We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” – Mother Teresa
Love these words by Mother Teresa, a kind soul that showed the way of kindness in giving.
Every single selfless act in devotion leaves the world feeling a little better than before…
Yes there is much to do To make our world better There is so much left to improve Sometimes we are full of doubts About can we ever do enough Is what we share or do, right at all?
No matter the doubts simply share With all your heart ❤ You are meant to do much, much more Than what you can even imagine. You will find yourself along the way. Share your gifts with joy in giving. And fulfil your purpose of being.
Qualities of a Leader mentioned by the esteemed and the honourable Dr Abdul Kalam Azad. All these are valuable qualities in leadership.
A Visionary:
Without knowing where to lead the followers how can a leader execute his plan?
Equanimity
Without being able to be balanced in equanimity in both actions and attitude, how can a leader be able to ride the storms and manifest the changes in the challenges?
Nobility
Without enabling the heart and mind to be transparent to each other, how can a leader be synched in the decisions taken?
An Explorer
Without being open to an explorer’s mindset how can the leadership survive in this cutthroat world?
A decision maker
Without a focused approach and timely decisions taken with courage how can leadership know what to do ahead?
Integrity: Without a sense of honesty and morality how can the leader lead others?
And I love the wisdom in these words. For this is what to me, is the sign of a great leader.
Hello my dear readers, Every day for three consecutive days I have been sharing one of my own paintings from my Artworks Collection.
Here is my Painting share on Day 3:
Please write the first 3 words that come to mind the moment you see it
Every painting has been shared without the title. I would love to understand what your meaning is for the painting. The next day I will reveal my original title and intentions for the painting.
Lets together see if what I have tried depicting through my painting has reached you. Or better still you may have your own interpretation which I would love to read. Pls do share.
My painting share on Day 2 is
Titled : Vortex
Random impressions in the expression.
Signifying the dance of thoughts in the space creating a vortex through the patterns formed in the dynamics of the flow.
Deeply appreciate the amazing creativity that flowed from all of you for this post.
What was quite unique was how many attributed this to flames and fire . I suppose it had much to do with the color red. It was beautiful to acknowledge that every word you used to describe the painting sets off on a serious of trajectories in contemplation showing the vividity of our unique thoughts.
I look forward to reading your words on today’s artwork.
The virtue of patience is trust
The virtue of trust is faith
The virtue of faith is a belief
The virtue of belief is knowing
The virtue of knowing is awareness
The virtue of awareness is awakening
The virtue of awakening is consciousness
The virtue of consciousness is wisdom
The virtue of wisdom is life
The virtue of life is in being
The virtue of being is in living
The virtue of living is in experiencing
The virtue of experiencing is in sensing
The virtue of sensing is in feeling
The virtue of feeling is in learning
The virtue of learning is in letting go
The virtue of letting go is in giving
The virtue of giving is in sharing
The virtue of sharing is in abundance
The virtue of abundance is in love
Love is unconditional, & all-pervading
Where love is, virtue is
And so is all.
Savvy
Today having reached a tiny milestone of writing and publishing 250 continuous posts I share the joys of the journey in passion, perseverance and most of all in love and patience.
Contemplating on the virtue of patience set me thinking of all the interweaving of virtues. Everything connects and has a reason to be.💙🙏💙
Feel the flow of divinity in the haloed healing light abound…
Embrace the moments in silence and serenity.
Savvy
Our body & mind knows what we need, if only we slow down and take the time to listen in. Moving in conscious connectedness increases mind-body awareness. As a spiritual or healing practice…there is great potential in it to play a vital role in health and well-being. which is a result of moving as one unit; body and mind.
It’s also quite possible to heal ones aches away. A headache, muscle soreness, joint pain often melts away in oblivion by bringing one’s attention and focus on that particular body part and moving mindfully with the awareness of our breath and channelling the energy of the breath.
Likewise, it’s also possible to become aware of actions which aggravate your conditions and back off and instead work on movements which make you feel better.
The same is also true for emotional pain. By bringing one’s attention to what is emotionally hurting and moving slowly through space, allowing the body to lead the way, one often finds emotional pain reduces to a considerable extent. Layers of emotional blockages and disconnects can be peeled away with this awareness about one’s movements in the moments. Centring oneself consciously involves understanding one’s place in space and being comfortable enough where one is and stable enough to be aware of one’s edges and the surroundings.
Healing happens as a consequence of certain specific actions in time. At the same breath a word of cautionary suggestion Taking an example here …, just as it’s very challenging to overcome an unwanted habit but quite easy to succumb to it again. Once you have moved in space and healed yourself off your problems do give a little thought to actions done without reflection as you wouldn’t want to be in the same tight spot which you have wrangled yourself out of with so much effort… right?
So leave a mark of poised, beautiful actions in the monument of time in thoughts words and deeds and you will be consistently feeling twice blessed for sure.
I am not alone
When I am walking at dawn
For I have the company
Of a waking sun.
I am not alone
When I am walking at dusk
For I witness the dance of heavenly lights.
For Twilights hold a special meaning
In the witnessing
Of transitions in transcendence.
Of day to night
And night to day…
In this world
Remember
You are not alone
In the dark of the night
With twinkling stars to show you the way.
You are only alone
When even in midst of the many
Your heart seeks a little
Respite from company!
A safe space to witness
Your emerging thoughts
A zone to turn into
A tranquil place to been in
To sense a balance
With your thoughtful self
Amidst the scurry hurry
Of life and living.
Savvy
Often ‘ alone’ is equated with loneliness. Alone may also mean simply being a witness to, by and with your self. It may arise from a need to explore to discover the self as much as the world in mindful introspection and contemplation. Every now and then a little time spent quietly with your self can truly help expand and regain the much needed equanimity to handle the worldly issues.
Meditations are a positive wonderful way to recharge our system.
A dear reader has sent me a link I want to share … It is his translation of my recent article Flow with Life.
Happy to share this here for my Spanish speaking readers.Thank you Ignacio-orna-nacho
for your kind effort and share.
For all language aficionados in any new language, there is a draw of nuances of the culture and its interpretations in the flow in both the way it is spoken and written.And that is often beautiful to note.
El que cambiemos es inevitable, es Ley de Vida pero tú eres quien está a cargo de cómo el cambio te impacta.
Aliento y movimiento:
Somos la suma de nuestras partes individuales. No hay corazón sin nuestra mente y ninguna acción sin nuestra percepción.
No hay dos momentos de nuestra vida que sean iguales. Nuestro cuerpo está hecho de células que se renuevan a tiempo. Las emociones y el comportamiento que manifestamos son profundamente integrales a cómo nos sentimos acerca de nosotros mismos y la situación en cuestión … por lo que nuestros movimientos son tan únicos como lo somos nosotros.
Cultivar la conciencia de nuestra propia respiración puede brindarnos el apoyo necesario y la sanación interna a través de los caprichos de la vida y nuestro modo de vivir.
Solo asegúrate de sentir tu calma interior y ser uno con tu aliento, sin importar la situación en la que te encuentres. Esa es la forma en que te puedes conectar gradualmente contigo mismo en un nivel más profundo.
Mientras más conectado estés con tu aliento, gradualmente comenzarás a relajarte en el momento.
Ajustando tu aliento y movimiento
Deja que tu aliento guíe y lidere tu movimiento. Valore las energías sutiles de su propio ser que abarque su propia respiración.
Siente la integración de tu aliento y tus movimientos. La respiración le da a tu movimiento una forma y dirección. Por lo tanto, no solo puede vincular su respiración y su movimiento, sino también practicar la iniciación de tus movimientos con la respiración.
Tu conciencia aumentará gradualmente de cómo tu propia inspiración y espiración se utilizan en tus movimientos. Lo que potencia y da energía a tus acciones y lo que calma y ayuda a la relajación. ¡Y cómo puede fluir envolvente y abarcante, conectándose y complementándose como un baile elegante!
Tan pronto como empieces a practicar, aprenderás a bailar con ello.
Change is inevitable, but you are the one in charge of how the change impacts you.
Breath and Movement:
We are the sum of our individual parts There is no heart without our mind and no action without our sensing.
No two moments of our lives are alike. Our body is made of cells that are renewed in time. Emotions and behaviour that we manifest are deeply integral to how we feel about ourselves and the situation at hand … so our movements are as unique as we are.
Cultivating an awareness of our own breath can give us much needed support and inner healing through the vagaries of life and living
Just make sure to sense your inner calm and be one with your breath no matter the situation you are in. That is the way you can gradually connect with yourself on a deeper level.
The more connected you are with your breath you gradually begin to relax in the moment.
Attuning your Breath and Movement
Let your breath guide and lead your movement. Value the subtle energies of your own self that encompasses your own breath.
Sense the integration of your breath and your movements. Breath gives your movement a shape and direction. So not only can you link your breath and your movement but also practise initiating your movements with your breath.
Your awareness will gradually increase of how your own breath (inhale)and out breath (exhale) are being used in your movements. What powers and energizes your actions and what calms and assists relaxation. And how it can flow enveloping and encompassing, connecting and complementing each other like an elegant dance!
In a land of diversities in all spheres from culture to climate, from religion to celebrations.
Every region expresses its culture distinctly according to the ethos of the people of that particular region.And as dances are a coherent expression of human nature thoughts and feelings, each form of dance that originates, encapsulates it distinctly.
Indian dances can be broadly divided into Classical Dance Forms Semi Classical and the Folk forms.
The most well known Classical Dance styles of India are the Kathak, Odissi & Manipuri of Northern and Eastern parts of India.And
Bharatanatyam Kuchipudi and Mohiniattam Kathakali from Southern parts of India.
Classical Dance and Arts is given a revered status as according to the legends, the Gods invented the dance. It incorporates music melody beats drama form and line along with gestures through hand fingers and eye movements.
The elaborate costumes and heavy makeup somehow helps convey many depictions of the overall performances.
There are a number of Folk dance forms that are performed as well.
Traditionally all these forms have been structured around the nine emotions or rasas namely:
Hasya: happiness
Shoka: sorrow
Krodha: anger
Karuna: compassion
Bhibatsa: disgust
Adbuta: wonder
Bhaya: fear
Viram: courage
And Shanta: serenity.
The earliest Indian religious texts have described creation in terms of a dance. And the dances of India are said to have their origins in the Vedic Age of 1000BC
Even today the practice of the Indian dances have an element of religious rituals although much may have changed with time.
Musings on Dancing
A dance is an expression of who we are, our mindset our bodies our culture all intermingled inextricably. It is a statement of our roots and our connection to others.
We can express ourselves by learning and staying rooted in the structure or choose to vary and fuse and develop our understanding by adding to the repertoire other dance forms and evolve in the sharing. The choice is ours to choose. We don’t need to discard old learning as we learn something new but align ourselves to understand the larger picture. This way we experience diversity for ourselves as we learn to see the significance of every form its contribution its essence and relevance of its roots in culture through the movements and expression. Learning dance from different lands helps us understand and evolve. We can learn to respect others traditions and cultures while valuing our own.
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!
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
Nurturing is a life affirming process ….rooted in bettering care and creating hope for a better life. There are many experiments conducted to support how even an exposure to nature like being amidst trees and tranquil places, hearing birdsongs and watching the sky , the sea and the sand can be extremely nurturing for ones health and wellbeing. The healing element associated with nature, is in the nurture it provides to replenish the soul.
The very nature of nurturing is both very inclusive and expansive in the same breath.The scope of positive outcomes of good nurturing is deeply significant to humanity at large . For that is what is truly important to sustain our planet . Every being’s effort in nurturing the world in and around him to thrive.
At the root of Creativity is a nurtured thought process. To nurture is to nourish the being with appropriate care.
Speaking of care giving, it is often a part of nurturing which can be rather challenging to say the least. In case of elders there can be a lot of unexplained resentment the care giver has to deal with for many seniors may take a while to come to terms with the many aspects of growing old.
Patience can have its limits too and with growing intolerance in a world which is more about the sense of self importance, the need to achieve much can stifle any thoughts of pursuing time consuming and almost never ending aspects of nurturing .
It is true the world is getting a little too self centered . However the realization of the impacts of an uncaring and indifferent citizens of the world is also hitting home and that too right from the modern changes of family systems in place.
The concern for global warming and carbon imprints is touching an all time high for the world now is slowly realizing how much it needs to nurture its own living spaces to ensure it has a world left to live at all. And thus thankfully hope is here to stay!
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!
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.
Savvy Raj 
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