For the Roads*

 

THE WARRIOR GODDESS

 Save some of your fervor and ferocity invested in external causes for a worthy inner cause, the proverbial "Durga" battle, I'm referring to the inner demons, the ones that constantly whittle away our confidence and self esteem and plant disempowering viruses, unless we learn how to conquer them, they will continue to proliferate and show up as external mirrors, people and situations that reflect our own internal tyranny against ourselves.

 

We can become so used to it that we don't realize how much this inner battle affects our lives, particularly if we buy into the false messages. Every time we feel the need to control and manipulate, prove ourselves at the expense of others or our own well being, or be inauthentic to gain approval and love, it is an indication that these inner demons have gained footing.

 

In the myth Durga resists the demons by wildly chopping them to pieces with her sword, but every piece transforms into a demon, so "what she resists persists" she recognizes the futility of this and transforms into Kali. Kali takes that blood dripping tongue of hers and slurps up the carnage, digesting the demons as "spiritual food." 

 The Goddesses of old house our own archetypal journey back to the purity of perception and freedom from our own imaginary illusions. They call upon us to surrender our swords and instead to become aware, to face, accept and then integrate our shadow, absorbing self understanding from the inner battle, transforming it into strength and fierce love for self and humanity. The next time you start feeling bad about yourself remember this, don't feed the illusion, hold yourself in a loving embrace and allow the thoughts and feelings to flow through.

 

Be aware and conscious so that you can make choices that empower who you truly are. ♥

 

Via: Katrina Vebralovich

The Criteria* - what makes it all worth

This week will be an intimate retreat where doubts will be caressed, questions will multiply themselves and decisions will de made. Choreographing is - essentially - the courage to TAKE DECISIONS having in account that more interesting decisions will be made in the future but that what we are right NOW is worth sharing with oneself and others. Yep: tomorrow I´ll do it differently, more interesting for me, at least.


What moves me as a person?
What moves me as a dancer?
What moves me as an Artist? - I ask myself constantly as if I didn´t want to lose track of who I am and what I do (with all the motivations that back it up).

I REALLY don´t want to lose track of myself or even for a second be unfaithful to my own soul so I ASK, more and more: I ASK. I...

I´m a learning junkie - therefore I have to learn while I work in order to keep me interested in my craft. I have to SURPRISE MYSELF (probably the most difficult of all challenges) every time I choreograph, perform or teach.
If I teach, I HAVE to LEARN/GROW/SURPRISE MYSELF.
If I perform, I HAVE to LEARN/GROW/SURPRISE MYSELF.
If I choreograph, I HAVE to LEARN/GROW/SURPRISE MYSELF.

The moment I see a place, person, situation does not contribute to my EVOLUTION I fly away to conquer other, more productive pastures. Some see it as a selfish attitude: I guess it is but it is me, my nature, my CRITERIA for what is worth doing or not.
Some follow money, applause, pats on the back, coronations and prizes; some follow the shallow sound of commercial approval and keep doing what they think will bring them more status, profit, fame. I follow my own dignity, my own growth, my own consciousness of a deep ignorance whose bittersweet thirst can only be tamed through that blissful and restless state of BEING THE ETERNAL STUDENT.





 In the next 5 days (5= number of chaos) I will enter in the 5th dimension (number 5 again) and dare to CREATE something that makes ME breathless. Just hoping others will FEEL it too once I share my work with them.

Until we meet again: LOVE to all.

Bad girl and EVENTS to follow!

 

I know, I know...I´ve been a bad, bad girl - at least a bad blogger. Many apologies to all my followers but, in fact, these times are streching my already overloaded agenda; myself and I have been divided into so many duties, passions, tasks, challenges and dreams that I fear not even my Gemini multi-tasking personality can take it all in.

I apologize, yet again, in advance for the upcoming absence due to constant traveling for work. I will try to post some news of the events via FB but I cannot promise to update the blog as I go along. Too much on my hands (between the Writing, the Teaching and Performing, the Travels for work and my newest baby ("The Secrets of Egyptian Dance" course) I admit I have my hands full and my cup running over a thousand times more than a common human being can bare.

I´m currently starting a month and a half marathon of INTENSIVE CREATIVE WORK, TRAVELS and CYCLES that are - happily - closing in order for NEW, BRIGHTER things to be born. I am thrilled and excited and always proud for not surrendering to mediocrity and keep moving at my absolute BEST when all odds seem to indicate I would do the opposite.

Next on my AGENDA: Events in in Spain, Russia, Portugal and more to come very soon...

I just hope I can learn as much as I teach (or more); I hope I meet a LOT of people totally in LOVE with Oriental Dance just as I am; I hope God grants me energy, health, inspirations and an open brave chest that turns every wind intowings and rainy days into tempests of extreme JOY after which nothing and no ones stays the same.

The first step given at "The Secrets of Egyptian Dance" course

The first step at my pioneer and newest baby course "The Secrets of Egyptian Dance" was taken yesterday in Lisbon.

I cannot describe through words all the LIGHTS and DOORS that we created together and how rewarding it is to SHARE with the WORLD the secrets I learnt directly from the Great School of Egypt´s Mysteries.
All this material was already inside me and living, performing, observing and feeling Egypt only re-awakened it all. Egypt does not GIVE something magical to whoever does not carry that magic inside. It just re-awakens it.

Through the last years of performing and teaching in Egypt and, more recently, all over the world I´ve observed that many of the ESSENTIAL things that made Egyptian Dance what it REALLY is (with that eternal MAGIC touch that seems to be extinct, even or specially in Egypt) were not known by dancers - amateurs and professionals. Technique was there - more or less; theoric knowledge of the cultural context and music was there - in some cases. But the ESSENCE that I took for granted (because it is a second nature to me or it BECAME a second nature while I bloomed inside my work in Egypt) were totally unknown.

This Course - The Secrets of Egyptian Dance - was born out of this observation and the faults I identified everywhere (and I mean EVERYWHERE, even in the countries where Oriental Dance is most developed).
What makes egyptian dance REALLY MAGICAL? What was that the last generation of true Raks Sharki egyptian dancers (like Souhair Zaki with whom I had the honor of studying) had that made us breathless, touched in the deepest part of our hearts and souls?!
Oh, dears: we´re heading for the ANSWER and the incredible JOURNEY that goes along with it.

Naming, structuring, finding a way to put into PRACTICE those SECRETS I have gathered inside myself was the first phase of this project. Starting to teach it - yesterday, in Lisbon - was the second phase and NOW there is only FLOWERS growing in my garden and so many people to share them with.
In Love*.

 "And the Great Mother said:
Come my child and give me all that you are.
I am not afraid of your strength and darkness,
of your fear and pain.
Give me your tears. They will be my rushing
rivers and roaring oceans.
Give me your rage. It will erupt into my molten
volcanoes and rolling thunder.
Give me your tired spirit. I will lay it to rest in
my soft meadows.
Give me your hopes and dreams. I will plant a field of sunflowers and arch rainbows in the sky.
You are not too much for me. My arms and heart
welcome your true fullness.
There is room in my world for all of you,
all that you are.
I will cradle you in the boughs of my ancient redwoods
and the valleys of my gentle rolling hills.
My soft winds will sing you lullabies and
soothe your burdened heart.
Release your deep pain.You are not alone
and you have never been alone."

Linda Reuther "Homecoming"
Via: Susana Tomás