Monday Love to Your Inner Muse and Kudos to Costa Rica’s Somatic Pioneer!

“The pen is mightier than the sword” ~ Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Have you ever wondered if you’re a ‘writer’? Do you have a story to tell, and idea to share, or an original concept that could change the world? Or have you ever kept a journal? Jotted down your thoughts and feelings just to keep a personal record meant only for you to read?

Some people think that the only ‘real writers’ are published authors, or bloggers with huge audiences. But really, what if it’s not the size of the readership or the number of publications that matter, but simply the act of writing itself that makes all the difference? Could it be that by underestimating the power of writing, you might be missing out on a tool that could change your life?

So if you just start looking at your written words more as your own secret sauce of transformation, and less as some abstract finished product out there in the future, you’ll soon find yourself in the driver’s seat of a life you’ve only dreamed about.

Listen, I know how it goes. Some of us have illegible handwriting. Some of us can’t spell. When it comes to grammar, most of us can’t tell the difference between a run-on sentence and a paragraph. And punctuation? What the heck is a semi-colon anyway? Don’t even ask about an em-dash.

The thing is, NONE OF THAT MATTERS! That’s what editors are for, if and when you decide to write something that’s meant for other people to read. What I’m talking about today is the magical act of committing thoughts to paper or pixels. The simple act of writing, whether it’s chicken scratchings in a notebook or words processed into a file, is like placing a cosmic order form into the morphogenetic field.

I learned this some 20+ years ago when the internet was still brand new. Way back before there were fancy things like algorithms and social networks there was (and still is) a thing called Craigslist. I’d play around with posting things and made a fascinating discovery. It seemed like by typing things out and putting it out there to the universe, some non-linear magic would happen and things would actually manifest in real life!

And often not directly, but in surprising ways that defy explanation. I’d post that I was looking for some work shelves for my garage, and instead of getting a reply I’d find that a neighbor had put exactly what I was looking for out on the curb. Posting a description of an ideal housemate would lead to a call about a friend of a friend needing a place that fit to a T.

As years have gone by, I’ve played with the act of writing in many different ways. A couple of years ago I decided to stop diving into relationships by default and pressed pause on meeting people to get some perspective. At the same time I took a cue from a book called “Write It Down, Make It Happen” by Henriette Anne Klauser and started writing some detailed first-person, present tense notes to my ideal partner.

Like the book described, this changed my mental state from searching and hoping that the right person was out there, to knowing that she was on her way. It allowed me to shift my attention from lack to patience, and when I recently read some of these notes to Teresa, who’s now been in my orbit for a few months, it was as if I’d written them directly to her.

Reading will inform your writing as well. I like to start my day with a page or two of something positive, uplifting, and non-fiction, and then end my day with a good story, I find that a good novel before bed is a perfect way to unwind from the world of screens and verbal communication. There’s even a study that proves that reading narrative fiction increases empathy and emotional intelligence.

Great books cross my desk all the time, and every time I encounter another inspiring memoir or collection of stories I’m more enthused and encouraged to write my own. I was recently sent a copy of “Justin Time by J. Jaye Gold, which has really jump-started my storytelling process.

Here’s a fellow who’s revered as a guru by many of his fans, yet eschews any of the traditional trappings or accolades usually heaped upon such personalities, instead preferring to live a low-key life and offer his wisdom and insights free of charge to those who make the effort to seek him out.

Books like this are a great reminder of how important our stories are in building our credibility and forming our bodies of work. Once we develop a reputation and arrive at some station in life, it’s easy to forget that those who know us now have no idea about where we’ve come from or the formative experiences that got us to where we are today.

You may doubt that your own ‘hero’s journey’ is of interest to other people. Perhaps you have a history that the entire world should know about, or it may be that your back-story is simply meant for your family members and descendants.

My Dad and his sister, Aunt Mickey, published a memoir with a total production run of 12 copies, and while it will never see the light of day on Amazon, for those of us who have copies, it’s a book that will stand the test of time and be passed down the line to future generations.

So whether it’s a well-worn notebook, or a well-organized Evernote file, you’ve got the tools you need to manifest a brilliant life right at the tips of your fingers. Free up some mental space by clearing some of that content out of your head, and forget for the moment whether anyone else will ever read what you’re writing.

Your life is a story, and there’s no-one stopping you from writing it all the way from your humble beginnings to the happy ending of your dreams.

Much love and happy dancing until next week!

M+

PS! Look for me this coming weekend in Santa Barbara! I’m teaching a workshop and DJ’ing the main ecstatic dance at the Lucidity Festival, and DJ’ing at the Santa Barbara Dance Tribe’s Sunday dance. Tell your friends!

Activating Analog Awareness – Building a Lifestyle Beyond a Digital Detox
Saturday April 8th, 1:30-3:00pm, Lucidity Festival

All-Vinyl Conscious Dance – A Genre-Surfing Journey through the Realms of Ecstasy
Saturday April 8th, 3:30-5:30pm, Lucidity Festival

Santa Barbara Dance Tribe – Sunday Weekly Ecstatic Dance
Sunday April 9th, 11am – 1pm, Gustafson Dance Studio
Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine

Dance First Member Spotlight: Sofiah Thom – Co-founder of Danyasa Eco-Retreat & Creator of Temple Body Arts.

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This weeks spotlight shines on Sofiah Thom, one of Conscious Dancer’s longest-running fans and supporters, and a member of Dance First from the very beginning! Together with her husband Brendan, she co-founded the Envision Festival in Costa Rica and co-founded the world-famous Danyasa Eco-Retreat in the beautiful beach town of Dominical.

She’s the founder of the School of Temple Body Arts where she offers in-depth immersions and teacher trainings that help women become empowered and access their creative potential. She’s also the co-author of The Path of the Priestess – Discover Your Divine Purpose, a transformative book for women everywhere.

Sofiah teaches and performs in-person around the globe, and is known for her ability to create a safe container for transformation using sacred movement and somatic exploration.

She’s also a pioneer in the remote-learning and online education space. From her home at Danyasa in Costa Rica, she offers a variety of self-guided and real-time experiences, including The Roots of Temple Body Arts, her 5-week creative movement arts journey that kicks off next Tuesday, April 11th.

It’s one of two prerequisites for her Level 1 training for the Temple Body Arts School of Sacred Sensuality and Dance 
beginning in September. Be sure to visit her website to find out more and download five free Temple Body Arts practices for your own empowerment. You can also book a complimentary connection call with her anytime using her online scheduler, so if you’re feeling a YES to any of this, get in touch right away!

Thank you Sofiah, it’s always a pleasure to serve you and witness the growth and evolution of a conscious dance pioneer! May your work in the world continue to prosper and the number of people you serve and empower continue to grow!