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Re: Glad you're here!
Mon, March 6, 2006 - 9:22 PMGlad your here too...what A Wonderful Idea For A Tribe. -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Mon, March 6, 2006 - 9:25 PMhi Colleen,
thanks!
I thought it was a no brainer - ? Seems logical to me! Bellydance really moves those energies along doesn't it?
And for years I wondered why some students would start to act strange after a few years...someone turned me on to the chakras & it made sense... -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Tue, March 7, 2006 - 3:49 AMcan you share what you mean by acting strange and chakras? i'm intrigued! -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Tue, March 7, 2006 - 5:25 AMI can tell this is going to be the tribe I wanna hang out in! Im totaly into bellydance as a holistic art form, transforming and healing ourselves, and the world around us. I wanna write more, but not enough time right now...
thanks for starting this tribe! -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Tue, March 7, 2006 - 9:18 AMhey Mishaal,
long time no hear from - used to 'meet' you a lot in Spirit-dance, remember?
(speaking of which, where's Roya?) -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Thu, March 9, 2006 - 4:14 AMHi Anthea,
yeah i remember those days! I will go check on Roya right now : )
so good this lovely tribe is!
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Re: Glad you're here!
Sun, March 12, 2006 - 5:58 PMHey Anthea!!!
Thanks for starting this tribe !!! Its awesome!
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Re: Glad you're here!
Tue, March 7, 2006 - 9:24 AMhi Angela,
If you do mostly tribal you may not run into this as much - I really think solo Oriental tends to bring out the Ego monster more than tribal does.
But if you get funny vibes from a particular student consistently, that's what I mean...
Also, it's seemed to me that at a certain stage (2-3 years) a change often happens where a student can't seem to take correction anymore, or not in front of others, or something like that. Almost like puberty, when teens get really super sensitive & can't stand their parents.
It got me searching for "why" - and someone mentioned 'kundlini syndrome', which I googled, and there you go.....that opened up a whole new level of learning for me. I've been researching that stuff ever since - -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Tue, March 7, 2006 - 7:25 PMAnthea, you mentioned the "ego monster", and I've noticed something interesting which happens to dancers of all styles, including bellydancers but also many others.
Often, a student will start a dance form with under-confidence of some sort. Over time, as the dance improves in the person, (s)he will build up the needed self-esteem and blossom beautifully. Some people continue to keep that confidence, but also keep the willingness to learn and grow, and like both positive and negative feedback. Some others, however, gain OVER-confidence and become ego monsters. Suddenly, suggestions for improvement offend them, they won't admit to their weaknesses, and they think they rule the bellydance (or other dance) "kingdom". Often, something happens to knock them down a notch, but for some others, they go through the unfortunate lifestyle of having a "holier-than-thou" attitude, which turns others around them off of the dance.
Life is so full of lessons we all have to learn, and what I mentioned is just one of the many things I've noticed when observing various dance communities. I don't think I'm "better" than people who need to learn said lesson, because I have lessons to learn just as much as anyone, just different lessons sometimes!
I feel that if people eventually catch on to the fact that they were being over-confident, then that makes them a "live and learn" person who can grasp the idea of Holistic Dance and maybe they can be a part of the holistic dance community. Unfortunately for some others, they will never (and never want to) grasp the idea of spirit, and for them I am sad.
I love to meet people who like to learn as much as possible from life.
This is a great tribe!
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Re: Glad you're here!
Wed, March 8, 2006 - 9:28 AMYou are so right Amethyst, I have so many lessons to learn myself.
It seems to be all about "balance", or like Goldlilocks looking for things that are "just right", not too much/not too little.
I read a book I think Anya (maybe she is here?) recommended on another list, "Eastern Body Western Mind" that really put it in a framework that was easy to understand, I think the best overall info on chakra & related energy issues I've found so far.
We should list our recommendations here, I guess that's how that works? I'll check it out - -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Fri, March 10, 2006 - 2:47 PMWow! You remembered that recommendation?? It's a fantastic book ("Eastern Body Western Mind") I'm so glad you revived the mention.
Anya
P.S. Love this tribe. -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Sat, March 11, 2006 - 5:30 AMHi Anya!
That book is the absolute bomb! Like totally!! :-) If I could figure out the recommedation thing I'd put it up....dang tribe.net stuff...
BTW Mishaal, I've heard people call that ego syndrome "getting bit by the snake" - that seems apropos -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Fri, March 10, 2006 - 10:00 AMGreat point! I do also see this transformation or growth pattern in all areas of bellydance and other dances too. I teach and still take --- I do see some that feel they can no longer learn after a couple of years. I think a lot of it comes from personality, why they entered into the dance, and their own goals sometimes.
The gals I dance with (experience ranges from 7 to 25 years) -- we all believe that we will never stop learning. If nothing else then we learning a new feeling or way to portray that...we experiment and out mentor (who has danced for close to 30 years) still learns with us.....so guess a lot of that may be coming from her! While I do dance professionally now, I hope to be a lifetime student because that is what keeps me grounded....I love to perform but it would lose something if I was not growing! And I would have lost why I started this....trying to portray that to my students but not everyone enters into this dance with the same goals.
Glad to see a tribe that wants to hang on to that spiritual side of this artform!
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Re: Glad you're here!
Wed, March 8, 2006 - 10:10 AMOnca, the director of Baraka Mundi, was talking about this very thing at Tribal Con--how dancers suddenly get unmanageable after about a year. She mentioned something about unlocking energy and chakras, but it was just a quick blip. I thought it was fascinating. -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Thu, March 9, 2006 - 4:23 AMinteresting about the `ego monster` effect etc, Ive been calling it the Diva trip. Lulu Sabongi has a nice article about this stage that many dancers seem to go through, and some never coming out of it. I smiled reading it recognizing it in dancers i have run into. Its a hard time working with dancers in the midst of such a trip, wonderful before they reach that stage, and when they have grown beyond it, its lovely to work with them again. ohh many more things i want to say..... i think i will bring it over to the what is Holistic Bellydance for you topic. -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Sat, March 11, 2006 - 12:53 PMSigh. I'm an "adolescent/ teenaged" bellydancer myself, and I find myself struggling. It's so funny that you all made that correlation, because I've found myself reliving much of the angst and confusion from those difficult years.
I don't see myself as an "ego-monster", but I have become more assertive in sharing my views on issues and wanting to debate topics. In terms of my dancing, my self-expectations have simply skyrocketed, and I've become plagued with frustration and self-criticism. In terms of my relationship with my teacher, when my expectations for myself increased, they increased for my teacher, as well. I find myself experiencing the same feeling I had for my mother in my teens-- I don't want a friend, I want a mentor.
The latter is an especially difficult perception-shift, because it is an unrealistic burden to place on my teacher and has completely shifted the dynamic between us, to the detriment of my class/ troupe. So I have removed myself from the situation and have temporarily dropped dance.
I miss the sisterhood, I miss the fun, I miss the dancing, but I can't switch my mindframe back in time, and I can't find a healthy new place to move to. Does anyone have any suggestions? My energy background (little though it is) is in qigong, and I don't know anything about chakras. Could someone recommend a website, perhaps, which breaks down techniques for dealing with this trying phase of development? -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Sun, March 12, 2006 - 3:11 PMStick with your own evolution as a dancer...all relationships can all be diififult at times and do go through changes..find a teacher who moves you (this may be your former teacher)..and stick with the process..we all reach plateaus (sp?) and sometimes need to wait out the time before the next inspiration comes to us in some form..in my experience it has always been when i least expect it..so keep the faith in yourself and in the process of a journey...some things simply take time and cannot be rushed..
:) cathy
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Re: Glad you're here!
Sun, March 12, 2006 - 6:11 PMHi Charity!
In reply to your post, I would get the book "The Sevenfold Journey" by Anodea Judith . Its great book about the chakras and doing chakra work. Teh book provides lots of clearly understandable information about the chakra system and provides movement oriented meditative exercises to practice for clearing and energising and/or balancing the chakras individually and as a whole system.
As for your dancing, Dance should be danced above and beyond else for the joy of dancing. If you've arrived at the point to where it has quit being a joy for you then you need to honestly take a look at what changed within you to shift your attitude towards your dancing. Its healthy to have goals towards improvement of technique but dance is way more than technique alone. Get back to the space of Feeling in your heart center and dance from that point of being. Simply allow yourself to surrender to the dance of your spirit within you. This should prove to reveal insight that will enable you to overcome your slump. BTW...We all have occasional slumps.
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Re: Glad you're here!
Mon, March 13, 2006 - 10:21 AMBecoming assertive is not the same as an ego monster --- that just means that you are starting to form your own way.
Do keep looking for the mentor that meets your needs. I have had many different teachers but have kept one main mentor. I needed the other teachers though to fill some needs and challenge me at times. I think as we grow -- our needs change and hopefully you find the mentor that will work for you now. It does not mean that the previous teacher was not doing something....it just means that you are seeking something different....does not have to be a negative. Also - as you look for one...be honest about your needs.
I wish you the best in your journey!!! -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Mon, March 13, 2006 - 12:02 PMThank you all so much!
I've made wonderful progress since making that post (I think just the act of writing it, helped), and I've now found a place of peace with my current situation and the people invovled. I'm definitely going to continue with my temporary bellydance break, and just spend that time processing and mentally recharging.
I will definitely keep looking for a mentor, and I will also spend some time trying to assess my needs so that I can be fair with my expectations. And most importantly, I will set aside time to put on some music, and just dance for the joy of it, contininuing to bring energy focus into my movement.
Thank you again, all of you, so much for your advice. It really helped.
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Re: Glad you're here!
Tue, March 7, 2006 - 6:13 AMHi there,
Great idea, thanks for starting this up.
Cheers!
Rosa/Ayperi -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Tue, March 7, 2006 - 9:39 AMAnother great Tribe glad to be here,..
Your Tribe description asks 'does it make you feel more grounded, inspired, integrated?' the answer from me is 'yes, yes, yes.' .
I love everything bellydance gives me, physically, emotionally and socially. X -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Mon, March 13, 2006 - 3:30 PMI too think its an excellent idea for a tribe here! And i am glad to be here as well!
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Re: Glad you're here!
Wed, March 15, 2006 - 12:20 PMNot particularly expecting to find *fit* here, actually more of a fly by to check out this whole "third chakra/ shaken shakra syndrome" thing.
I'm not into new age. I use the Hindu Definitions of Karma rather than neo-Karma. Holistic, yes. Homeopathic, yes, Macrobiotic, yes BUT when we start to blame psychology and progressive awareness on chakras, as if it's something that just 'happens' to all bellydancers because 'goddess knows' we're all just oh so very special...
There are plenty of people out there with inflated egos and it has nothing to do with having undertaken meditation or bellydance.
NO. Big resounding no. You don't just unconsciously make progress. It involves WORK. The dancers who don't want to work never get any farther because after that first plateau where they've learned enough to walk into a room and call themselves dancers they fluff up and start coming up with excuses.
Same thing for energy workers. Lots of aware people with healing touches who have done no work whatsoever but suddenly decide to get self congratulatory in the name of supposed altruism. Shall we call it fourth chakra syndrome then?
You want to snap someone out of shaken shakra syndrome? Drop them into a class that they haven't been taking for the last year and a half consecutively.
My appologies for being a mean nasty rain cloud,
Seichi -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Thu, March 16, 2006 - 9:28 AMhey Seichi,
I've been wishing for rain for some days now!
These concepts mean various things to each of us, just like saying, "do a 'figure-8'" will get you all kinds of movements...
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Re: Glad you're here!
Thu, March 16, 2006 - 7:18 PMAs I was reading this thread, the concept of humility came to mind. Perhaps that is what is lacking in some exhibiting this syndrome?
I operate with the assumption that there is always more to learn. And to learn, you have to be humble enough to allow someone to teach you. -
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Re: Glad you're here!
Fri, March 17, 2006 - 8:39 AMHumility IS the opposite of Pride, remember the saying "swallow your pride"? How odd - it goes right down to the belly!
And "they say" that what you see most in others is something you recognize because it's in yourself - so yeah, I get it!
I've seen myself be both ways - I ALWAYS felt humble enough to learn from & respect my teacher; yet I used to also be very defensive (outside of bellydance class). I could stand back & learn choreographies from troupe members who didn't dance as well as I, but then couldn't stand to be corrected or even commented on by family members. That's funny isn't it? Hopefully I'm a little more balanced these days, but I still have a lot of work to do!
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