consistently through a system of rewards and punishments. Humans, are found to decrease performance in tasks where there is only materialistic gain as a reward,but fare consistently better where there is autonomy & encouragement  towards a purpose. A purpose which aligns with their innate  sensibilities.


This throws the conventional and traditional approach to getting work done, up for a toss. As it is exactly opposite to the viewpoint that  humans can be manipulated to a large extent to achieve better results by the so-called carrot and stick methods .



 

In choosing to work harder at a task or a job with passion instead of needing to comply to it  lets the  being feels free enough to go beyond the box . As there is free will within  a wider net of required structure the creative potentialities are given a free play  and thus the individual moves closer to his authentic self . The joy of self-expression results in a need to share it with others out of sheer happiness .

 

Highest levels of happiness are  in giving a  larger meaning to life  whether it is in involving oneself in activities  helping another, in learning and growing with another , it could be in learning  a new  art form ,or even simply in dancing socially with a group of people , are  all wonderful for your well-being& a healthy life. Even in the simple act of volunteering towards  a good deed  from the heart,  can make one realize the true joys of sharing….and find meaning in one’s own lives .


What is that makes us love ourselves better when we give? Is it the satisfaction  in the appreciation of that which we willingly share or is it on the innate need for doing a deed with a larger good in mind. or is it in the happiness of the other that results through the actions. Whatever it may be, just remember we are truly blessed and are our most authentic self in every expansive action that we choose to do!

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 Dancing:  Enriching life and living.

 

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The trick is in the integration of such artistic  pursuits into our everyday lives ,as most of us  carry on with our life with little or no time to spare for a little self enrichment.

www.danceconcepts.in 


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Dancing with your partner

Is a ‘Graceful walk’ together in unison,

Fully aware of your partners presence,

A synchronized togetherness

Of will and intention

With heartfelt desire to move as one.

Savvy Raj

www.danceconcepts.in

 

 


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On Nurturing  2

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.
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Ethereal

 

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This beautiful photograph of the Jacaranda Tree is a sight to behold . I have always liked to see  pictures of these  purple and  pink  and lavender blue trees .

But this particular picture … it was pure fascination!

Could I write verses on it…. perhaps! Cos it feels like serenedipity everytime I see it. There is so much pleasantness in that picture for me … I am guessing I am simply partial to all those hues and tones right there juxtaposed so delightfully. Quite like the essence of a prolific poem understated and unassuming.

Yet poetry is not on my mind today…

In fact what I am drawn to here is the delicate draw of balance of colour and composition. The brilliant blues of the sky entices the viewer as much  the hints of hues of greens  and pink just about show up  ever so delicately amidst the starkness of the stems from  betwixst and between the branches of this bewitching tree.

And thats not all … there is so much more to that tree and this photograph is just a hint of whats in the offing….

There is certain sense of ambiguity  yet an attribution of knowing there is much much more beyond the visible.

In fact when you actually see, it is the beauty of the skylight seen through the canopy of pink flowers amidst those branches all captured in that one enthralling moment.

And like  nothings is ever permanent  and perfect,  there always comes the scope of change even in so much balance in that stillness of the movement so precariously precise in the picture.

 

The trick is to be aware of balance

Appreciate the now for what it is

It offers much if you choose to see.

So perfect in its imperfections

A sense of the almost ethreal…

 

 

Here are a few facts on Jacaranda Tree.

The Jacaranda flowers are known to flutter down continously from the tree.The trees are native to South and Central America  and now are also seen in many tropical areas of the world.

Pretoria in South Africa is known to be The Jacaranda City for the huge number the these trees planted in parks steets and gardens.So much so that when seen from the nearby hills the city is known  to appears blue/purple in colour.

The word Jacaranda means fragrant in a South American dialect and depending on their species  they have blue to white to  lavender pink to purple shades of flowers. They are known to grow as tall as 20 to 30 metres in height in their lifetime which can span  from 50 toover 70 years or so.

And because of that one picture I choose to look up and discover these tidbits … .Do share if you find some more about this tree.

Savvy Raj

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Dancing to what moves you.

Love Dancing?

Are you drawn to the art of movement? Do you wish to dance but are confused where to begin and how to take the first step into the world of dance? Read on…

 

First of all it is essential to find that dance form  which moves you. But before that  it would be a good idea to ask yourself if you are the kind of person who is a team player or someone who enjoys solo dancing.

  If you  are kind who enjoys social dancing with a partner there are a plethora of  dance forms you can learn, but yes the ideal situation is that you have a willing partner who enjoys dancing as much as you do!

Learning even the basics of some partner dance forms that appeal to you and your taste of music and tempo is a wonderful way to step into the world of dancing. 

Its important to remember that just like our choices are not static but actually evolve with time, in an ever evolving world of movement,  dances too evolve with changing trends and generations … thus it is the study  and practice of the concepts and techniques that play an important role in developing your skills and enhance your dancing.

If you are interested in learning to dance ..it would be good to be aware of the depth of your interest, whether its just as a passing fancy, a fad to learn something new,or to learn because of a deeper connect that you feel every time you dance, or even as you watch other people dancing. An honest self appraisal would be helpful in deciding what the next course of action should be. If you feel the connect I am talking about, get going and start of with some dancing lessons for yourself now!  

 If you wish to discuss more on your dance related queries feel free to reach out here savvy@danceconcepts.in.

Savvy Raj 

Member International Dance Council 

UNESCO


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On Legacy 

On Leaving a legacy …

A life lived in expression of one’s passion

A life lived in dedication and devotion.

A life lived sensing the spirit of being alive.

A life spent enriching others as much as ones own.

A life lived like that is ever blessed in grace

For wherever the soul resides

It is always shining in eternal light.

Savvy

Had written these verses on hearing an account of the journey of a life well lived …. nurturing a life of goodness and  generating goodwill .

Feel compelled to share this with my readers and ask what would you think is a true legacy? … and  most importantly have you seen or influenced by someone following such a path upclose.

Do share your thoughts…

Savvy Raj