Woman's Sacred Dance

A Simple Teaching

March 14, 2004; updated May 9, 2009

Dear Ones -

What is this whole thing about "women's sacred dance," sometimes called "esoteric women's dance?" Is it a bunch of mystical mumbo-jumbo? Or is there something real and practical here - something that maybe could make a difference in your real, so very real, experience of everyday life?

We do something called "women's sacred dance," which means that our dance is a part of our lives that is "set apart." We use this time to be in touch with the deepest and most expressive aspects of who we are. To do this, we need to close out the rest of the world, at least for a little while. That is why we call this "sacred dance," where the word "sacred" literally means "set apart."

Our dance is "sacred" in another way as well.

We learn to release tension throughout our spine, particularly in our sacral area. We learn to build connection and awareness throughout our entire bodies. And as we do this, we make it possible for us to incorporate "energy work" into our dance.

This "energy work" is very similar to that done in the internal martial arts, such as tai chi chu'an. We also use the methods of Chinese "sexual kung fu," as detailed by Mantak Chia and other teachers of that tradition. We also incorporate aspects of pranayama and Kundalini yoga.
In addition, we use certain visualization exercises, including those based on the "esoteric" (some read this as "magical") teachings from the European tradition; this is similar to Kabbalah studies, only brought into a dance interpretation.

Our intention is to be able to access our personal energy, which martial artists call "chi" or "ki," and which the yogis call "prana." We desire to bring up this energy and circulate it at will.

The immediate and obvious benefit of this practice is increased health and vitality. Other benefits are best described as "well known, to those who know it well."

Our practice is not particularly easy, that's why we call the energy work aspects our "Level 3" and "Level 4" studies. Most students (including your teacher) spend most of their time and effort at "Level 1" (getting posture and alignment right), and "Level 2" (releasing tension and blockages).

And yes, we do all this on top of and in addition to the core, "classical" training of belly dance -- hip drops, shimmies, more techniques, choreography -- the usual. The "esoteric" work is an additional study.

The End Result

As you study dance - at both the "external" or physical level, and also the "internal" (or "energy") level, you'll learn to do things in a new way. You really will learn to bring up your personal energy, and move it around as you dance. This will be something under your personal control.

And naturally, it will make you totally captivating and compelling. You really will become an attractor. You really will exert something akin to a magnetic force on the world around you.

So, darling -- wherever you are, and however you are doing this -- practice your gift wisely. You really do have power.

Practicum

Here's an exercise that you can try, wherever you are in the world. It's in three parts. Part One is the "purely" physical aspect. Feel inside your body to the very exact center. This is about two or three inches below your belly button - and of course inside, not on the surface! This is the spot that Chinese martial artists and esoteric specialists call the tan tien. In Chinese esoteric practice (think of the "kung fu" moveies for the easiest connection), this tan tien is where we store all of our internal power and energy. We'll use this spot ourselves.

Now, contract in towards this this central spot, towards your tan tien. Don't worry about how to do it - there is muscle control involved, and as you'll learn how as you progress in your studies. For now, just sort of "pull up" all the muscles below this area. If nothing else, think about contracting into your tan tien.

As you do this contraction, relax everything else in your body. And insofar as possible, "relax your mind." (This is quoting from William C.C. Chen, the martial arts teacher who taught Peter Ralston, the martial arts teacher who most influenced me.)

Now, think about something that you'd really like to have in your life. This should be something you would really like - as in, every time you think about it, your whole inner being should just gush over with how much you'd like to experience this. But at the same time, it should not be something that you typically dwell upon as a "problem" or "issue" that you're trying to resolve. In other words, pick something that would absolutely be a total joy and delight for you, but not something where you're already wrapped around a pole because you don't have it, or whatever degree you have of it doesn't suit you. Pick something that is as much as possible "issue-free."

Imagine yourself having this experience, and having it in super-abundance. Imagine it being so lavish and overflowing that you feel that you've really gone well over the top in this imagining - way more than you expect you could ever have. And then imagine having even more!

As you do this, concentrate only on your total delight and pleasure in having this experience. That's all; nothing else. Stay relaxed, and continue with this slight contraction into your tan tien. Absolutely do not let your mind go into any kind of figuring out how you could maneuver, scheme, or "work" this into your life. Stay completely out of how the Universe or Source Energy will deliver this to you. This is Part Two of the exercise.

If you want to embellish Part Two, you can. For example, you might want to find a picture that represents this desire, and frame it or make a collage of a set of pictures. (I keep a "desire" book that has such pictures arranged by groups, in 3-hole punched sheet protectors. It's kind of like a made-to-order magazine.) You also might want to journal - briefly! - about this desire, just noting down some details of what you'd like, and also the time of your first envisioning.

You can repeat this exercise as often as you like, either embellishing your original desire, or bringing in additional desires. (This is where it is really kind of fun to keep track of which desires you've identified and "charged" through contracting up towards your tan tien. Because you'll be surprised at how frequently and rapidly these different desires are met!)

And that leads us to Part Three, which is just noticing how long it takes for your desire to be satisfied. And noticing how absolutely amazing and synchronistic is the means by which your desires become manifest for you!

If there is any special word I would give you here, it is that once you put this desire into your "charged state" with this exercise, leave it alone! Don't "do" anything to make it come about. Instead, concentrate on graciously and joyfully accepting it as it manifests for you. Your goal here is to receive, not to "make some something happen." This is most super-important, and will have lots of ramifications that are specific to us in doing a woman's energy-work, or esoteric body-art.

So Part Three is gracious, joyful, and appreciative receiving of your heartfelt desire. That's all there is to this exercise. Try it - and let me know how it works for you!

All my best - A.

P.S. - Do you want to read something along these lines? Here's some books that are a wonderful introduction - and you don't know how "real" the story is, but you don't have to; the lesson applies!