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=================== In this Issue --->Quote of the Month
--->Contemplation: On Rational Interception
--->Retreat: Spiritual Bellydance at Kripalu * April 23-28
--->Announcement: Summer Movement Monastery * June 18-24
--->Music recommendation
--->Poem for the Month ======================= Quote of the Month “The real power of a path is its absolute non-interest in the drama of personal narrative.”
-- Dunya Dianne McPherson ======================= Contemplation: On Rational Interception In the New York City Monday Night Spiritual Bellydance class we whirled. Afterward there was the usual query about the direction. Why only counterclockwise? I was about to begin on my customary explanation about planetary motion, about magnetism, about physiological asymmetry, about resonance with elemental structures, about communion with the lineage (this last being my favorite and almost only cognitive justification these days) but, as I opened my mouth, these vapored off. Instead I found myself saying that the experience in every whirler’s body is the answer to their question. Why have we, as humans, whirled since the beginning of time? We can say many important things about this but it is more important to simply whirl towards the answer. There’s an old adage, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” Whirling itself is the bird in the hand. Talking about it is the bush birds. Words are good but not if they barricade against experience. The next day, Shakti Smith sent me this email:
“I liked what you said about not having to justify why you whirl a certain way...what I relate to is that the massage industry has lost a lot of heart in justifying itself, by explaining WHY it works so it can be in hospitals etc, and I see the yoga industry also losing a lot of heart. At Kripalu I was with teachers of Thai Massage and Yoga who almost gleefully, yet wisely said, \"oh I don\'t know why this thousands of years old tradition works!\" when questioned by massage therapists about details.
What this response allowed in me, was the ability to drop out of my ever-questioning head, and into the joy and heart and simple-ness of something that just is. It allowed me to be in my body. And to trust in these ancient practices. Yes, research is important, and it has been done. Now let\'s just whirl.”
--DMcP and SS ======================= Retreat: Healing retreat at Kripalu featuring Sensual Alchemy: Spiritual Bellydance.
Kripalu will also be offering a raw foods cleanse at this time. A perfect spring cleaning.
April 23-28. http://www.kripalu.org/program/type2/selfspirit/SASB61 ======================= Announcement: Summer Movement Monastery
June 18-24, 2006
Belle Vernon, PA
http://www.dancemeditation.com/summovmon1.html ================================== Music Recommendation el Hadra by Klaus Weise I just rediscovered this oldie but goodie. Exquisite attenuated, elegant, immersion in a trance-inducing field of heartbeat rhythm and simple tonalities. A must have for slow movement practice. Amazon has customer reviews as well as new and used copies. Highly recommended. ================================== Poem for the Month THE DANCE Searching always for
the true Self
I find her --
smiling quietly,
swaying gently,
turning, turning, turning,
lifting the veil! Suddenly awakening
an awareness --
all those little selves
standing with arms raised
in joyous praise:
“hurray! hurray!
she has finally seen us!” Around and around
slowly, at first --
testing
the balance;
electromagnetic energy
cleansing the body
with Spirit. after Cape Cod Winter Weekend
Provincetown, 2/11/06
-- Anne Freyss And that is the end of our newsletter. Thank you very much!
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