How often has it been that you feel- everything is ok, yet something is missing? You are fine; health and work is good; but there is just some emptiness, somewhere a piece of you is missing. And how often is it that we try and fill that void by indulging; indulging in social media, superficial relationships, debauchery and sometimes merely Netflix? It may make us feel good at that moment, but not for long. The void takes over, again and again, and we wonder- when will I find that lasting peace, that happiness, that content and calm, that stays?
When I was little, they said study well, get a good job and you will be happy. I got older and they added – A healthy body leads to a happy life. Then, they spoke about a balanced mind and positive thinking. And it is all definitely good advice. But it is not enough. We have missed a point all along.
A human being is made up of four elements – The physical body, the intellect, the mind (emotions) and the soul. For a happy and a healthy life one must nurture and take care of all of these elements. A normal, busy life in the 21st century has surely emphasised the importance of a healthy body, human intelligence and balanced emotions. However, what we have neglected is the nurturing of ones’ soul. The soul, residing in the heart, believed to be the size of one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair, is the source of consciousness in the human being. It is that element, which fills up the void in our hearts and makes us one with the Universe and the Creator.
So how do we take care of our soul, they asked? Well, to each their own. Some meditate, some go in isolation/silence, some find it in religious practices, some find the connection with their soul in service to the needy, while some in music, dance and arts. What is most important, in whatever path we choose, is to transcend beyond the realms of one’s mind, body and intellect and let it reach that tiny soul of ours. The more we enrich our soul, the more longevity we find in our happiness, the more we feel that lasting peace.
I dance. With each passing day, it has brought me more joy than before. Dance is not just my fitness activity, or creative ground, or an expression of my emotions any more. Dance has made my soul larger, and me more fulfilled. Dance alone takes care of all the four elements for me.
With all other things, do something for your soul too. Find that thing that you connect with. But whatever you do, let it reach you till that tiny space in your heart, 1/10000th part of the tip of your hair.
Dance Inc. India does not endorse the opinions/views expressed in the blog. The thoughts expressed in the blog are solely of the author.
“People often say that the best way to become one with the universe is to meditate. Little do we know that the universe resides within our being. The source of light and life, all of it is attributed to the glory of the universe. Who says one has to be deep in meditation to feel one with the universe? Is that the only way to connect to the originator of them all?
Look back and ponder, how many times has it happened to you that you are deeply lost in some form of art that makes you happy, not caring about anything else going on around you? That state of being one with yourself and your art, where nothing else in the entire world exists for you, is the state of being in a trance. Stop a dancer and ask them what trance means to them, and you will inevitably find out that their movement is what makes them transcend to another realm altogether. What is that, if not the power of feeling a connection with the universe? There is no need for any form of an external source. Just you and your art are enough.
People often go by the textbook definition of spirituality which involves focus and meditation that connects the being with the superpower. However, what most people don’t know is that every person can have their version of spirituality. That the definition of it may be common but the experience of each one is completely different. Your movement in your personal art is the embodiment of your definition of spirituality. The utter release of any worldly entanglements and muddles simply to realise the real potential of your being and endless ways in which it connects you to a higher power, is enough.
Track your way back to the Hindu Mythology and it will prove to you how dance and art in general plays such a crucial role as a mode of meditation. No wonder why Shiva created an eloquent and passionate dance form of tandava and got recognised as the divine dancer Nataraja. Scholars have exhausted their energies in studying the details of the symbolism in Nataraja’s artworks and the dynamism of his movement with new elements emerging in each analysis. Such is the power of movement.
Therefore, the next time someone asks you to indulge in meditation; all you have to do is indulge in your personal artform with all your soul. Feel the energies come together for your unification with the universe. Feel the power of the universe dedicating itself to transcend you into a realm that can never be described, it can only be felt. Feel and move. Just feel and move.
Dance Inc. India does not endorse the opinions/views expressed in the blog. The thoughts expressed in the blog are solely of the author.
“Dance; purposefully selected sequence of human movement.” Dance in its most raw form can be Movement and How we initiate, explore and experiment with it, It is no different than any other form of art. It is to express or oppose our views about a particular subject. However, how can we say what is real and what is not?
If we go back and focus on each cell in our human body we will notice that as a matter of fact, motor neurons carry messages from our brain to the rest of the body, giving us clarity for our actions and the way we move and thus dance is basically our motor neurons telling us how to move. You will be mesmerised by the way your brain can work, if at all you are a dancer. It works in a rhythmic sometimes perplexing and bizarre ways. The outcome can also be unanticipated at times. The movement of a dancer initially comes from the muscle memory it has built up after days, months or maybe years of training for it. Muscle memory plays a crucial role; it can be altered and can adapt to changes throughout the process of your training The movement and its authentication can be summed up into what the conscious and unconscious mind of an individual’s line of thought and muscle memory at a particular time holds. That ‘time’ can be the moment on stage, on the studio it is being practiced at, or even your own homes, while you are lying on the bed.
When you hear the word “Real,” the first thing that will instantly click in your mind would be originality. The word itself talks so much about genuineness and honesty, and it is exactly about these things. A dancer should be genuine and honest in their work, and when I say genuine and honest I do not mean that they can’t be inspired. Inspirations opens up endless possibilities and does not confine you within a loop. Something inspired by, to an extent can be real too. But we should acknowledge the fact that, to be rare, being real is important. Superficiality is susceptible to neglect, it might seem fascinating on surface, but the feeling of accomplishment may not ever be achieved. The question remains “then how do we achieve it? “
As rightly stated in the Johari Window, We; as individuals should understand the concept, that there are things that are known to us, things that are unknown to us, and things that we don’t know that are unknown to us. To make our ideas and our movements more authentic in nature and to comprehend them in their most raw form, we should jump into the unknown as much as we can, as there is a possibility of achieving the unknown which is unknown. This can only be done through constant learning. Learning is a virtue, either it is learning about yourself, about the outside, or even about the unknown. Moreover, Learning will add to your muscle memory, making you, an individual, distinctive from others. It will make you stand out in a crowd of thousands, giving you the rare thing you have been looking for!
Dance Inc. India does not endorse the opinions/views expressed in the blog. The thoughts expressed in the blog are solely of the author.
