We become aware of ourselves through a continuum of our body awareness and practiced behaviors. We can only perceive the world we inhabit through the body we have. We use our senses of sight, taste, smell, sight, smell, touch. We become aware through muscle memory, sweat, tears and movement. Awareness is being touch emotions that are in our body and experiencing the world with ALL our senses. The real persona emerges when as the emotions within you are allowed to flow.
"When conscousness is expanded, every tree and plant seem to be dancing that to average eyes seemed to be still." Rumi. Each person experiences change as events that switch from for ground to background in a rhythmic flow. This gives understanding that we are all in a constant state of change and there are continuous inner changes. We discover our true self and otherness by being viewed as an important part of the larger group. Dance classes and dance troupes lend a safe place for female expression and are rapidly replacing sewing circles and coffee klatches.
Dance functions to encourage aerobic activity, streching and stregnthhening stimulate the executive functioning and increase IQ. These activities release endorphins and increase a sense of well being and connecteness. Executive function and emtional regulation can also be increased with martial arts, yoga, dance, swimming and drumming. The emotional regulation is increased when practiced in front of a mirror and helps intergrate activies into the persona. Meditation and meditative dance movent demonstrate an increased focus and resistance to alcohol and drugs. In addiction it is important to replace unhealthy rituals with those that encourage spirituality. (Spirituality is from the root fo the Latin word "spiritus" meaning to breath. Activity that increases breathing makes us feel more alive.)
Raks Al Hayet, or dance of life is vibration. All life is vibration. "Nothing happedn until something moves." Albert Einstein. When the dancer shimmies they awaken the life forces and move energy. As energy moves and flow through the body it changes the brain chemistry and creates new pathways in the brain.
Maya is the power that creates the world. It is a term from the VEDA that refers to the demons that weigh objects down and creat the illussion of seperation in the world. May signifies that the world is cosmic illusion. The magic takes place when the dancers shakes free from limitation to find their own Inner Goddess. "The moving breezed has secrets to tell you. Do not go back to sleep." Rumi.
Originating from ancient fertility worship, oriental dance was and still is used to help women prepare for childbirth. This practice has been rekindled by midwifes in child birth classes that stregthen the pelvic floor and focus on the breathing. Raks Sharki did not originate as sexual dance for entertaing the skeik, nor was the costuming the Hollywood creation associated with the dance today. In Egypt dancers are fined for bearing their midrif. Molsem women dance in their native dress.
Raks Sharki dance allows us to go back in time and share the ancient knowledge shared in a tradition of nurture. We step out of the intermediate zone, the DMZ, of this fast paced world when the intellect is king. We step in the natural rhythm of feminine, and rehearse for life as we rehearse our dance. We see the emotion on each others face as we share joy, sorrow, annoyance, and caring with familiar faces. Each becomes aware of withdrawal and contact and they learn that "Maya means play."
"All life is play and only the wise know it." (Fritz Perls)
