What are you dancing with in your life? What is your music?

When coming to write this I was thinking a lot about Yoga as a dance and the Hindu god Shiva – especially as Nataraja. I was connecting to the Vinyasa flow of Yoga and looking at my statue of Nataraja. The King of dance -Nataraja is a portrayal of Shiva as the cosmic dancer who performs his divine dance to destroy the universe in preparation for the creation process once again, for everything has cycles. To understand the dance I found to understand the concept of dance useful.

Dance, just like Yoga, induces movement, trance or meditative state, even ecstasy and the experience of the Divine. Shiva as Nataraja depicts stillness and motion in one, the stoic face of Shiva represents his composure, unaffected by all forces going on around him. Is this not a state we are all trying to achieve in modern day living?

During the practice of Yoga there is movement through the asanas and even when holding an asana there is still (excuse the pun) movement of the breath, the pulse of prana within so there is stillness and motion in one in the asana. The dance of Nataraja portrays all life and its polarities, the oneness in everything.

My dance…
For me the dance in my life is quite simply Yoga and my music is the evolving connections I make with the rhythms, pulse and creativity of life as I move through it. I think of the sequences of asanas of my Yoga as a dance that flows, resonates and moves me from within, enhancing the music of my soul, my Divine nature. This evokes the dance to evolve even deeper and further, reminding me of my Divine nature and its connection to the Divine all around. 

I am always dancing, the music within still plays, just different melodies, different vibrations; surrender and stillness turning inwards, along with dynamic, vibrant, uplifting and expansive, they are all one – Divine.

Just like Shiva as Nataraja we are all performing the dance in life through our ever changing cycles; on the one hand Shiva is tranquil, meditative, inwardly calm absorbed in the Supreme Consciousness where all differences dissolve. Yet on the other hand Shiva is total activity, frantic, playful and life’s energy as he performs his dance of destruction and creation. Does this remind you of some of your many life states?

The king of the Dance
Nataraja encourages all individuals to overcome complacency and get his or her act together – for anything is possible when you open up to greater possibilities in the dance.  The dance of Shiva represents five divine activities; creation, protection, destruction, concealment and revelation or Grace. These are all represented in the four arms of Shiva dancing in a circle of flames, lifting his left leg and standing on the dwarf, Apasmara who symbolises ignorance.

Shiva’s upper right hand symbolises creation, holding the drum which is the beating pulse of the universe and the music for Shiva’s dance. The upper left hand holds the fire of destruction; fire destroys all at the end of each cycle of creation. These two hands are symbols that portray the intricate balance of the forces of creation and destruction in the universe.

The lower right hand is held in abhaya mudra, a mystical hand gesture that means fear not or Have no fear. This signifies protection from evil and ignorance. The uplifted leg signifies Revelation or Grace that liberates all souls. The lower left hand represents concealment; it crosses the heart signifying how one forgets or looses touch with their heart concealing or camouflaging the heart qualities and forgetting one’s true nature, which is inherently Divine at essence. This lower left hand points to the uplifted leg in assurance of Grace, surrender and liberation, and each individual by means of revelation or Grace reunites with the Divine within.

The image of Nataraja has Shiva dancing in a circle of flames represents the  field of the dance with the whole universe and the lotus pedestal on which Shiva rests places this universe within the heart or consciousness of each individual. Shiva dances on the body of Apasmara -the man of forgetfulness, personifying ignorance and laziness. So creation and all creative energy are only possible when the weight of inertia is overcome.

Shiva also has the snake around his waist representing the kundalini or divine energy found in all beings and Shiva’s hair which is usually piled up in a kind of pyramid on top of his head flows freely, dispelling the idea of a conventional ascetic in his frenzy dance of creation and destruction.

Opening up to something Greater
The Nataraja depicts not just a mythical event of a deity, but on a universal level represents the cycles of life, the forces of nature, that constantly evolve and change and the aspirations and even the limitations that each individual tries to overcome in life.

When I think of Shiva I also always think of his consort Shakti who balances the extreme ascetic in Shiva. So as you dance in life, I invite you to evoke the masculine image of Shiva, his strength, courage, stillness, faith, freedom and steadiness and also bring in the feminine Shakti energy of freedom, surrender, joy, playfulness and reverence.  For Shiva and Shakti are one Ardhanarishvara. Bringing these qualities forth helps you to appreciate all qualities of the heart on your Yoga mat and then bringing forth Yoga in all aspects of life.

All life comes in cycles, for me this is very apparent at present. Nataraja is encouraging you to win, go further, dance your dance with 100% attitude and love, for you are Divine already. When you open up to something greater, this Divine spirit moves you differently and the whole dance is a joy. Enjoy life’s greatness; celebrate the light and the dark, the contraction as it brings forth new expansion, as one cycle closes a new one is born.
Join me and connect with your heart as the music of your soul dances divinely!

Namaste

Michelle
http://www.yogarelax.co.uk

Alleviation for Cancer Sufferers by Krista Peterson

Krista kindly wrote this piece for YogaRelax to share how Cancer patients are receiving peace of mind from Yoga. I thank you Krista for sharing, Namaste Michelle

Yoga offers a way to heal 

Going through the treatment process for cancer can be one of the most difficult and challenging experiences you can imagine. Even in treatment, there are multiple stages of therapy, and a number of side-effects that can be incredibly taxing on the body. Complementary treatments have grown exponentially in popularity in recent years due to the ability to relieve some of the rigors of traditional treatments. One of the more popular and better known options is yoga.

One of the larger reasons for the popularity of yoga in medical circles is because of its focus on both the mental and physical aspects of the self. This popularity is also partially attributed to the diversity of the practice of yoga. Patients can engage in yoga sessions around their own treatment schedules. They can take party in short daily sessions, or longer sessions space throughout the week.

 For patients with terminal illnesses, yoga can provide a tranquility and peace of mind, and can also help to provide some clarity for patients going through some of their darkest times. A good example would be patients afflicted with mesothelioma, a rare cancer related to the exposure from asbestos. These patients have an extraordinarily low life expectancy rate, and can use yoga to relieve a lot of the stress and difficulty they may be facing during these times.

The benefits of yoga are common to most households, and have gained popularity as a low-impact exercise routine that not only burns fat, but also melts the body and mind through meditation. For cancer patients, the physical attributes are far more meaningful than just exercise. Yoga is used to relieve the symptoms of the affliction and help the patient feel as though they are on the path to recovery, and can improve sleep in sufferers as well.

Yoga will likely continue growing as a viable complementary treatment as a result of its combined mental and physical benefits. As the research on the subject continues, yoga is certainly on the path to becoming even more popular among terminal illness patients.

Krista Peterson
krista.peterson925@gmail.com