[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”25032″ img_size=”full” style=”vc_box_shadow_3d” css_animation=”bounceIn”][vc_custom_heading text=”“If you live out of a negative identity … others will always be cast in the mold of the enemy against whom you must struggle“ ” google_fonts=”font_family:Montserrat%3Aregular%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]

~Sam Keen.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]How do you define contribution? What’s the meaning of service? Have you ever had to deal with injustice in your life?

Here in the USA, today is the Monday holiday that we observe for Veterans Day. The day is celebrated in other parts of the world as Armistice day, as it was known here until 1954. It’s the day we honor the folks that fought, on Memorial Day in the springtime we honor those who sacrificed their lives in service.

It goes back to the day that global powers signed a treaty with Germany ending World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. That day marked the close of the first major conflict of the industrial era. Humanity failed to learn its lesson, within three decades World War II was raging around the globe.

And as we all know, that didn’t turn out to be the War To End All Wars either. Humanity has got a way to go before we learn to dance with each other in peace on the global stage.

The terms nationalism and patriotism very much in the news these days. The forces that lead countries into armed conflicts are often misunderstood. French president Emmanuel Macron summed it up eloquently this weekend when he said “Patriotism is the exact opposite of Nationalism. Nationalism is its betrayal.”

What it all boils down to is the ugly topic of hatred. When hatred is met with more hatred, all that follows is more disaster. Paolo Coelho, the wise author of ‘The Alchemist’ and other wonderful books puts it this way. “Never repay hatred with hatred, but with justice.”

The metaphor for justice is the blindfolded lady holding a set of scales. She’s blind, not mute. It’s her eyes that are covered, not her mouth. Because the right to fair treatment belongs to everyone, not just a select few.

Personally, I have a hard time even comprehending most of the common ‘isms’ that cause so much turmoil and unnecessary trouble in society. Racism, sexism, nationalism all baffle me. The idea of ‘pre-judging’ another person just because of their skin color, religious background, place of birth, etc is complete nonsense. I believe that you can share a smile or laugh and enjoy the common ground of humanity with anyone who is not already closed off. We’re kind of like different breeds of canines at the dog park, large or small, furry or fuzzy, we can all relax and play together.

It’s one of the reasons I’ve been so passionate about promoting and articulating dance and consciousness over the years. When we meet another person from a place of presence in a shared field of energy, it transcends appearances and allows us to connect on a level of mutual recognition and respect. My favorite ‘isms’ are idealism and optimism.

My Dad was in the Navy during World War II, he served as a Morse Code operator in the radio room of an aircraft carrier. Two years into his stint, the war ended while they were en route to Okinawa. My older brother did four years in the Coast Guard, the first half was on an icebreaker in the North Sea, followed by two years doing river traffic control in New Orleans.

My life never had the same motivations to join the service as theirs did, so my path led elsewhere. Early on I developed a life-long interest in the societal forces that lead to conflict and the power of propaganda. Understanding the inflammation of enmity made me want to work hard to promote positive social change that would get at the root cause of conflict. I’ve always felt that we need to get to the point where we can put our differences aside in order to address the larger global issues we face.

A book that influenced me early on in this regard was “Faces of the Enemy” by Sam Keen. (later made into an excellent documentary film by Hassan Ildari) This study of how groups of people demonize one another in order to dehumanize and justify atrocities is required reading or watching for peacemakers everywhere. And before this note gets any darker, let me remind you that this is why we dance.

Almost all of the crises and conflicts we encounter can be traced back to some original polarity between love and fear. Fear is a motivator because we naturally run from it, love is an attractor because it magnetically draws us in. And fear can be manipulated to block love in many ways by those with less than honorable motives.

That why dance is so important. Conscious dance in particular, where we are unfettered by expectations, other people’s agendas, or the behaviors that common substances bring forth. When we shake loose the random thoughts of the day, and allow our own essence and inspiration to arise, we meet a better version of ourselves. When we bring that energy into an encounter with another human being, either on the dance floor or off, we are better prepared to relate to them in a healthy and positive way.

So on this day of honor to those who gave their service in unimaginable environments of conflict, simply so we could live in peace, let us ask how we can contribute to the other end of the equation, and serve to generate more love and gratitude as a magnetic force for peace and human understanding.

Learn to address fear with love wherever you find it. Play not the victim, because that only brings more fear to your door. Love takes courage, and humanity thrives on kindness. And in those inevitable moments when love, kindness, or courage are in short supply, remember the lessons you find in the dance and step forward into the power of your personal positivity.

With great respect, and much love till next week!

M+

Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1542102975042{background-image: url(https://consciousdancer.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/bg.png?id=24802) !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”25033″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Join me for an epic dance in Palo Alto next Sunday-11-18!
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It’s time for another trip to the Silicon Valley Sunday Morning Ecstatic Dance! Join me for a super-groovy all-vinyl excursion into analog bliss!

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