More archives my friends, but so worth repeating, especially because I am thrilled that we have so many new readers here joining us on our Tribal Quest…
I wrote this back in 2011, also…
What do you do to create magic in your life? And how is the dance magical for you? Can you write about it. Tell me!
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Creating magic in my life, that is what it is about, to have that day in paradise. Every day. Beauty, magic, connection—both with people and the earth. That is how the dance, our tribal bellydance in particular, became such a powerful force in my life. It is about creating magic through movement and connection, in the moment, in a group of artists. About the sparkle of the intensity of that connection, the power, the beauty, the creative flame, using the spontaneous, synchronistic, and physical movement. I write a lot about that in my book, Tribal Vision: A Celebration of Life Through Tribal Belly Dance. Dancing helps me to connect to my spirit (god) self, my physical self, my mental and emotional self. Pure movement, adrenalin pumping, heart thumping, snakey and mesmerizing or shaking vibrational movement. Gets my head up and revives my spirit. We all need to move.
I walk around my land, sometimes alone, or sometimes with my dogs and goats, and it doesn’t take much at all to feel the magic, just pure being, really—walking, listening to the sounds of the wind whipping through the trees, the birds singing their songs back and forth, the dogs barking, the rooster crowing, the nest of baby swallows chirping, the crate of 2 day old chicklets talking incessantly, the coyotes howling in the moonlight. Or I take a few minutes to breathe deep, stretch, do a little yoga, dance around my living room, play my guitar, cook, or write. It is all magical to me, fun and delightful. That list could go on and on, but the important thing is that it does. And how often I need to stop and take note of those things, when life gets so full, when classes are being planned, trips are being arranged, work days are full and never stop, the animals need to be fed, the body is tired and aches for down time, but there is no stoppping. Then I need to remember the magic, and to know that I create the magic for myself, only. And really, that is a cool thing. Dreaming, making magic happen. Another quote, from Eleanor Roosevelt: The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
What do you do to create magic in your life? And how is the dance magical for you? Can you write about it. Tell me!
Perizad recently wrote to me, and included this thought about our dance!
The community of tribal sisterhood ranges far and wide. We have, through this style of dance, instilled in our students and fellow performers, a sense of community, a tribal way of thinking, where we stand together, support each other, and grow together as spirits of positive energy. With the lessons we learn, and give to our students as instructors, comes a self-less, rather than a selfish, way of living. It is the greatest gift we receive as participants in this amazing dance we know as tribal style belly dance.
So many people don’t consider themselves artists. Yet life is about living artfully, creating our own vision of beauty and magic. Eating scrumptious foods, drinking delicious concoctions, breathing fresh air, creating wondrous moments. Do you know people who take life for granted, and believe themselves to be indestructable and invincable, and that our planet is as well. They eat processed and junk foods, don’t move their bodies, don’t recycle. What ever. Just not being conscious and aware of life. And for us dancers, (and everyone else too) this is not okay. Our bodies are our tools, our medium with which to create, our well-being. Our happiness and our creatvity depend upon our body-physical, emotional, and spiritual. Our body depends upon us. And if we don’t take care of it, replenish it, work it, well, it won’t work for us, in the long run. So come on dancers, think about it. Take off those extra pounds so your body dances for you! Drink more water. Write more words. What ever it is that you want to do for yourself to feel better and dance divine. And be that supersoolhappylovething!
I heard a great quote the other day from the fabulous writer SARK (Susan Kennedy, www.planetsark.com/). She was talking about taking time, even in micro movements, to do what delights you. See, there is that magic thing again. You create your own magic!
Anyway, how many times have you said that you can’t find the time to do what you really want? And SARK says that you can’t find time because time is not lost! Well, how about that? You can make time, but you can’t find time. So much of our mind set is in our wordage. Next time think about how you phrase things for yourself, because it is true: thoughts become things (thanks Mike Dooley).
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Thanks my friends… hope you are enjoying rereading if you’ve been with me that long, and way cool if you have… I adore you…
Let me know how your words are flowing… and your life is going. I love that you are here for the quest….
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