Savvy Raj

Live Life Lovingly!


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Writing with a pen

To my readers,

It’s a conscious choice to write more, yet streamline my work.

So you may find me posting erratically every once in a while. Although I continue to write every day as I have for the past couple of years .

I simply started to switch to writing on paper, and I shall post one here regularly, but perhaps  not every day. I sense great joy in picking up a pen and writing. It connects me up wires my hand brain coordination  a little more than tapping on digital keys.

I already find myself relaxing into it as now I can write anywhere anytime with or without internet . This  is simplifying as much as satisfying to me.

To talk about the day I first picked up the pen to write, I wrote a few words and found how strange it felt to be actually inking  on paper  after so long . It was a missing action piece in my work. Typing is not the same thing. It takes away  the flow of continuous touch of the pen on paper.

Although I have written every day digitally over these years. I realise  how important  it is to never lose touch with writing by hand.

Writing digitally  may be faster but fine muscle coordination and postural stability improve  when you write with a pen.Something I want to work on again…

The simple joys of flowing with a pen and looking at your work right before you, a tangible piece that   connects you with yourself in the touch. It’s hard to replace.

My writing, which seemed erratic  at first due to lack of practice, has seen much improvement. Hope this art is not forgotten by other writers.

A point of reflection:

When was the last time you took time to write with a pen on a page ?

Savvy


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Poets & Poetry

On power of words:

A slice of life
Poets may carve with words…
Emerging from life experiences
lived or observed.
Poets may offer fresh perspectives,
Embedded in words in a flow…

Sometimes the words may rush
On its own without hesitation
To express away with a purpose.

But often it is a channeling…
Of creating spaces between
To pause & empathize
Before the outpouring.
It invites you to ponder…

Words have profound power
In the way they are arranged
And the thoughtful poet knows
To convey the message home.

Yet , every poet is one of a kind
And so is their poetry
Every poet balances the flow uniquely…

On empathy:

In Poets, empathy makes you sense and relate with compassion,
It makes you feel one with another.
Yet the poet is strategic, as to be a poem the verses need to be well emoted as much as arranged, as words manage to touch another soul in inexplicable ways.

And what happens when empathy connects with poetry?

What are your thoughts on the above?

© Savvy Raj


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Boredom  : A space for more

Wished a very enterprising friend
On his birthday today
Umpteen solar cycles wise
He has weathered
the storms of life
And yet through it all is a joy to connect

I paused a moment
when I read his reply
beyond the thank-you.
In his words…

“My days are long and boring, but at this stage of my life, boring is a desired quality.
May life give you what you desire the most at every stage of your life”.

His words touched my heart

It speaks much of a spirit
wanting to do much more
A recognition of boredom,
Is the desire to unravel life
some more.

Boredom creates a space
Between the steps
In realization and acknowledgement
Of the preciousness of time

And that is in itself, valuable
For it is allowing you to tap
into potential possibilities.
And discover something more,
awaiting your creativity
on the other side of boredom.
In finding the good in boredom
Life isn’t so boring after all!

I thank my friend for his kind blesses &
I wish my dear friend
a fascinating birthday
that lights up his day
and brings joy to his heart.

Savvy


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Valley of Reactivity

Between & betwixt  spaces

Of pause and activity

 In the thinking and doing

Overcome the challenges

Of the conflicts of being.

Move on from valleys of reactions

From impulsive actions

That stems from assumptions

Reach out in responsiveness

Being positively intentional

Leading to clarity

In the deeper listening.

Savvy


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Songs of the soul

Words flow, as if they are meant to
Everything that is has a reason why
How they come be and for what
Is also it’s own doing in time.

In bits and pieces in the moments
In a downpour like  in a storm
As a spark to ignite hope in the dark
To shed light on the invisible.

Words that flow through you
Arrive in the sensing in clarity
And at times vague from nowhere
In verses, prose or lyrics

In a particular pattern
That seems to self arrange
For only those who it matters
Perhaps afor it to be seen and heard

Words live on in their hearts
As songs of their soul
It makes sense to those who care
To read it in their own way…

Savvy


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The body never lies

Movements matter
For the body never lies
Whether you move
with your thoughts,
words or body.
 
It conveys the truth of you
In more ways than you know
Movements are unique to us
For they are imprints of life

The body never lies they say
Our movements convey the truth of our soul.
As words flow…
Writing reveals much about the writer
In the words said and unsaid
In the way the writer begins
& ends
In the choice of words itself…

But all said and done all writing, all creative arts can be cathartic experiences. The healing happens in the expression, in the letting go…

I write at leisure to relax and enjoy writing. It heals me. Perhaps if I am pressured to write I may not be feeling this way.

What are your thoughts on writing?

How has your writing helped you?

Savvy

9 am Pune India


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On writing

Writing every day
Unplugs the steam
Off everyday stress
Unleashes the flavours
Of life in the experiencing
Through thoughts & words
Flowing unbridled
Inked in the thinking through
Linked in the freeverses
Interweaved in the living.

Savvy


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The Paradox of Idea Generation

While working with teams in collaboration Our assumptions and notions often lead us.

Our expressions are guarded and stunted in Our doubts kicks in a resistance to be free.

The attitudes that we carry around ideas
Often block us from generating fresh ideas
We believe our idea must be the best idea.
We believe we cannot say what we think.
We fear the criticism of what we openly say
We hold back thinking sharing is not wise.
Or that someone  will steal our ideas.
Or that we will not get credit for it.
Or perhaps the need for perfection kicks in

All are the real blocks in creative ideations
Without faith and confidence in ourselves
We cannot express & ideate in groups
Yet nothing is achieved in silos
Growth is a consequence of the sharing.

Creative possibilities are enhanced
In a more exploratory space of learning Adopting  a more collaborative approach.
As we begin to share, we learn some more.

Great ideas are born from creative collaboration.

Have you tried to collaborate creatively with a team? Do share your experiences.

Savvy


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Spill Art

Very interesting perspectives…

Spill creates Art

I wonder what makes the mind want to take a spill to art.
What evokes the heart to charge the creator with imagination and energy…
To be able to create such artful associations.

Some learnings from a Spill
To turnover a spill to evolve for better

If a child has spilled a cup of milk accidentally….
To keep calm and address the lesson in the spill like carefulness, steadiness, patience, thoroughness, cleanliness and most of all mindfulness.

What’s is spilled, is spilled already…. what matters is what we do about it.

Savvy

As a child when my daughter dropped a glass of water, spilled milk on the floor accidentally, without getting angry admonishing, I have used it as moments to convey such lessons… so much so that it made her understand the value being in the moment while doing anything.

Great lessons can be taught in such moments and vulnerability can become a strength in time.

Similarly one can intend

To create hope in a spill…
To sense a pattern of possibilities in a spill

To use a spillover to change mindsets
To challenge the statuesque through a spill.

To evoke creativity and art…
To test skillsets learned from a spill

To create art in revisiting patterns & perspective
To spill some more and align the pattern formations.

To move beyond the evident spillover…
To envision hope beyond the accidental spill

To accentuate the spill artfully
To create masterpieces from the potential in a spillover…

To understand there is always a reason why and the learnings to come.
To empathize with the spillings across the learning curve

So the very act of overflow or spill
Or a cup that runneth over
Can be a turning point in itself
With the many lessons to learn.
The choice rests with us.

Savvy

This post is a spillover effect from an earlier share by my good friend Ali Anani, PhD.


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Soul Enrichers

Soul Enrichers…

I do believe the journey of life, broadens the mind and brightens the spirit if we are ready to acknowledge the unfolding gifts of connections. along the way.

In my journeys across the world earlier, as a Dance Educator teaching and speaking about dance applications and approaches there have been some amazing people both in the dance circuits and otherwise,who I have had very fascinating conversations with…

I want to share a bit here about some of these beautiful people from across the world who I had a chance connect with, nothing planned,yet meeting them was truly soul enriching to say the least.

Would like to begin the first in these series of posts with Emily Berry who is now a dear friend.

Emily, the beautiful intelligent woman with an Indian Soul all the way from New York … who dances with all her heart and soul 🙂

Emily Berry is the Artistic Director of B3W Performance Group, which has performed in the US, England, Greece, and Mexico...

We met in 2014 Greece, while we were representing our own countries at the World Dance Research Congress.

In her own words…

“I strive to create a safe space for students to learn, explore, question, and become independent thinkers and movers. In technique courses, I address each individual student’s unique body in order to help them develop their technique through muscle re-patterning. Students learn anatomical awareness and tools to help them move past road blocks.

In theory, improvisation and composition courses my main goal is to help student’s find their own voice. Creating a judgment free space is essential so students are not afraid to explore new movement possibilities.”

Professor Aviva Geismar

Berry’s choreography has been tackling such issues as race, the glass ceiling, domestic violence, women in prison, and war since 1995.

Today, brought in a beautiful memory of a time when I had an amazing afternoon walk with her, while at the Acropolis museum Athens.

I remember how a shared a common love for all things dance… got us interacting post our dance workshops and rest just fell in place!

We conversed like we have known each other from years ago…

‘Beautiful places… Beautiful memories ‘💙

Savvy


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Just be




Be anchored be balanced.

Life has a way of arranging itself.

Trust your path is meant to be

Just be…

Savvy


9 Comments

Dancing In Harmony





Dance not to impress
Dance to express 
Dance for no one but you

In the dance sometimes
The dance begins to lead the way
But know you choose the way.

Choose to pause between the steps
When you need to balance the self
To dance again from the center of your being.




You are the dance, the dance is in you
But you must abide
By the truth of your being

If you dance without your soul
Or if you dance without your spirit
You feel empty as you are not there.

Then you are not true to your purpose
To express the way of your being.
So tune in to authenticity.

There may be many distractions
Along the way of dancers dancing
Different dances for different  reasons






Every life has its own purpose
Whats relevant to stay truly aligned
To dance in harmony with your being.

Savvy


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A Good Life!


Love life,
Laugh more
Dance often
Appreciate life
Hope for the better
Feel  good
Express kindness
Think well
Believe you can!

In all the positive moves you make…

You Create A Good Life!

Savvy


10 Comments

On Action

An action that builds confidence is better than inaction which arises from fear.

At times the action is a success, at times , may be the action needs a new direction to be successful but action is better than no action.

Savvy


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On Leadership

 

 Here are my musings to support the

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.


Savvy