creative rhythmic dancing beings

Many of you know me as the yoga teacher for Squam...and yoga has been my passion for many years. It saved me, healed me, grounds me...but honestly as much as I love it to my core, I struggle like anyone with my practice. I know it is just that - a practice - and I know all the tricks to get myself to my mat, but after 10-odd years of doing it, I do feel a bit unsinpired at times.

It has been particularly hard the last few months...and what I've been called to do is Zumba. My local Y has an amazing teacher. She leans a bit toward Hip-Hop over traditional latin beats and something about her energy and the music keeps me showing up.

Then this video below came to me over the weekend...and as I watched the first two minutes (which if you watch nothing more...just watch that!) it hit me why in my own personal evolution I have been drawn lately to this kind of practice:

My body is yearning to dance...

See, I came to yoga after I severely broke my leg. Yes, doing something really stupid, but the reality was...there was no reason for my leg to break as badly as it did (turns out I had osteopenia or the precurser to osteoporosis...at 31). And it scared me. Yoga was what I did to heal myself mentally and physically from that fear. I needed the methodology, the slowness, the careful placement and alignment, the AWARENESS to know that I was treating my body well, and safely...to learn to trust my body. To learn that it wouldn't shatter underneath me again.

Watching Shiva Rea's TED talk above...I realized that my fear had been surpressing this deep, primal need we have to move our bodies. Mind you that's not to say I haven't cut a rug for 10 years...because I have. But I realized with Zumba that I need it regularly...and with more freedoom of expression.

So turn up the tunes, get your own spontaneous dance party going for a bit this week...maybe it's just one song, maybe you keep going. Get yourself out of breath a little...be silly and see if it doesn't feel good to reconnect to the creative, rhythmic, dancing being within you.

Is there a song (or a few!) or beat that gets you moving? Groovin in your car, shaking your hips while you do the dishes? Let us know what it is...!

xo*m