Moving in Trust

We get so caught up in our IDEAS of things, don’t we?

And those ideas then get caught up with other people’s ideas and pretty soon we are in knots over things that seem like they should be pretty simple.

Movement, for example.

Instead of just trusting ourselves to move in ways that bring us joy and pleasure and growth and change and all the things we really want from movement, we start to explore a particular path.

Then we get caught up in doing it “right.”

Then we self identify with the culture of the path.

Let’s take, for example, yoga — the very thing that is meant to bring us freedom and an understanding of ourselves that is infinite. Over time, over repetitions, it ends up concretizing us in our bodies and our minds. It can take a long time — if ever — to be able to see that this is what has happened.

Maybe then we move to “primal movement,” but again, instead of trusting ourselves, we seek a “program” and even in this concept called “primal,” we find ourselves learning patterns and repeating patterns and wondering when we’ll get to the “advanced” patterns.

When the most “advanced” pattern is the capacity to follow no pattern.

There is nothing wrong with studying different paths and with different teachers as long as we don’t get STUCK.

Find a teacher who is the geekiest student you’ve ever met.

Find a teacher who is there to light your curiosity on fire.

Find a teacher who is never ever finished.

Find a culture of no culture, one that is always expanding.

Find a group of humans who don’t believe in hierarchies of any kind.

Be brave.

Stop following. Stop patterning.

Question. Experiment. Play.

Instead of a Word of the Year: A Practice of the Year

So many words kept coming at me, trying to assert themselves as the front runner for my word of 2021, but it bothered me… this idea of distilling it all down to one word when I knew I needed a broader and simultaneously deeper approach after the dumpster fire of 2020.

I needed something that would help me to refocus on what really matters to me. I needed something that would feed the better parts of me.

I needed something that would get me back on my right path when it came to nurturing my spirit.

But I also needed a challenge for my world weary heart — a challenge that would take me beyond all the unproductive rage I’ve been living with for the past many months and a challenge that could help to lift me out of my post-serious-depression acedia (spiritual apathy).

And then it hit me:

I will be spending 2021 studying the Yamas and Niyamas of Yoga. These are the ethical practices of yoga. There are ten in total and so during the last two months, I will dive into a sort of “review,” focusing on the ones that I found especially challenging.

I will be using this text. At the beginning of each month, I’ll read the corresponding chapter, and then I will spend the month exploring that particular yama or niyama in all areas of my life.

I would love for you to join me so I’ll also be writing about this journey here and in the JoyBody Sanctuary on Facebook. If you’re not in the sanctuary, you can ask to join by going here or you can just send me a message anywhere you have access to me and ask me to add you. It’s a private group and no one can see what’s being written in there except for the members.

JoyBody is NOT...

I use the word JOY in the way mystics have traditionally used it across many traditions.

It doesn't mean happiness or silliness or any sort of BIG expressed, giddy sort of emotional state. It's the ground of your being. It's the ground of all existence.

It's the feeling that we have when we are centered and residing in the space in ourselves that knows it is a good thing to be living this life no matter what is happening. It's actually quite... calm, steady, abiding... it feels a lot like long deep breathing.

There are as many ways to access this state as there are human experiences and that is where tantra comes in for me. Tantra is an understanding of life that says that every single thing you take in via your senses is a gift that we can learn from, that we can grow from.

So tantra never denies bodily needs and desires like so many paths do. There's no "transcending." There's being right here IN THIS.

This does NOT mean that SHIT doesn't happen. It doesn't mean that SHIT isn't SHITTY. It doesn't mean there aren't UBER SHITTY humans on this planet making UBER SHITTY choices.

It means that if we are settled in our joybody we can, after processing and being truthful and expressing what needs to be expressed, we can find even just a small something of value for ourselves. After the fact.

The universe and life aren't here to "teach you lessons." Open minded and inquisitive people turn life INTO lessons.

So when I ask you about joy even in this current context of craposity, I mean, dig a little under that. Are you breathing today? Then there's something for you under the crap.

THIS is LIBERATING your joybody.

The Stories of Your Body

Jane was one of my elder dancers. She was about 80 when I was teaching her and she had more energy than ANYONE I knew. She was so IN LOVE with life, and she just DOVE into anything I asked them to do.

And she had the most expressive FEET.

As we age, things might start to feel differently. Things might start to make sounds, feel achey, not extend or stretch quite as far as they used to.

That only upsets us because of our expectations and because of the negative stories we then spin around what is simply…happening.

What if we flipped that?

What if we decided — as the original practitioners of Butoh did many years ago — that with age, our bodies become MORE — more full of story, MORE able to tell those stories, more honest, more expressive, more beautiful, more joyful?

What if we decided that the true dance didn’t — couldn’t — happen until we were well toward our 80s like Jane?

Slower is the Way

Your personality can’t be seen more clearly (to me as a body reader) than when you are moving freely.

The same is true for me. If you know me, you know I’m a “muscle through-er.” I push. I TRY. I WORK. Everything is to be OVERCOME, DEFEATED, WON.

I’m not saying this is bad or good; it just is.

So I always thought that FAST and BIG and LOUD was best when it came to movement. I always thought that that would get me to physical sorts of goals quicker. (And when I say physical goals, I’m not talking weight. I don’t weigh myself. I’m talking about how I feel and I how I am able to move.)

Then I started studying Butoh (with the world renowned Maureen Fleming), and we moved so slowly, paying so much attention to every freaking detail.

It was agonizing. I never sweat so much. I’ve never been so sore.

And I’ve never been so completely and utterly captivated and engaged.

It challenged me on every level of my being. It made me a better and more interesting mover. It elevated my teaching and my work.

I’m a convert and I’m here to convert you too.

That’s not to say that fast and fun doesn’t have it’s place, but it shouldn’t be a place of primacy.

As I said in a yoga class this morning, too often we’re moving quickly to AVOID FEELING.

And then we get hurt. Because if we’re not feeling, then we’re not noticing, then we’re relying on momentum and shit happens.

The physical practice once again teaches us everything we need to know about living life.

The (Not So Obvious) Benefits of Recording Movement Classes

I'm now recording Skype classes so, for example, a couple of people couldn't make the Monday night time slot, BUT they can just watch it at their convenience (it's saved in skype for only 30 days AND it's in our private chat on there so no one else has access).

BUT there's another benefit... people can watch AGAIN and this is good for TWO reasons:

First, people often think they are doing something they're not or that they are looking one way or another and they're not or that they are doing something "wrong" (a word not used in my classes but still...people think it). But now they can watch and see!!

Second, because the work is rather introverted in nature (a lot of people work with eyes closed), now they can go back and watch what other people were up to. This is important -- our bodies take this stuff in and the next time they move, they'll have integrated something new.

Mini Quickie Kundalini Yoga Session: Getting Back to Basics

This is my take on Kundalini yoga. It’s grounded in tantra philosophy with none of the added “stuff” you can sometimes see out there (i.e., white turbans).

There’s a joy and ease in this practice that I’ve never found anywhere else. When I’m done, I feel centered and calm AND ENERGIZED. And this is a yoga that is TRULY for ALL bodies because it’s not “hold that posture” based.

Pre-Covid OBVS

If you’ve been wondering what it’s like, this is a great chance to check it out without too much time or money commitment.

PLEASE READ ALL THE HOWS AND WHATS BELOW CAREFULLY!

WHAT YOU GET:
ACCESS TO TWO 20 MINUTE PRACTICES A WEEK, WHICH YOU CAN WATCH LIVE OR YOU CAN WATCH THE RECORDING WHEN YOU HAVE TIME. IT’S ALL UP TO YOU.

You can also REPEAT the material as much as you want. Each class will stay up in the group for the entire month and a bit beyond.

You also have access to ME. You can ask for help ANY TIME in the group.

HOW:
YOU HAVE TO BE ON FACEBOOK.

MUSIC will be provided in the group prior to the class via Spotify and YouTube lists.

You’ll be added to a “Morning Quickie Yoga” PRIVATE group.

TIME ZONE: I’m in the Eastern U.S. Time Zone. For those of you for whom that might not mean much, I’m in the same time zone as New York City.

ALSO NOTE: Classes, though online, START ON TIME. You can jump in late, but I won't be waiting.

COST: $35 for 3 weeks of 2 quickie classes
TIME: 10:30 AM
Tuesdays: December 1, 8, 15
Thursdays: December 3, 10, 17

Mini Movement Arts Session: FUNdamentals Deep Dive

During this 3 week mini session we’ll be diving into the fundamentals of my approach to movement art, so it’s a perfect opportunity to try this out if you’re new to this work.

We’ll be focusing on:

• the use of breath,

• deep listening to the body (or what I like to call fascination),

• circular movement in the body and in space,

• and the importance of slow.

A current partial class, with me and my serious “I’m observing” face

MINI SESSION BEGINS MONDAY, November 30th and runs for 3 weeks.

WHERE: ONLINE, via Skype

TIME: Mondays, 5:30 to 6:45 PM (Eastern Time)

DATES: November 30th, December 7th, 14th

HOW: For this session, you need to also be familiar with/able to use Spotify or YouTube ALONG WITH Skype. It’s free. I’ll be providing a music list BEFORE each class. While I’m teaching, ALL MICS MUST BE OFF, except for mine. You’ll be listening to the music at your end (providing more volume and clarity) AND you’ll still be able to hear me (I’ll be using an earbud for my own music.)

COST: $45