Recently I had terrible news about someone I love, which put everything into perspective. When you face an abyss it sharpens your focus on what truly matters. Here, I share the insights and process that led me to offering "Dance yourself Free" Circles and consciously choosing to step into the Unknown. (If you are only interested in "Dance yourself Free" you may wish to skip to the last few paragraphs.) Soon after accepting the reality of the heart breaking news and my powerlessness to change it. I realised that in another part of Life, I was bending myself out of shape to fit into a system and it felt wrong. This was something I could change. My relationship with authority, religion and patriarchal systems has always been uneasy. Roman Catholic upbringing and Royal Ballet School Training had their upsides but left me hating being confined and controlled. As I see it; there is Sacred Law, not the Freemasons Sacred Law, but the Law of Life, which is unquestionable Truth and there are man made rules, which sometimes have to be broken. Often, without even being conscious of it, we are divided against ourselves, following someone elses rules. "I came to see that we are all suffering from 'trizophrenia': thinking one thing, feeling another, acting out a third. How often would I think "yes" feel "no", and say "I'll get back to you." Gabrielle Roth 'Maps to Ecstasy'. One of the exercises in biodanza “Integration of the Three Centres” Helps us to put an end to this ‘trizophrenia’. Maybe it’s potential to help integrate all the different aspects of ourselves so that mind, heart and gut are in alignment with each other, is what is helping me feel strongly enough to go on this exploration. Humanity has developed many Systems, rules and institutions to give us a sense of security in the Known. We need that. Maps help us navigate reality and are useful and supportive and good. However, these days, I am much more interested in the Unknowable. In the Mystery of Life. In the Pure Potential beyond anything we know. I am at a point where I need to move into uncharted territory for something new to be birthed. Within a system I often feel stifled. It limits my creativity, dulls my spontaneity. The structure of a system is hugely helpful and necessary AND I am like the rest of Nature and need to grow in my own way. To be in integrity with myself I can not just follow the rules of someone else’s system, no matter how brilliant. I’m in a process of change, in the chaos of the creative process. I love, honour and have deep respect for Biodanza and because of that I am not going to call my Group Biodanza for now, so I can explore my creativity in facilitating Dance, Drum and Song in my own way. Biodanza is an incredible Life Changing, Life Affirming system that works wonders. However, at a personal level, I am struggling with a few parts of the Biodanza system. I need to be free to play the music I love, when it is not on the 'official' list, without having to wait for weeks to have it approved. I need to burn Sage and create an alter. I need to talk about Chakras and Chi. I need to be able to use all my skills from other systems, to mix and match according to the needs of the group in front of me. I need to follow my intuition in ways that may not be in alignment with Biodanza theory. I fully understand why Biodanza needs these rules and how they support it to be a system for everyone. But for me I want to integrate the many systems that have supported my healing into my teaching and be able to teach workshops that include Dance, Shamanic Practice and Yoga. I truly believe this is what will most support my students. So I step into the Unknown. Most of us don't like the Chaos of not knowing what is next. We worship order and security and hold on desperately to what makes us feel safe. In "Maps to Ecstasy" Gabrielle Roth speaks of an experience in Spain, "That evening I go to a club to see a real gypsy dancer. Sitting in the sultry air, I smell Jasmine so strongly I can taste it. I nurse a Singapore Sling and stare at the bare wooden stage. La Chunga bursts onto the stage with the first strum of the guitar. She is total. She is raw passion, unbridled power. She has crystal ball eyes and the posture of the statue that has been standing at the gates of the Mediterranean for 1000 years. She is a many faceted jewel, flashing multiple depths. She is a total presence, a bolt from beyond, commanding the unadorned proscenium with bare feet and bare soul. La Chunga rips me open. Her trance is electric. It fires me with ecstasy. Her overflowing energy releases me to dance with abandon. She burns away my guilt ridden, diminished, negative, ambivalent persona, the wimpy role-player I so readily become. She stamps out my "original sin" with her blazing feet, and I'm whisked away to the Silver Desert, drenched in the blood red glow of the Mediterranean sunset. I'm thrilled and terrified to know the power of unleashed passion, and there's no turning back." I know our time here is limited, this makes it incredibly precious and there is no point holding back. The older I grow, the less I know. The more I feel, what the Fuck is Real? Freedom’s my God. Nature my Church. I Live Between Worlds, on Spirit Bird's Perch. I AM Love, yet sometimes Hate. Tell me Friend. Can you relate? Night always births new Day Light and Dark part of the Play. Love the only lasting goal. Life and Death one Perfect Whole The only thing I know is True. Is You are Me and I am you. So my journey into the unknown has come full circle. I have learnt that the boundaries of the biodanza system are not prisons to stunt my growth and curb my freedom. What I now know is that the structure of this brilliant system holds everybody in it, in a beautifully safe container. Biodanza’s theory and practice far from clipping my wings has been the wind Underneath them. 'Dance yourself Free' invites you to call back aspects of your Wholeness that may have been rejected, denied and repressed. It encourages and empowers you to return to the Innocent state of Being yourself, with the ability to express your feelings and needs. In my experience of working with thousands of clients over nearly 40 years. I see that holding our true selves back can make us ill. To live in conflict with your Deeper Nature is exhausting, soul destroying and can lead to Depression, Anxiety and multiple health problems. 'Dance yourself Free' is for everyone, suitable for all levels of fitness and ages. Difficult to describe in words, it is best 'felt' directly in the moment, as we move together to the music. Suitable for Dancers and those who feel they can't Dance. Singers and those who feel they can't sing. It is a transformative system of self-actualisation which enhances your ability to feel Pleasure, Connection and Presence. Christina warmly welcomes you to a taster session of 'Dance yourself Free'. People who attend a regular weekly class notice themselves "growing" and changing, as more of their potential is woken up. Over time it reduces stress and enhances well being and health in mind and body. It is fun and a wonderful way of connecting with people. I am so delighted to be facilitating at the Retreat, a truly beautiful venue. Although attending weekly is ideal, as consistency of attendance builds trust and the benefits of repetition of the exercises is cumulative, it is also fine to drop in when you can if it is difficult to commit. Dance has profoundly touched my Life and I am wanting to share what I have been given with you. Hearts Love Christina
0 Comments
Christina Marie Kane❤️ A Misunderstood Gift for All.
"I am not into all that "touchy feely" stuff. I've seen it online and it's not for me." (Someone who has never experienced Biodanza.) Full stop. End of Story for some. As an enthusiastic new Facilitator just setting out to teach I'm frustrated and sad that Biodanza is misunderstood and contemplating how to change that. I am excited to share the benefits far and wide but it's so much harder to 'sell' than Yoga. Biodanza can be judged as too intimate and exposing, weird, embarrassing etc etc. This sentiment is usually expressed even before Biodanza is experienced and given a chance to work its magic. It's strange to me that developing sensitive 'Presence' to yourself and others, celebrating Life and focusing on growing the good and healthy is less inviting and acceptable to some than watching or even participating in violence. Crazy! Biodanza has transformed me and I want to share the gift with others. It goes way beyond what I can teach in a Yoga Class. It invites us deeply into our humanity in the most beautiful way. People who judge Biodanza from observing online, do not know that a Beginners Class is a beautifully safe space. One of the facilitators roles is to assure that their students boundaries are completely honoured. My understanding is that if a Teacher is following the guidelines on how to introduce "touch" they wait until the group is bonded enough for touch to happen organically and naturally and it is made crystal clear that you only ever move towards what feels good. Having facilitated dance in psychiatric hospitals and prisons I know how important it is to meet people where they are, especially if there has been any abuse. I'm interested in how to gently coax folk who may initially feel a big "no" to Biodanza to try a class. Biodanza is a profoundly transformative system that can over time change the way we relate to Life in all its forms. It can increase our well-being physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I appreciate everything my dear friend Julia Hope Brightwell has shared with me over the years and am thankful to Katie Katy Bullen, who has done a few short films showing the reality of a Vivencia at Milarepa Malc Burgin's established, very special Class and many others who fly the flag for this Great Work. I welcome insight from Beginners, Experienced Facilitators and Everyone in between of what else we can do to share the gift to those who may be reluctant to try. The Dalai Lama says, what I have been saying for as long as I can remember, that more women, should take leadership roles because of their biological propensity to feel other people's pain which fosters Compassion ......My observation is that it is innate in the feminine soul to be receptive, to receive the other, connect, cooperate, love and build supportive, inclusive community. Yes, this innate receptivity can be blocked as we build armour to protect our sensitive hearts and we can all become hard and defensive through life's hard knocks. It's called survival, there's nothing wrong with protecting yourself when necessary but society in many places on this planet is programmed with an "us" and "them" mentality that promotes violence .......how would it be be if we started living for "us" and "we" instead of "you" and "me" ....The Divine Feminine is not exclusive to women, she speaks through men too, especially those courageous enough to move beyond their conditioning. I see so many men now, Warriors of the Heart, strong in their male essence and connected to Love, like Nahko Bear from Medicine for the People...who recently inspired me to action to raise funds for Run For Salmon.... May this quality of feeling others pain spur all of us to take action to alleviate suffering wherever we can. Firstly by turning towards ourselves and welcoming all the abandoned aspects of our souls.....With simple, small acts of kindness we can build a more caring world inside and out. If we all had the capacity to truly feel another's pain, by first feeling our own, without taking it on, would we need to go to war? Yes, it's an idealistic view and people always tell me peace is never going to happen......I hold and will always hold a vision for Peace in every Heart, starting with my own.....I believe we can find the balance of healthy masculine and feminine energy within ourselves and take powerful, loving action for the benefit of all ... Christina Marie Kane
Yogis follow these Sacred Laws, leading, through Grace to Union with the Self:
The Yamas (Ethical Disciplines) AHIMSA - Not to cause suffering to any living Being. Compassion. SATYA - To Speak the Truth. To be merciful and honest. ASTEYA - Not to take what belongs to others. BRAHMACHARYA - To practice continence. To be moderate in eating and pure in heart. APARIGRAHA - To be free from hoarding. The Niyamas. SAUCHA - Purity of body and mind. Clean living. Practicing asana. Eating pure food. SANTOSA - Contentment. Cheerfulness. TAPAS - To burn desires that stand in the way of union with God. Austerities. Self limitation. SVADHYAYA - Self knowledge. Studying sacred scriptures. ISHVARA PRANIDHANA -Surrender to God. Mind concentrated on the Atman (the Supreme Self) becomes one with it, like camphor with the flame, like salt with the water of the ocean - Hatha Yoga Pradipika
There are seven Universal Laws or Principles by which everything in the Universe is governed. The Universe exists in perfect harmony by virtue of these Laws. Ancient mystical, esoteric and secret teachings dating back over 5,000 years from Ancient Egypt to Ancient Greece and to the Vedic tradition of Ancient India, all have as their common thread these seven Spiritual Laws of the Universe. Once you understand, apply and align yourself with these Universal Laws, you will experience transformation in every area of your life beyond that which you have ever dared to imagine.
The Immutable and the Mutable: Of the seven Universal Laws, the first three are immutable, eternal Laws, meaning they are Absolute and can never be changed or transcended. They have always existed and will always exist. The other four laws are transitory, mutable Laws meaning that they can be transcended or at least "better used" to create your ideal reality. This is not to say that you should ignore these four Laws or attempt to defy them for even if you do they will still govern your existence. Your aim is to master each of the seven Universal Laws and only then learn to transcend the mutable ones. 1. The Law of Mentalism (Immutable): The first of the seven Universal Laws tells us that "The All is Mind - The Universe is Mental". That everything we see and experience in our physical world has its origin in the invisible, mental realm. It tells us that there is a single Universal Consciousness - the Universal Mind - from which all things manifest. All energy and matter at all levels is created by and is subordinate to the Omnipresent Universal Mind. Your mind is part of the Universal Mind - the same in kind with the only difference being one of degree. Your reality is a manifestation of your mind. This is true Mind Power. 2. The Law of Correspondence (Immutable): The second of the seven Universal Laws tells us "As above, so below; as below, so above". This means that there is "harmony, agreement and correspondence" between the physical, mental and spiritual realms. There is no separation since everything in the Universe, including you, originates from the One Source. The same pattern is expressed on all planes of existence from the smallest electron to the largest star and vice versa. All is One. The Ancient Greek Temple of Apollo at Delphi was referring to this great Law of Correspondence in the inscription "Know thyself and thou shalt know all the mysteries of the gods and the Universe". 3. The Law of Vibration (Immutable): The third of the seven Universal Laws tells us that "Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates". The third and last of the immutable Universal Laws, tells us that "the whole universe is but a vibration". Science has confirmed that everything in the Universe, including you, is pure energy vibrating at different frequencies. The axiom that "like energy attracts like energy", upon which the Law of Attraction is based, has it's foundation in this Law. Everything that we experience with our five physical senses is conveyed through vibrations. The same applies to the mental realm. Your thoughts are vibrations. All your emotions are vibrations where "unconditional love" (in the sense of love for another) is the highest and most subtle of the emotional vibrations and "hate" is the densest and most base. You can learn to control your mental vibrations at will. This is true thought power. 4. The Law of Polarity (Mutable): The fourth of the seven Universal Laws tells us that "Everything is dual, everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree". It is also the first of the mutable or transcendable Universal Laws. It means that there are two sides to everything. Things that appear as opposites are in fact only two extremes of the same thing. For instance, heat and cold may appear to be opposites at first glance, but in truth they are simply varying degrees of the same thing. The same applies to love and hate, peace and war, positive and negative, good and evil, yes and no, light and darkness, energy and matter. You can transform your thoughts from hate to love, from fear to courage by consciously raising your vibrations. This is what in the ancient Hermetic Teachings is called the Art of Polarization. Rising Above the Law of Polarity: This Principle of Duality may appear to be very real in your life but it operates only in the physical and mental realms, not in the spiritual realm where All is One. As it says in the Bhagavad-Gita, "God is Above the Opposites". By always placing the all-powerful, all-knowing Great Spirit of which you are a part behind your every thought, statement and action, and by always focusing on the "good", even when things appear to be going "bad", then in time you will rise above the Law of Polarity. 5. The Law of Rhythm (Mutable): The fifth of the seven Universal Laws tells us that "Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates." It is the second of the mutable or transcendable Universal Laws and means that the pendulum swings in everything. This principle can be seen in operation in the waves of the ocean, in the rise and fall of the greatest empires, in business cycles, in the swaying of your thoughts from being positive to negative and in your personal successes and failures. In accordance with this Law, when anything reaches a point of culmination then the backward swing begins almost unnoticeably until such time that any forward movement has been totally reversed, then the forward movement begins again and the process is repeated. Rising Above the Law of Rhythm: To transcend the swing of the pendulum, you must become aware of the subtle start of the backward movement in any of your endeavours whether it be to improve your health, your finances, your relationships or any goal you may set in motion. When you feel the Law start to draw you back do not become fearful or discouraged. Instead, knowing that you are one with the Omnipotent Universal Mind for which nothing is impossible, keep your thoughts focused on your outcome and fight to remain positive no matter how far back this transitory Law pulls you. Even if your efforts meet with failure, find comfort that by virtue of this very same Law, the upward motion must start again. In time, your perseverance will be rewarded as the backward movements become less negative relative to your previous backward swings and you raise yourself higher. 6. The Law of Cause and Effect (Mutable): The sixth of the seven Universal Laws tells us that "Every cause has its effect; every effect has its cause." In accordance with this Law, every effect you see in your outside or physical world has a very specific cause which has its origin in your inner or mental world. This is the essence of thought power. Every one of your thoughts, words or actions sets a specific effect in motion which will come to materialize over time. To become the master of your destiny, you must master your mind for everything in your reality is a mental creation. Know that there is nothing like chance or luck. They are simply terms used by humanity in ignorance of this Law. Your Intentions are Instantly Created: The Law of Cause and Effect applies on all three planes of existence - the spiritual, the mental and the physical. The difference is that on the spiritual plane cause and effect are instantaneous such that they appear inseparable, whereas on the other planes our concept of time and space creates a time lag between the cause and the eventual effect. Know that when you focus on your chosen goals with intention usingcreative visualization, that which you want to create in the physical world is automatically manifested in the spiritual world, and with perseverance, practice and continued concentrated thought, it will also come to materialize in the physical world. 7. The Law of Gender: The last of the seven Universal Laws tells us that "Gender is in everything; everything has its masculine and feminine principles". This mutable Universal Law is evident throughout creation in the so-called opposite sexes found not only in human beings but also in plants, minerals, electrons and magnetic poles to name but a few. Everything and everyone contains both masculine and feminine elements. Among the outward expressions of feminine qualities are love, patience, intuition and gentleness and of masculine qualities are energy, self reliance, logic and intellect. Know that within every woman lie all the latent qualities of a man, and within every man those of a woman. When you know this you will know what it means to be complete. The Law of Attraction as Part of the Equation: You will notice that theLaw of Attraction is not specifically mentioned as one of the seven Universal Laws. This is not to diminish its importance but rather to highlight it because the Law of Attraction is the basic Law of the Universe which runs through all the seven Universal Laws discussed here. It holds everything together. It is through the knowledge of the Law of Attraction that one can rise above the mutable Laws of Polarity and Rhythm and gain a better understanding of each of the seven Universal Laws. Credit to The Science of Being and The Kybalion: This article draws largely on two sources of incomparable wisdom on the seven Universal Laws. First, on the Baron Eugene Fersen's 1923 masterpiece, The Science of Being, which is one of most comprehensive books ever written on the innate power of humanity, the subject of metaphysics and self-mastery; and second, on the 1908 seminal work on the Universal Principles, namely The Kybalion, which is a study of The Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece, itself based on the mystical teachings of Hermes Trismegistus and written by the so-called Three Initiates. "The Principles of the Truth are Seven; he who knows these, understandingly, possesses the Magic Key before whose touch all the Doors of the Temple fly open" - The Kybalion There are seven major Universal Laws by which the entire Universe is governed - three are immutable, eternal Laws and four are transitory, mutable Laws. As stated in the Kybalion "the Universe exists by virtue of these Laws, which form its framework and which hold it together." Knowing these Universal Laws and the basic Law of Attraction, and learning how to transcend the mutable Laws, is fundamental to changing the circumstances of your life so that you can consciously create your intended reality and achieve true mastery. (Thank you to Jay Ramsay for passing this article on to me.)
In certain yoga traditions a spiritual name is offered on the yogic path. The name is said to hold the key to your destiny, by tapping into your unique vibration and your true identity. The sound current within the name holds a kind of accelerating power, so that when you hear it, or speak it aloud, you are vibrating more along the lines of your own True Nature. A spiritual name is a roadmap to your destiny. The night before I received my name I had a very strong intuition it was going to be Prema. Prema is the name of a man I fell in love with a few years ago and who has been very important to me but that's another story. I told myself, "Don't be ridiculous, there are hundreds of Sanskrit names, why would it be that one?" But it was. In the ceremony when Padma gave me the name she said "It means 'Divine Love'. It is both what you need and who you are."
It's a month now since receiving the name and I do feel very different. It feels a great honour to be given a spiritual name. I feel more and more the blessing of Being Empty and of Life living through me. Padma embodies Yoga as she lovingly places her fingertips on her heart, inviting us to do the same. "Yoga is the uniting of consciousness in the Heart where it rests in its own True Self. Let the mind rest in the Heart." she says. It is a beautiful way to live. May we all experience the Joy and Bliss of falling in love with OurSelves and Life and knowing our Oneness. Namaste.
Click to set custom HTML
|