the power of dance

Ohhhhhhhh. The magick is flowing super-large on this fine Monday. It is the Summer Solstice...and the energies are groovin' with the sway of the trees. SPLENDID!

I thought it a good time to share something I found this morning. There is a woman, a beautiful, Ebony woman, named Wyoma. She teaches African Healing Dance (among other things) and is as captivating a teacher as I've ever seen. Having been a dancer for most of my life, I am always thrilled when I find teachers who can inspire others to move. I was blessed with natural rhythm...but not everyone is. I know because I've tried to teach those 'less rhythmic' folks...and always found it puzzling that they couldn't feel the rhythms. What I didn't know then was that it wasn't so much they didn't have it, they simply forgot it. But I digress....

Wyoma has a video on YouTube that gives a good sampling of what she teaches. She also has a DVD (also available on VHS, for those who still use those machines) called "Wyoma: African Healing Dance" available for purchase on Amazon. Yes. I ordered it.

You see, it's been a VERY long while since I've been able to dance. I can't even begin to tell you how much that has pained me. Dance is, without question, one of my favorite forms of exercise AND meditation. Yes. MEDITATION. I get lost in it. I get completely out of my 'head' and into my heart when I dance. All thoughts evaporate. All stress disappears. The sweat pours out of me and my heart sings as I move. I LOVE to dance. When I saw this little video, my whole body began to move to the rhythm of the drum...while I sat in a chair! My hands and my feet and all the rest of me was dancin' in the chair, huge grin spread across my mugg. Got goosebumps and tinglies all through my body. MAGICK!

Before I knew it, there were tears running down my face...and I KNEW, really KNEW, that I WILL DANCE AGAIN. And then I remembered my friend Jenny (Mannion) talking about her own journey back to wellness...and how she is now dancing in a Belly Dance Troupe. Just a few years ago she was told (by MDs) that she'd end in a wheel chair. And now? She's belly dancing! Just goes to show ya...the power of dance is truly healing. So then...

If you think you can't...you are mistaken. As Wyoma reminds us: "If you can talk, you can sing. If you can walk, you can dance." (Old Zimbabwe proverb)

What are ya waiting for?

the gratitude dance

OHHHH!!! This is FUN stuff. You really gotta watch this. I'm tellin' ya, you're gonna jump outta your chair and dance right along with 'em. SUPERFUNSTUFF!

the moment you step out of gratitude
you step out of grace.
& moment you step out of grace
all hell breaks loose.
you forget all about the magick.
you forget all about how totally awesome
your world is.
you forget that you can
anything you want.
it's a horrible
terrifying
utterly life-sucking
downward spiral
that'll kill ya
if you don't grab onto something
on the way down.
then
the magick shows up.
all by itself
you don't even haveta ask
it just shows up
in the voice of a friend
or a perfectly timed note
or a bluejay with a mouthful of bug
calling to her partner
to come have a snack.
the magick shows up and saves your ass
in the knick of time
every time.
you remember
one single tiny thing
to be grateful for.
that's all it takes.
one teeny little wonderful thing
that makes your world so beautiful
and pretty soon
you're remembering all kindsa stuff
and not long after that
you're grinning from ear to ear
and dancing around the garden
like a crazy person.
next thing you know
you're right back in
Grace.
damn.
what a hoot.