The spirit (I believe) is something otherworldly or divine that takes over the body and usurps the brain when we are completely present to the moment at hand. Its possession is an opportunity for us to step aside and get out of our own way. And to get out of our own way is a deep inner knowing that we are not late or behind but right where we need to be. It’s the heavenly songs of Aretha Franklin’s Amazing Grace recording, James Brown’s quickly dancing feet, Michelango’s Pieta where he carved life into stone, or a single line of poetry that explains the meaning of it all. The spirit arrives when we are able to surrender the thinking mind and let something else take over- faith, god, bliss- whatever you want to call it, it is something much bigger than us. A divine intervention where we are the vessel, where we choose to keep the channel open and receptive.
At 24, I received the gift of dancing a solo created by and in honor of a mentor of mine. A week before the performance my left knee swelled to the size of a grapefruit, I couldn’t walk up or down my 5th floor walkup, and a doctor said I had a tear in my meniscus. I was heartbroken yet given one little crumb of hope – the doctor said if I laid off the knee all week then there might be a slim chance that I could dance this solo. Laying off was never a thing I did at this juncture of my life; I was an all-in type of girl but if I wanted to dance then I’d have to surrender and surrender to something higher. Surrender became synonymous with – closing my eyes, listening to the musical score, visualizing the choreography, feeling the movement from within my bones- all, as I sat incredibly still.
No muscle, all faith.
A week later, I stepped onto that stage and something took over- my mind was clear and my body was floating- I was not dancing it, it was dancing me- this otherworldly energy. The spirit can show up at any moment in our lives when we are truly available – the warm sun shining on your arms, eyes gazing at light peeking through the trees, the full moon in the night’s sky, being moved shape to shape in a flow and not really knowing how you got from point a to point b. Get outta your way, be here now, and be moved by spirit.
ToolBox 🧰
Hakini Mudra
Sit comfortably
Heavy seat and airy spine
Touch the tips of your fingers together by heart center
Close your eyes or blur the vision
Travel inward towards the divine
Try it on for 5 minutes
Inspiration Station✨
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