- Filmed the content for my upcoming DVD’s (due to be released this year!)

- Changed the business name to Body Temple Dance Company along with a completely new web site! Check it out www.BodyTempleDance.com

- Created and refined a new format ” The Body Temple Format” which i am realllly excited about. I also had a great time training Sonia Jewer to teach Level One- Congratulations Sonia!

As always im busy with my beautiful son Kuan who has just started school- wow where has the year gone???!!

Thankfully i have Kuan and our lovely chickens to help me stay grounded!

see web site for more info (www.sacredtribalbellydance.com)

Throughout these happenings there was a sense of ease and knowingness within the flock. And I feel that this is because they were aware  that they were all flying in the same direction as one unit (while constantly being in a state of flux). I was immediately able to see how this related to all of us in life, where we all have a time where we flow and harmonize with people or situations, and at some stage one person may change or circumstances change and this results in a ‘flowing out of synch’. This creates a ripple affect and impacts everyone else. The important reminder for us humans though, is that we are all heading in the same direction and knowing this can ease the unsettled feelings that can accompany change and disruption.

One of the most dramatic forms of Chinese dance is the sleeve or ribbon dance in which a dancer uses long silk sleeves to accentuate her hand and arm movements, whirling then around like banners or ribbons and snapping them like whips. The opening scene of the film House of Daggers features Ziyi Zhang repelling an attack of stones and trying to assassinate a leader with a knife hidden in here long sleeves while doing such a dance.

Extra-long sleeves are associated with Confucian moral conduct, which promoted covering the entire body from sunlight. The sleeves are used as both extension of the hands or are thrown back to reveal sensitive and beautiful hand movements of the dancer. A.C. Scott wrote in the International Encyclopedia of Dance, “The long white silk cuffs, the ‘water sleeves,” are “a functional extension of the ordinary sleeves of an actor’s robe, as much as two feet log, and the sweeping pheasant plumes of six to seven feet, worn in pairs and attached to certain headdresses. These are manipulated while being held between the first and middle fingers of each hand.”

Some Images of my first Long Sleeve Dance at the Belly dance Soul Card Launch

I AM

I am life

I am spirit

I am conscoiusness

I am worthy and valuable

I am a unique and precious human being

No-one in the universe is quite the same or has exactly the same impact on the world as my own unique precious self.

Even though my awareness may differ from others, my worthiness is absolutely equal with all, for no-one in the world is more or less imortant than I am.

My loyalty is firstly to my true self and what’s true for me.

I have no need to worship others opinions. I stand up for my own values.

I am my own authority. I think for myslef and act accordingly.

I am in charge of my own thoughts and images. This way i am consciously in charge of my own life. I can create for myself as i choose. I have inner strength, wisdom and compassion, sufficient enough to handle everything i will encounter. Knowing i am not my actions, I allow myself the freedom to make mistakes and to be defeated without feeling guilty or inferior.

I give myself freedom to be wrong, to fail, and to be less than perfect. I defer to no one on account of their wealth, power or prestige.

I can say ‘no’ even when i know it will displease others. I do not let others talk me into things against my better judgement. I do not deny my own needs, feelings or whats true for me in order to please others.

I acknowledge that i am without blame or guilt, for in the whole of my life, in every situation, i know i have done the best i could, with what i knew and the circumstances i was in at the time, and always will. In giving up all reasons for remorse or guilt or blame or shame to do with any past actions, i now have warm and loving feelings towards myself, for i am totally worthy and have every reason to have a high opinion of myself.

I refrain from all value judging or having expectations of others, and i am free of resentment and bitterness. I allow all peole the right to their own unique awareness.

I do not allow personal comparisons to affect my sense of worth. I do not try to prove my worth by accomplishments. I realise i cannot prove or disapprove my worth by what i do. My very existance proves my innate worth and importance.

I acknowledge that everything i recognize as good and beautiful in another must also be in me to recognize it in the other.

I love and cherish my wonderful precious self, for i accept myself totally and unconditionally. As the soul, I am an indestructable spiritual being.

I AM ENOUGH

We each hold the light of divine love.

It is our choice to embrace its gifts.

We embody the light and transform the self,

through integrating and accepting our light (acceptable/positive) traits and aspects,

as well as our shadow (disowned/neglected) traits and aspects

And by opening the heart through forgiveness,

We rise above the ego’s grasp

and are able to openly share our love with others

and freely receive the blessings

From heaven

And Earth….

Recently I taught a workshop which focused upon “Dancing with Power “. Within this workshop we explored various interpretations of power, including what we perceived to be a powerful dancer.  It has been through this experience, as well as through my own personal journey that I would like to explore how the integration of our shadow aspects may enable us each to express our own sacred power.

The shadow self, are traits that we have disowned and refused to accept as being a part of who we are. These include both positive (light shadow) and negative (dark shadow) aspects. We grow up learning which behaviours and qualities are acceptable to others, as well as those that are not. We may then learn to hide these unacceptable aspects of ourselves deep within the subconscious, where they become disowned and perhaps even forgotten. The resulting ‘masks’ that we then develop and thus reveal to the world are many of those aspects that we feel are ‘acceptable’ to both ourselves and to others. Our masks form as a result of our fears, however they can also serve us by acting as a protective shield throughout our life. By unconcealing our shadow aspects, the masks we have worn are then revealed. Through the gradual chipping away of this mask, the light of our authentic self starts to shine through. The authentic self is in essence whole, and through accepting and integrating all aspects of who we truly are, we are then more able to embrace the totality of ourselves and therefore actualise our true potential. In my opinion, embracing the wholeness of our selves is the expression of sacred power.

Because shadow aspects are often forgotten and buried deep within, the main gift that we have in revealing them is through our awareness of projection. Every aspect we see in another, especially when it produces an emotional charge, is a projection of an aspect we have not completely accepted or owned within the self. This leads me to believe that if we did not possess a certain quality within ourselves, we could not then recognize it in another. Ken Wilber suggests that the “projection on the ego level is very easily identified: if a person or thing in the environment informs us, we probably aren’t projecting, on the other hand, if it affects us, chances are that we are victim to our own projections”. One trait that I often found myself projecting onto others was inauthenticity. For me this was an aspect that I refused to accept within myself, thus the universe would consistently present me with people who I thought were being inauthentic. I then began to look a little deeper and acknowledged times that I would put on a ‘happy, strong’ mask, while deep down I felt insecure and scared. What a classic example of inauthenticity! Once I was able to accept this trait within myself, I noticed that I no longer felt the same emotional charge when I was confronted with this perceived trait in others. I was also able to discover and appreciate the gift that came with the integration of this aspect, which in this case for me was acceptance.

Exercise in discovering your shadow aspects

I invite you to spend a few moments quietening your mind in a private space. I also suggest that you have your journal close by throughout this exercise.

1) Start by making a list of 3 people you dislike and write 3 traits for each of them that you despise. Then write the names of 3 people that you admire, followed by 3 positive traits that you love about them. This exercise may help you to reveal the dark shadow aspects as well as the light shadow aspects within your self. Interestingly both can be as equally challenging to accept and integrate.

2) Then become aware of the behaviours in others that really push your buttons (partners and parents are often common subjects of our projections).  I suggest that you also become aware of people who really inspire you (teachers or celebrities can be common people we may project our light shadow onto)

3) Finally, be completely honest with yourself and answer the following questions: Have I ever displayed a similar trait? Am I capable of expressing it given the circumstances? Do I currently express this trait? If you find this task difficult ask some one close to you to be brutally honest. Then make a commitment to observe your self for the next week and journal your findings.

(For further exercises and information on integrating shadow aspects, I highly recommend “The dark side of the light chasers” by Debbie Ford.)

It is my belief that without taking personal responsibility for our emotional reactions and projections, we remain the victim in our life experiences. The universe will continuously present us with people and situations that mirror back our neglected aspects until they are acknowledged, accepted and integrated. I personally have found shadow work to be one of the most confronting and challenging processes on the journey to awakening.  To reclaim and accept lost aspects of ourselves requires commitment, personal responsibility and a deep passion to heal.  As Jung mentions, “one does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious”. The pain and uncomfortable feelings that may arise are just the ego losing control – so stay with it! Through revealing and owning ‘the shadow’, our masks are no longer required. We may then be rewarded with the joy of expressing the wholeness of our true magnificent self, which is then able to reflect the love and light of our creator. When we are in alignment with the creator, manifesting our full potential becomes natural and effortless. Lets learn to dance with the shadow and become a responsive partner to it. Treat the shadow as you would a dance partner; with respect, acknowledgment, intimacy and a willingness to flow as one.

“The only devils in the world are those running around in our hearts. That is where the battle should be fought’”  Gandhi

I wish you well on your journey to wholeness.

The surface and techniques that i used were also quite unique. I painting on glass and used the technique of  ’reverse glass painting’ where i would hold the glass up  and paint behind it where the foreground was applied before the background (as opposed to painting on canvas where the background is painted first). I was living with my sister around this time and she was very tired of me bringing home countless pieces of glass id found or bought from garage sales!! have a go its great fun!!

I havent painted in over 10 years as dance has taken me! I think i would like to dedicate an entire lifetime to painting! Thats if i come back.

Exploring Reverse glass painting…..

‘Limited Freedom’

‘Bliss’

‘Medicine Man’

‘Self portrait’

‘Shakti’

‘Taoist Monk’

‘Ghawasi Girls’

‘ Rapture’

In my opinion, some of the main elements that deliver an accomplished dance performance, involves the ability to balance precise technique, creative interpretation, an understanding of the music, as well as an expression of love and emotional honesty, thus the ego is surrendered. When a dancer performs with physical technique as the dominating focus, there can be a deficiency in the emotional content of such a performance. Therefore, it is through tapping into the emotions and allowing these energies to be expressed, that we can be rewarded with a more genuine and often a more powerful dance experience. When the heart is open, it is not only open to love but to all emotions. It is by acknowledging and accepting these myriad of emotions, that we can often free up creative energy. Joyousness accompanies new energy, and this fresh infusion of energy can then permeate every stage of the creative process, rather than solely focusing on the end result (ie. the performance itself). Rollo May suggests that “to love, means to open ourselves to the negative as well as the positive- to grief, sorrow, and disappointment as well as to joy, fulfilment and an intensity of consciousness we did not know was possible before”.

So, in order to heal and open the heart centre, lets first look at what it is and how it can become imbalanced. The heart centre is an energy chakra located at the centre of the chest and is concerned with thoughts and beliefs around love and relationship to the self as well as to others. Common emotions associated with this energy centre can include love, compassion, respect, joy, forgiveness, jealousy, anger and hatred. Some traits that may indicate that the heart centre is imbalanced can include fear of rejection, being judgemental, fear of intimacy, depression, codependency, poor boundaries, jealousy as well as loneliness. Hence, experiences such as betrayal, grief and sexual and/or physical abuse may all lead to the heart centre being imbalanced or blocked. When trauma or abuse has occurred, some may choose to deal with the accompanying pain through dissociating from the event and the resulting emotions. This protective mechanism can consequently cause a “numbness” to develop around the heart centre. Thus, an important aspect of healing is to allow our selves to feel the emotions that have been suppressed. Through accepting and integrating the entire sphere of our feelings, we become more whole and capable of loving the self as well as others. As Anodea Judith mentions, “the whole of the person gains beauty and stability as more and more parts become integrated. We become more complex more mature and capable of greater and greater possibilities”.

Let us now look into some of the approaches that may assist in healing and opening the heart:

1) Meditation

• By regularly meditating and through being “in the gap” (a term used by Wayne Dyer meaning that space in between thoughts), we are more able to connect to the source which is our unlimited supply of unconditional love.
• Read through the following meditation exercise and find a quite space to engage in the following visualisations. Now, close your eyes and begin to relax through engaging in some slow deep breathing. Visualize yourself looking into a full-length mirror and see the colour of your choice emanating from your centre and surrounding your entire body. This coloured light makes you magnetic to joyful and loving experiences and also enhances your vitality. Notice your image beginning to move and dance, your body is free, flexible, sensual and vibrantly healthy. Any imbalances within the body are safely dispersed by the movement. As your image dances, see the coloured light spiraling out from your body. Feel your heart centre glowing and radiating an inexhaustible supply of positive energy that keeps you protected and makes you magnetic to people, places and situations that are in alignment for your highest good. Now, slowly bring your awareness back to the space you are in.

2)   Self reflection

What is your usual way of coping with uncomfortable emotions as they arise? In today’s society there seems to be many forms of addictions that can act as a way of filling the void and denying the silent cry of the inner world.  Addictions can take many forms, some of which can include work, drugs, excessive exercise, cleaning, constant drama or unhealthy relationships. Now ask yourself: what is your addiction and how does it serve you in avoiding deeper issues? I suggest that next time a difficult emotion arises, try sitting with it and accepting the emotion without judgement or distracting the self with such addictions or other unhealthy coping mechanisms.

3)   Forgiveness

When the heart is closed and unforgiving, the resulting blame may create a barricade around the heart, which often stops us from receiving love and may also  inhibit the likelihood of healing. Anodea Judith mentions that “forgiveness uses the compassion of the heart to understand situations in terms of the forces that were acting on both ourselves and others”, and through forgiving we set ourselves free. Who do you need to forgive? Write a list of every person that you feel you need to forgive (some may have even been in your grade 5 class at school!) Make a commitment to explore some of the many processes that may assist you in forgiving.

4)   Psychotherapy/Spiritual healing

A psychotherapist or spiritual healer may be helpful in healing various aspects of your traumatic life experiences. For example, through working with you in releasing grief, dealing with betrayal or even inner child work.

5) Creativity Expressing yourself creatively may help in balancing the heart centre. I suggest that you make a commitment to express your creative side through activities that you enjoy such as gardening, cooking, painting, dancing, sewing, building, decorating etc.

6) Yoga

A balanced yoga routine can also be helpful through focusing on postures that open the heart eg. The ‘fish pose’.

7) Call on Support from Goddess or Archangels

Call on Mary Magdalene for forgiveness and opening the heart, Aphrodite for passion and love, Kuan Yin for purity, nurturing love and gentle power, Archangel Michael for releasing fear and for protection or Archangel Raphael for healing and receiving love.

8)   Finally, utilize the power of flower essences such as Bluebell, Mountain devil, Pink Flannel flower, as well as the gemstones Rose quartz, Unakite and essential oils such as rose, lavender or neroli.

In conclusion, opening the heart to love requires an intimacy with the self that can be developed through an understanding of your own fears, wishes, needs, boundaries and hopes. Through accepting and assimilating the many aspects of the self, including our emotions, we are then more capable of self-love and can therefore be in a better position to love others. When love flows, so do the many facets of our emotional energies, all of which can be harnessed and used to enrich a heart-felt performance. When you dance with heart, you not only share the creative expression of your soul but also the love and authenticity that is yearning to be expressed within everyone. It is up to you to change your view of the world and be willing to open your heart and release the fear that can often prevent us from being all that we can become.

This mysterious occurrence is what I refer to as the ‘dancers zone’, and  seems to share some similar characteristics to the phenomenon, Duende which is “that mysterious power that everyone feels but no philosopher can explain”. Flamenco artists refer to Duende as a performance phenomenon that can be applied to any performance art where one experiences a physical and or an emotional bodily reaction to an artistic performance. Spanish poet, Federico Garcia Lorca writes that “all the arts are capable of Duende, but it naturally achieves its widest play in the fields of music, dance and the spoken poem, since those require a living presence to interpret them, because they are forms which grow and decline perpetually and raise their contours on the precise present”.

The honour of experiencing the ‘dancers zone’ on the rare occasion that it is bestowed upon me is what leaves me feeling most satisfied as a dancer. In describing this ‘zone’ I can only speak from personal experience and many may perceive this phenomenon in a variety of ways. The ‘zone’ is a time where there is a feeling of temporarily being transported away from the ‘usual’ self, where one is able to become/feel/encapsulate the energy of the music and thus, express the essence of one’s spirit. I have found this experience to be incredibly healing and has also provided a doorway into allowing deeper layers of creative expression to arise. Through this present connection to the body and music, movement flows, inspiration unfolds and according to some, innovative choreography can be effortless. Dancers may find this state easier to obtain alone and in a personal sacred space, as opposed to performing for an audience. Performance can evoke a certain level of self-consciousness, however for some more experienced dancers it can assist in the process, if the ambience is suitable.

For some dancers, the ‘zone’ may spontaneously transpire, however I would like to share some of the ways that I have found helpful in enhancing the likelihood of obtaining this state.

Intention: Begin by having a clear intention of what you desire to experience during your dance practice.

Music: Choose a powerful piece of music that allows you to express an aspect of your authentic self.  Allow the self to tune into the music and surrender to the movement and emotion that becomes activated.

Lighting: Darkness provides a blank canvas for various forms of lighting ie. candles, coloured lighting, crystal lamps etc. Through changing the lighting you change the mood. You can further explore the effect of coloured lighting through researching colour therapy and the influence that certain colours can have on our mental, emotional and physical states.

Technical ability: A proficient dancer who feels confident in their abilities may be more likely to tap into the ‘dancers zone’. When a dancer has worked hard at developing their art, there can be a sense of empowerment. This can allow for less thinking and the ability to stay more present which can enable the embodiment of one’s spirit. However, some dancers may resonate with “free dance” practices, such as trance dance or ecstatic dance, where technique may not be an important factor but rather repetitive motion.

Satisfied Mind: A busy, dissatisfied mind (especially just prior to dancing) can inhibit staying present in the moment. Ensuring that you have ample time to centre, and to clear mental/emotional disturbance may assist in a more fulfilling experience.

Costuming: Dancing in an appropriate costume that you feel completely comfortable in can help transport you out of your usual mindset and to tap into the energy you aspire to express through your chosen piece of music.

Grounded: Feeling grounded in the body can create a sense of internal balance and harmonized energy flow. This can be achieved through practices such as breathing and visualisation exercises, which can encourage a balancing connection to ‘heaven and earth’ (as in Qi Gong exercises). Maintaining a proper dance posture, which “allows the god/goddess to enter” can also assist in a feeling of being centred and grounded in the body. Other practices such as Tai Chi, yoga and pilates are also very beneficial. According to dancer Zenya K. Horricks, “the more grounded in the body and experience, the more support there is for the infinite creativity of the universe to flow through you. Rooted in possibility, expressing outwards through infinitely diverse limbs”.

Living a creative life through dance as a from of expression is an individual journey, and through the gift of experiencing the ‘dancers zone’, one’s awareness and approach to their practice can be completely transformed. I have found it be a source of creative ideas and expressions, bringing an intensity, depth and richness to my dance practice. The interesting aspect of this phenomenon is that it is never guaranteed, and there can be a potential yearning and sense of dissatisfaction if this experience is never to be “grasped” again. Author Elizabeth Gilbert speaks on her approach to handling this predicament, in that “if you never happened to believe in the first place that the most extraordinary aspects of your being came from you, but maybe if you just believe that they were on loan to you from some unimaginable source, for some exquisite portion of your life, to be passed along, when you are finished, to somebody else”.