Thoughts in the Morning

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allowing, artist, Balance, Ballet, becoming, beleif, Believing, bliss, body knowledge, change, choreography, Conscious Living, contemporary dance, courage, Courageous Vulnerability, EBAS, Energy, faith, Grateful

In my meditations this morning I was reminded of an image I share when I am teaching dance. I was also reminded that this thought process is very present in all of my work. That made me take a moment and enjoy how wonderful my work is and how grateful I am for being able to do the work I do. I thought I might share this with you and see if in fact it touches you today.

This entry is from Stephen Mitchell’s The Second Book of Tao. I am pulling out a part of the writing to direct my thoughts more clearly.

“Between the joints there are spaces, and the blade has no thickness. It slips right through; there is more than enough room for it. And when I come to a difficult part, I slow down, I focus my attention, I barely move, the knife finds its way until suddenly the flesh falls apart on its own. I stand there and let the joy of the work fill me. Then I wipe the blade clean and put it away.”

This reminds me a lot of how I share my thoughts about dance. I speak a lot about the space between gravity. The image is to remind people that we are not defying gravity, but moving through it with the rising energy of the earth that moves freely through our bodies. When we are training and learning new skills, it is imperative to take a moment to slow down and truly learn the movement by focusing on the sensation and feeling of each molecule of our being. When we do this we can feel the transformation of physicality as the unknown becomes felt and the difficulty falls away. It is as if we peel away the layer of confusion by quieting the mind and letting the mind of the body figure out the work. And when all is said and felt, we honor the work by thanking ourselves for taking the time and allowing the space to express our courage and vulnerability of the journey of not knowing to knowing.

Grateful Is

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Believing, conscious, Conscious Living, courage, Courageous Vulnerability, Energy, faith, Grateful, heart, heart path, Is, journey, light, love, Magic, pathway, Soul to Soul, spirit, spirituality, thankful, this moment, thoughts, Wonder

I am not sure where this begins or that ends. Actually, the longer I spend focused on the moment; I realize increasingly that all that matters simply is. No beginning, no end. No rules or instructions, just present being.

I am no longer looking at the future head on, I am accepting the present fully while embracing all that is as it washes through me. Yes, my body, as is my life, is porous and open letting time and events pass easily through without being stuck on the fear that used to clog my being.

This is not to say I am giving up mind you, just to acknowledge I am giving in. Giving in to what is larger than the scattered pieces of me, and that which is more capable of sifting through sorrow and pain dissolving it with love. Releasing control is in fact allowing for what is to be yours as you consciously accept all that is possible and all the abundance that wants to be in vibrational congruency with your heart.

I am grateful for a path that has so graciously allowed so much prosperity and joy in my life. I could not have imagined a life so full and so bright. Nor, can I possibly imagine what is in store as I willingly accept all that comes and all that will be shared with others.

I give thanks for all that is. For all that is, is a reflection of all that is inside of me as well as what is inside of others. This energy and light is shining brightly in the heart of the day as well the blue in which this days sky covers our heads and in the nourishment of what we will absorb in our sustenance. May we cycle this energy and light into our matter so that we might matter in our lives and in the lives of others.

Happy Birthday, Baxter!

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connection, dogs, dogs birthday, Grateful, peace, pets, soul of a dog, Soul to Soul, spirit, zen dog

Today is the fifth birthday of my sweet Zen dog Baxter. I am amazed at how quickly time has passed and how rich my life is since he adopted me just five years ago. It is truly amazing the energy and spirit he brings to my life and what he continues to teach me and remind me about what it means to be fully human as well as what it means to be a citizen of this planet.

 

Five years ago I found myself dog less as both of my previous beautiful dogs passed. I had Basil for 15 years who passed from old age and Anise who passed due to a liver disease. Both of them were a tremendous joy and brought such light and love to my life as I crossed the country dancing and making work. They were two of the best well traveled dogs one could ever meet.

 

Once they both passed, I promised myself I would let time heal my loss and be sure not to replace them or the memory of them with just any dog. Since I knew I would know when the time was right, I simply waited for the right dog to find me, and find me he did.

 

I spent about a year and a half open to seeing dogs, going to rescue places and just waiting until I knew. One August day I happened to walk by a rescue site that sets up outside of Pet smart. I began walking slowly looking in the crates. I make sure to make eye contact to see the light in the eyes of the dogs and to feel is there is a connection. When my attention was drawn to a crate a little up the way, I looked in and two giant green eyes surrounded by chocolate bliss were staring back at me. It was then I knew he was meant to be with me.

 

When the volunteer took him out and put him in my arms I could feel it in my bones. His coat was ratty due to having just been getting through carcoptic mange, but his energy and spirit would have made you believe he never had a rough day in his life. So full of light and spirit was he that all that mattered was to simply be held in the arms of me.

 

We spent some time together walking and just being. I knew that quiet time was an indication of many things. His personality, his energy and maybe even a relation to the spirit of Basil was very much the same way. There was something about Baxter that had much of Basil in him. It made me wonder if perhaps Basil had come back to spend some more time with me. If he did, he certainly made his way back well through the cosmic soup.

 

Whatever it was, we found one another that day and for this I celebrate and honor him on this glorious day of him. Happy Birthday, Baxter! May I give to you even half of what you share with me.

Reflections on a Rehearsal

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artists, Ballet, choreographer, choreography, Conscious Living, contemporary dance, creative process, dance makers, dance making, enchantment, friends, Grateful, heart path, Magic, Modern, process, Soul to Soul, thankful

There are times when moments are taking place and you realize time is slowing down a bit in order for you to see very clearly that all is well and right in your world. Yesterday during my day of class was very much like this. There was so much time to work so deeply that I was able to step back in my spirit and realize how glorious this all is.

I am grateful to be able to live such a luxurious life in the arts. It is not everyday that one gets to immerse themselves fully in all they love being surrounded by people who give themselves and their hearts so fully to the things they love also. It is an honor to be able to be allowed to make-work and walk the path of magic as dances reveal themselves for the first time or are reborn to speak again.

When I am in the studio, I am in church. I am in a sacred place of worship with the divine dreaming of all that a body can do, become and realize in choreography.  This is such an enchanted space, a mystical foray into the heart and mind of the creative energetic river. How grateful I am to be able to be a dream keeper of dance in this way. I am honored to be one of many who dive deeply into the ocean, swimming with the currents and riding the tides of this creative universe.

I also find myself fortunate enough to be on my heart path with some very remarkably talented and spirited people. We all walk our own ways merging with one another in the work while supporting one another’s individual voices and gifts. It is not often that one gets to be fulfilled by the magic their friends bring to the process, in both physicality and the richness of their hearts.

I was so moved in rehearsal yesterday by the enchanted ways in which the work seemed to pour out of the deep muscle memory of the dancers. It was as if the work lingered in the well of their musculature as they conjured up the kinetic imagery inside of themselves that collectively is being reborn as “Creek Walkers under a Waning Moon”.

I look forward to when the dance emerges once again to inhabit the space energetically kept by the dancers and absorbed into the hearts and mind of the audience. This makes me wonder if dance is as ephemeral as we all think it is. I think the dances I help to bring to life have physicality to them kept alive in the bodies of dancers and the souls of the people who have let the work be absorbed into the fibers of their beings.

This is my goal is as a dance maker; to make the kind of work that resonates as a meaningful experience opening a doorway to consciousness that bridges the spirit to walk more deeply into the center of our beings. It is important to actualize work that is humanity in motion and dance alchemy speaking to our enchanted hearts.

Thank You Mom!

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beleif, Gracsiousness, Grateful, love, Mother's Day, spirit, Support, Thank you! Blessings, Unconditional Love

There are many things I am grateful to my mother for, but the one thing I am most thankful for learning and for being the recipient of was her faith and belief in me to follow my heart. I would not be doing what I do for a living, traveling the world and making great work if it was not for her continued support to learn new things while following my heart path.

 

I believe the graciousness that came from her is one of the most significant factors in my development as well as my happiness. Although I struggled to fight for my path with my father and with those around me, she was always there encouraging me on to keep on moving in the direction of my dreams. Although she may not have understood them, accepted the people who walked the path with me or could comprehend my contemporary practices, she still, despite not quite seeing where I was heading, supported my journey.

 

This is quintessentially what loving someone unconditionally is all about.  This support, energy, belief and love, is what I have learned most and carry with me always. She taught me to keep on moving forward, or in whatever direction I needed, in order to follow the whispers of my heart. In doing so, without question, she taught me to keep faith, maintain determination, and let the water wash off the back even if you have to swim upstream.

 

She did all of this unconditionally and without question because what was more important to her than living her dream of who she wanted me to be, she preferred I become who I am. I am grateful for her conviction, courage and unconditional love.

Thank you mom for the blessings and beautify of this life as well as for the gift of life itself!

Happy Mother’s Day!