Autumn Lesson 4: Breaking Through Emotional Resistance

Autumn Lesson 4 in The Season of Cups: Moving Out of Stuck Situations

The primary focus of this ten-week series (from the Ace through the Ten of Cups) is on cultivating our internal energy and bringing it up our spines. The final stage of this series is actually the Ace of Cups, when we (supposedly) learn to "fountain" our energy around ourselves.

 

This is an important goal, both because being able to "fountain" our energy (actually, to do anything at all with our internal energy) is good, but also because this ability is a crucial predecessor to the really important energy exercises:

• The Micro-Cosmic Orbit (a Taoist energy practice),
• The Middle Pillar (a western esoteric energy practice), and
• The Circulating the Body of Light (both western and eastern).

 

We will be doing the first two of these practices (Micro-Cosmic Orbit and Middle Pillar) over the winter, and the final one (Circulating the Body of Light) in the summer.

 

What we are doing now, though, is a structured energy practice that will lead us steadily to some of these more advanced exercises.

 

In the previous three weeks, we introduced the Season of Cups and basic exercises for this autumn quarter:

• Week One: Energy Dancing with a Water Feeling,
• Week Two: Filling Our Energy Well Using Circular, Flowing, and Snake Movements with the Chifti Telli Rhythm in Esoteric Belly Dance, introducing our Ida/Pingala energy channels, and
• Week Three: Autumn Lesson 3: Unifying Our Vital Energies, tracing Ida/Pingala up the spine along with the Sushumna primary channel.

This week, we encounter emotional blocks that keep us from fully doing our energy work.

 

The Four of Cups; follow the link for a good interpretation.

 

The Four of Cups is a moment of stasis; we are so locked up in our present thoughts and conditions that we can't open up to new "good energy" that is being offered to us.

 

When we studied the Two of Cups, we realized that we were being directed to examine the Ida/Pingala energy streams at the root of our spine. At the Three of Cups, we included the Sushumna primary energy column in our attention, and did the first "interweaving" or "crossing over" of the Ida/Pingala streams. We did this at an energy nexus point on our spines that connects directly to the second chakra in front.

 

(Recall our energy anatomy: there are six "nexus points" on the spine, each of which connects via nerve bundles to one of each of six nerve ganglia on our fronts. Each of these physical nerve ganglia bundles corresponds to a chakra area.)

 

Now, at the Four of Cups, we're at the second crossing of the Ida/Pingala streams, which corresponds to the third nerve bundle on the spine and the third nerve ganglia grouping and chakra center on our fronts.

 

This third chakra occurs at our solar plexus. This is right where our upper diaphragm (the one separating our heart and our lungs from our abdominal organs) occurs.

 

When we are energetically and emotionally blocked or "stuck," then our diaphragm is tight, and we have a rigid hold on the muscles in our upper abdominal area as well as our sternums. The result is that we have a tight and rigid dance.

 

 

In Unveiling: The Inner Journey, I describe how one of my master teachers, Anahid Sofian, corrected me and another leading dancer on precisely this matter.

 

Across the crowded floor, a series of young women swayed like seaweed in the ocean. Their eyes on the diminutive teacher, they followed Anahid Sofian in her graceful yet precise movements...

 

“Leah,” she called out to a dancer, “you need to release – right here.” She gestured to her own sternum. We were practicing upper body undulations, one of the most beautiful and sensual moves in Oriental dance. “And Alay’nya,” she turned, scrutinizing me, “you need to do the same.”

 

Both Leah and I were well beyond the beginner’s level. ... Here we were, getting the same correction on one of the most basic moves. “What,” I wondered, “is going on with us?”

 

Suddenly it hit me; one of those “Aha!” moments. Leah and I both epitomized the “young-woman-on-her-own-in-the-world.” Having to make it on our own in essentially a man’s world, we had taken on the masculine attributes of body armor by using our muscles and ligaments! By stiffening our muscles, and holding them tightly, we created an impenetrable shield; we were “armored” against the world. What we were doing in our bodies reflected more the influence of Athena, Goddess of Intellect (as well as war; she is the ultimate Amazon), than Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love. We were fully in our Amazon mode!

 

Releasing the muscles in our sternum took conscious attention from each of us. It did then, and it still does. The old tension patterns die hard. [from Unveiling: The Inner Journey, Chapter 14, "Locking Our Minds Out of Our Bodies," pp. 189-190]

 

For many of us, as we go into the autumnal Season of Cups, our attention is not just on practicing technique. Rather, it becomes a quest to release those tensions and blockage patterns that keep the movement from flowing freely.

 

Here's to your own "inner un-blocking"! Namaste - Alay'nya

 

P.S. Getting Your Own Copy of Unveiling: The Inner Journey

Do you want to continue reading Chapter 14, from which the beginning was excerpted above? You can have your print copy of Unveiling overnight from Amazon, or a Kindle version within minutes.
 

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P.P.S. More Unveiling

A very important related section is in Chapter 9, "The Essence of Stillness." I have a nice long extract posted on the Unveiling website. Go to the Resources page, and look for the extract about Esther. Also, you'll have a chance to sign up for the Unveiling e-newsletter, and be given early information on:
 

• Workshops: Whether my own, or those that I highly recommend (and will likely attend), be the among the first to know your options for putting your Unveiling studies into practice - topics will range from archetypal to dance to the "Fountain of Youth,"
• Best-of-the-Best links and "insider info," which I custom-select, carefully edit, and share just with the Unveiling Community (free, but you must Opt-In using the Opt-In form on the website's first page) and
• Weekly updates - so that you won't miss a thing!

Autumn Lesson 3: Unifying Our Energies

Autumn Lesson 3 in The Season of Cups: Unifying Three Essential Types of Vital Energy

In autumn, we focus on cultivating our intrinsic vital energy, or ch'i. The suite of Cups (from the Minor Arcana) is associated with autumn, and with the metaphysical element of water. Thus, when we put our attention on Cups (water) energy, we are really seeking to develop our internal cup, or energy basin.

 

Stephen Covey, in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, identifies the second habit as: Begin with the end in mind.

 

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We previously saw a visual depiction of our goal: Being able to bring our energy up and have it "fountain" or "flow" down around us. We saw this in the classic Rider-Waite interpretation of this card.

 

Our desire to "fountain" our energy is a normal and natural one, especially once we gain some proficiency with energy work. I learned about this energetic practice from Medea, my first teacher in Oriental dance.

 

"Medea had studied yoga. Her lover was also her guru. He had, she explained, taught her to bring up her energy during love-making - and to give it to him! Then they broke up. What, she wondered, was she going to do with her energy, if she wasn't going to give it over to a man? She finally figured it out. As she told us, 'Instead of giving it to him, I've learned to bring it up, and then to "fountain" it back down and take it in again!'" [Unveiling: The Inner Journey, pp. 402-403]

 

In last week's class, we got more specific. We began our energy-study in earnest, with an etude (study piece) cultivate the two vital energy streams that come up on either side of our primary energy pathway in our spine. That is, we focused on the Ida/Pingala energy channels. We saw these two energy channels symbolized by the picture for the Two of Cups.

 

In this Two of Cups picture set, we see a consistent theme - a man and a woman come together to share their energy.

 

In the central picture, we see that the man and the woman each are holding a cup, and are each extending their cup towards each other. We connect this to the first step of the Ida/Pingala energy raising. We note that the two persons seem just a bit tentative; this is their first experience of bringing their unique energies to "cross over" and join with the other. This is where Ida (left) and Pingala (right) cross over at the base of the spine, at the root chakra.

 

Now, "begin[ning] with the end in mind," we take a look at the final card for the Suite of Cups. The Ten of Cups similarly shows a man and a woman, and again each holds a cup.

 

The big differences? Their wrists wrap around each other, and their cups are upraised. There is energy flowing into and out of their cups (the rainbow). The signs of "cups" are all about them; the union of these two energies has resulted in a happy, positive overflowing abundance - complete success!

 

This is our end-goal for our Ida/Pingala energy-raising exercise, and in fact, for the entire Autumn Quarter, when we focus on Cups.

 

Keep in mind that when we look at imagery such as this - strictly in terms of how these images represent steps and challenges (and overcoming challenges) in our personal growth and mastery - that each person or being represents an aspect of ourselves. In the pictures showing a man and a woman, they represent our masculine and feminine psychological poles, and/or our different energies - in this case, specifically the Ida/Pingala energy channels, or nadis.

 

In this context - of knowing our overall goal for the quarter - we look at the Three of Cups.

 

Images for the Three of Cups traditionally show three woman, often dancing together. The middle image here shows them bringing their cups (energies) towards each other, and intertwining their arms.

 

This brings to mind what we learned last week; the Ida and Pingala are on either side of the primary energy channel, the Sushumna. This week, we remind ourselves that our deeper goal is not just to bring energy up the Pingala and Ida channels, but also bring up our primary energy (up the Sushumna channel); this becomes a kundalini awakening - a very advanced step. In our classes, we focus on prerequisites - on the "beginner steps" towards this very advanced goal.

 

One of the most basic, and important, practices for energy cultivation is pranayama. We introduced a "baby pranayama" exercise together with energy raising in the etude that we have set to Rasa's Gayatri Mantra. (Hereafter, for simplicity, we'll refer to this as the Gayatri Mantra energy-raising etude, or simply the Gayatri Mantra etude.)

 

In this Gayatri Mantra etude, we do three things:

• Bring energy up our spines, where we anchor (drop our body weight) and allow our hands to come up each time we "bring up our energy,"
• Coordinate the energy-raising with specific mudras (hand gestures) and with vibrating the words that go with each mudra, and
• Coordinate all of this with a simple (baby-level) pranayama breathing pattern.

 

This is only complicated until it's not.

 

By the end of this quarter, we should be proficient with:

• Bringing energy up to each of seven different chakra-levels (actually, six nadis on the spine and then our crown chakra),
• Coordinating this with seven different mudras and their respective "intonations," along with the ability to do some baby-level pranayama, and
• Some awareness of our Ida/Pingala energy channels, which interweave about our spinal column.

 

Also, by the end of the quarter, we should be much better at:

• "Containing" our energy in our pelvic "energy cauldron," as opposed to spilling it out,
• Minimizing "holes" in our "energy cauldron" (making it a "cauldron" and not a "sieve" or a "colander"), and
• Protecting our energy boundaries (yes, "setting boundaries,") so that we don't unintentionally give away all this lovely energy that we're cultivating.

 

The end result is that we should approach winter solstice with a strong, vibrant energy - ready to share at our discretion as we spend time connecting with friends, family, and colleagues. We should be energetically "insulated" against winter, and be strong for the next aspect of our inner journey.

 

Most of all, we should be feeling "juicy." As in, downright fabulously "delish"! Here's to a great autumn season for all of us!

 

Namaste! - Alay'nya

Filling Our "Energy Well" Using Oriental Dance

Filling Our "Energy Well" Using Circular, Rolling, and Snake Movements with the Chifti Telli Rhythm in Esoteric Belly Dance

Julia Cameron, in her book The Vein of Gold, talks about "filling the well." She writes, "As artists, we must learn to be self-nourishing." (p. 21)
 

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Water: The Energy of the Season of Cups

As we move into Autumn, the Season of Cups, we shift both our dance and our life-focus. Summer was the Season of Rods, and dealt with fire energy. If we had progressed in our energy cultivation path well over the previous year, we had plenty of "energy to burn" by summer time - and that's exactly what we did!
 

Now, though, with the heat of the summer waning, we are ready for something different. Our bodies - and our psyches - seek replenishment.
 

Energetic Anatomy

Because we are doing esoteric belly dance, or Oriental dance (belly dance) with an energy component, the idea of replenishment has very specific and practical meaning for us. We focus on drawing energy into our "energy reserve centers," and to building and strengthening this energy.
 

As a first step, we look at one aspect of our energy anatomy - the various energy channels that come up our spine.
 

In many of our energy exercises, we draw energy up our spine. Very often, we bring energy straight up our spinal column.
 

However, in this lesson, we pay attention to the fact that the energy currents up our spine are more complex.
 

There are really three channels, or nadis (a Sanskrit term), as recognized in the yogic tradition. These are:

• Pingala: The nadi carrying the "active" aspect or prana (this is our vital life-force, or ch'i)
• Ida: The nadi carrying the "passive" aspect or apana
• Sushumna: The nadi carrying the Kundalini energy

These energy channels have been recognized in our own Western medical tradition - in a very subliminal manner - for thousands of years. Specifically, the cadeceus - our emblem for the healing arts - is a stylized depiction of these energy channels.
 

The tantric tradition of kundalini yoga has been to awaken the energy flow through these nadis, culminating in a fully awakened and energy-vitalized state.
 

Relating Energetic Anatomy to Western Esoteric Tradition

In our studies, we use this time of year to "fill our well" energetically. In fact, we opened this quarter by giving attention to energy dancing with a water feeling.
 

Now that we've introduced our theme, we move from the overall feeling of water energy (the Ace of Cups) to the lesson in the Two of Cups. Margaret Wells, who has developed interpretations for the various Tarot cards, describes the Two of Cups as bringing forth "a moment of shared feeling."
 

Look closely at the imagery in this card, designed especially by Melvis, in a project organized by Margaret. See how the two cups are blending together? And they're both receiving droplets of water.
 

This is what we're doing. We're bringing "droplets of energy" to both our prana (Pingala) and apana (Ida) origination and storage points at the base of our spine. This is the starting point for our exercise.
 

Practicum: Second Week of Autumn

Pingala/Ida Nadi Tracing

We will return in this week's class to the Cabbalistic Cross exercise that we began last week, using the music Anahat (by Kairo by Night).
 

We are going to use the opening phrases of this music (about a minute or so, before the "melodic line" kicks in) to trace the Pingala and Ida circulation lines up our spines. This acts as a reminder to ourselves that these two nadis play a role. Even though many of our other energy exercises will bring the energy straight up our spines, we acknowledge the different "currents" or nadis as we begin our practice.
 

Please note: The Cabbalistic Cross is not an "energy-building" or "energy circulation" exercise. Rather, it is the first step in aligning ourselves with certain "realms of consciousness" (Sephiroth in the Kabbalistic tradition), and is a preliminary to an "energy boundary" exercise, the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. We are inserting the Pingala/Ida here - because it works - and we'll insert it into other exercises/etudes as well. Keep in mind the distinction; energy-building or cultivation vs. energy circulation vs. protection/boundary-creation.
 

Other exercises for the Second Week of Autumn

• Diaphragm stretches: We'll begin paying more attention to each of our three diaphragms, allowing them to release, so we can bring in more air. This is an important precursor to learning undulations, both upper and lower body.
• Circular Movements: Hip circles and rib cage circles help us to "feel out" the fullness of the energy basin that rests in our pelvic girdle.
• Snake Arms: We'll introduce some exercises that will help you move your arms and hands gracefully. These are necessary precursors to candle dancing, which is an optional study for Winter Solstice.

As always, we'll do veil work - both in place, and moving across the floor.
 

Music/Rhythms

We will listen to and move with various chifti telli pieces, which are the focal rhythms for this quarter.
 

Principles

• Lotus Flower: This is a Static Principle, and is the second one that we learn in our sequence. It is the natural corollary to the Anchoring Principle that we studied last week.
• Expansion/Contraction: This is a Dynamic Principle that we'll study in greater depth over time. We use the Expansion/Contraction method, combined with breathing (even a little pranayama) to fill our energy cauldron (the "basin" in our hip girdle, where we build and store intrinsic energy, or ch'i). This is a natural accompaniment to - and adds to the energetic value of - movements such as hip circles.

Using Unveiling: The Inner Journey as a Study Guide for Autumn Dance Classes

Textbook References

The following chapters in Unveiling are relevant to this week's study:

• Chapter 25, "Sex Secrets of Belly Dancers": All you need to know (and more) about our various diaphragms. Also a write-up on why we do those horrible abdominal exercises during our warm-ups. (Strengthens our internal and external obliques.)
• Chapter 22, "Looking Like a Dancer (Even If You're Not)": Includes a very brief description of the Anchoring Principle, which I learned from martial arts master Peter Ralston, along with a brief mention of the Lotus Flower Principle (which I simply call "reaching up" in the text).

Related Personal Pathworking Steps:

At the beginning of this post, I referenced author Julia Cameron, who talks about using images to feed our artistic souls. I build on her ideas in my recent book, Unveiling: The Inner Journey. (Look at the Personal Pathworking at the end of Chapter 3, "Bedtime Stories for Grown-Up Girls.")
 

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Studying with Alay'nya

It is still possible to join us in the Alay'nya Studio in McLean, VA. Beginners meet on Sundays from 11:30 to 1PM. Learn about the Beginner's Dance Package, and email me for an invitation to join us for a complimentary introductory class: alaynya (at) alaynya (dot) com.
 

Related Posts for Using Water Energy in Dance

• Energy dancing with a water feeling

"Geek to Gorgeous" in 60 Seconds - Two Opportunities in September, 2012

Learn Alay'nya's Sixty-Second Geek-to-Gorgeous Body Transformation Secrets in September, 2012 - on Channel 10 Cable TV and in Alay'nya Studio Open House

Do you feel (let's be honest here) just the slightest bit frumpy? As in, stressed, harried, hunched down, worn out? Do you feel that - no matter what you put on in the morning - you're still wearing last year's clothes?

And do you sometimes feel that no matter what treatments that you get at the spa, and no matter how hard you "hit it" at the gym, and no matter how many supplements you take, or affirmations that you say, that there is a vital something missing in your life?

If so, you're probably right. You probably ARE missing something. And there really is a "secret something."

The reason that most of us don't know about it is that it can't be packaged as a pill, or provided as a "treatment." There's no advertising money to be made with this "secret." No doctors will get you to come back for repeated injections or laser "therapies." And the major cosmetics houses are not able to sell this to you.

There is, however, a "secret" that has been known for thousands of years. It's not something you can buy, and you can't pay someone else to "provide" this to you. However, you can learn this. And with sufficient determination, you can master this skill and transform your life.

But let me "come clean" - at least a little bit. There's really not just "one secret." Rather, there are layers. There is a whole art and science to this. While you can learn it, this is not an "all-at-once" process. It involves learning some new things, unlearning others, and practicing a whole lot.

And sometimes you - like I - have more time to practice than at others.

But you know what? I'm just like you. I've spent much of my lifetime studying these "secrets," and have achieved some fair proficiency. In fact, I've devoted a whole chapter of my recent book, Unveiling: The Inner Journey, to some "frank talk" on this subject.

But despite all my knowledge, and years of practical experience, I've had (probably just like you), the occasional down-dip in my personal energy. That's when I've really had to go "back to the basics." I've had to practice what I've preached.

For several years, writing Unveiling consumed my life. My body and energy practice was still there, but it was at "maintenance level." And I stopped teaching while putting attention onto finishing the book. It was a lot like having a new baby.

But now the "baby" is a year old. In fact, it's actually "weaned" a bit. It doesn't require my around-the-clock care in terms of getting the reviews, building the readership base, and all those other things that brand-new authors must do.

You've probably heard that old adage, "We teach that which we need to learn."

Well, I'm excited about teaching again. I'm excited about the Open House that we'll be having on the Sunday after Labor Day weekend; Sunday, September 9th, from 12 - 2PM. And I'm excited about sharing some of my favorite "secrets" with you.

In particular, we're devoting this Open House (the first in several years) to one of my favorite topics, the "Sixty-Second Geek-to-Gorgeous Body Transformation."

Imagine it. In one short session, you'll learn my seven-step "transformation checklist" that will let you totally revise how you "are" in your body - how you "organize" your body from the inside out.

The results?

Immediate transformation. Once you've mastered the "seven point checklist," you can apply it within 60 seconds (or less). And you will immediately:

• Go from frumpy to fabulous,
• Develop a compelling personal presence, and (perhaps most important)
• Establish a "baseline" so that you can start learning - and applying - the "secrets" of increased vitality, energy, and the ability to command life to conform to your desires and wishes.

Are you ready for this?

Are you ready to become a Master of the Universe?

Join me at the Open House - the Sunday after Labor Day this September.

And if you can't be with me on that date - or even if you just want quick reviews - I'll be demonstrating the "Sixty-Second Geek-to-Gorgeous" body transformation on John Monsul's Communicating Today, which will air three times that week.

Related Posts:

• The Most Important Thing (Release the Sacrum to Release Personal Energy
• "Circulating the Body of Light" - Works Best After Ch'i Development
• Rejuvenation Secret #1: Improved Mood, Increased Energy, adn Better Stress Resistance

Rejuvenation Secret #1: Improved Mood, Increased Energy, and Better Stress Resistance

Disaster Recovery - Using the Ancient Chinese Silk-Weaving Exercises

This last week, like so many of us in the Mid-Atlantic area, I was without power for several days. As with many of you, I carried through the actual power-outage itself well enough. Adrenaline kicks in, and our survival instincts take over. We solve problems, come up with creative fixes, and simply deal.

It's the aftermath that is toughest.

The adrenaline surge fades away, and we're left with clean-up. Messy, nasty fridges and freezers. Things strewn all over the house. More dirt and grime, wear and tear. This is when - all too often - it seems overwhelming.

Like many of you, I've had a post-power-outage personal energy and power drop. This morning, I was barely able to do a yogic downward dog. What makes this even more challenging? When we're stressed, we tighten up. That takes a further toll, and it's even harder to do those "stretch and release" things that we know will help us feel better.

Rebooting our personal power and energy is like rebooting any system. We do the simplest and smallest things first.

My personal "power-up" sequence uses a special movement/energy/breathing sequence: the silk-weaving exercises. These are essentially a "pre-kung-fu" movement series - not as full-fledged as T'ai Chi, but movement-and-breathing-oriented. Sort of like a martial arts version of yoga warm-ups. Very powerful and effective.

A good video preview showing extracts of these silk-weaving exercises. Another good web resource gives detailed instructions for the Eight Pieces of Brocade, which is another term for the silk-weaving exercises. Here is one more YouTube demonstration video for the Eight Pieces of Brocade.

My results:

• Better energy (I was indeed able to get into some yoga and other stretches),
• Improved mood, and
• Reduced stress along with a better attitude about dealing with the post-power-outage clean-ups.

Overall, a really big impact from just 40-60 minutes of silk-weaving exercises, followed by yoga and a Western esoteric energy-practice called circulating the body of light. (See Donald Micheal Kraig's book, Modern Magick: Twelve Lessons in the High Magickal Arts, referenced in my previous blogpost, Creating Personal Energy.

Michael Minick's The Kung-Fu Exercise Book: Health Secrets of Ancient China is the book that I used many years ago to teach myself the basic silk-weaving exercise patterns. Since then, having studied T'ai Chi and Oriental dance for many years, I've been able to decipher the secrets that were NOT put into the book. That has made my technique more powerful and effective. Minick's book is now (sadly) out of print; used copies are available through Amazon.com.

For information on circulating the body of light, read Donald Michael Kraig's excellent book: Modern Magick: Twelve Lessons in the High Magickal Arts

.

Best wishes, and more power to you!

Related blogposts:

• Creating Personal Energy,
• The Most Important Thing (Release the Sacrum to Release Energy),
• Releasing Neck Tension (And Minimizing the Dreaded Dowager's Hump).

Rebuilding Personal Energy (Ch'i)

Building Personal Energy (Ch'i)

Over the past few days, my personal energy levels had dropped down a bit. I was a bit more tired in the afternoons, and craving carbohydrates and sugars. These were tell-tale signs that my energy and balance were off.

To start rebuilding my personal energy, or ch'i, I prepared with a short and easy yoga session (mostly to stretch out the leg meridians; these help with sleep and relaxation), and took a nap. (Always a good choice.)

When I woke up, I found a good action movie on TV that was just getting started, and did a two-hour yoga/core/resistance/stretch session. Just the basics, nothing new and certainly nothing fancy. But I felt hugely better afterwards.

Then I did some juicing with the last of the "juicing greens and veggies" that I had stored in a special kitchenette where I keep the juicer (and a garbage disposal for handling waste, even though I compost most of it). A dedicated area helps, as a week's worth of juicing veggies and greens takes up a lot of room. Also, since this is "raw foods," it's best to keep it from meats and other food types. My ingredients were: a whole small beet, a whole large carrot and a whole Granny Smith apple, a small handful of parsley, a small handful of cress, and a few stalks of celery (including the leafy parts at the top, and the "celery root" area below the stalks). This was one of the best combos I'd ever made, it was great!

By this time, my energy was perking up. I wound up doing this in the middle of the night, so my goal now is to calm down and go back to bed. However, the combination of yoga and exercise, together with the nutrients from the freshly-squeezed greens and veggies, has my energy flowing again.

It is from this slightly more energized state that I started doing some basic T'ai Chi, and the silk-weaving exercises.

I've looked online for vids of the silk-weaving exercises as described in Michael Minik's book (referenced in a previous post), and couldn't find any good, "basic" ones. I'm sure that chi kung training is similar, but at some point I'll try to do a simple little silk-weaving vid, and post on YouTube. This is a great energizing practice, especially when used in conjunction with the basic things that get our bodies moving and our energy flowing.

P.S. - I'm still winding down and getting ready to go back to bed. Herbal tea - I use Celestial Seasoning's "Sleepytime Extra," the valerian helps induce sleep, and stir in a little GABA. Also have a chug of the Calcium/Magnesium components of the two-part liquid vitamins that I get from Dr. Sievers at Care Plus in Fairfax, VA.

It's only when I've done a good bit of yoga and stretching to warm up and get my lower back released, and core work to get my abdominal muscles engaged, that I feel ready to fully take advantage of T'ai Chi. And then, only after all of that do I feel that my body is really ready to work with dance. The elements of Oriental dance involve so much stretching and flexing of our spines, our pelvic girdle, and diaphragms - and so much core strength if we are to do it right - that we can have a really good dance workout if half our time (or even more) is spent with warm-ups and preps, getting our body ready to move in the right way. Then the dance techniques flow from internal strength and connection, rather than from being "imposed."

And we have a much better chance of doing energy circulation work in dance if we've prepared properly.