Seasons greetings everyone!
I hope that whatever the circumstances, you have been finding a sense of peace and happiness in this festive period 💛
I was planning on sending out this newsletter yesterday, but had a feeling of not really knowing what I wanted to say and share with you all. But yesterday evening a phrase came up which really struck me.
Structural change.
I had a moment last night where I felt like I am experiencing this on a deep level. Like some kind of fundamental shift is happening, refocusing where I am placing my energy in life (and dance). And a sense that this shift has only been possible because of this extended break from the normal routine of life.
I also feel like this structural change is being experienced by many people, if not near everyone, in many different ways.
It makes me think of my first trip to India in 2009. When I was choosing how long to go for, I picked 5 months out of the air (no idea why it just sounded about right...!). And something interesting started to happen at around the 3-4 month mark. It was enough time away from home, in a totally different environment and routine, to be able to look at my life back home with a sense of detachment and clarity. To really think about what my values were and what was important to me in life. And to make clearer decisions about the choices I would make moving forward when I went back home.
(Reading a lot of philosophy books definitely played into this all!)
It was in that state that I discovered odissi and was able to mentally re-orientate my life towards it.
Now I'm not saying we all have to go to India for months at a time to discover our life purpose 😂 But it taught me the power of having extended periods of time away from what has become 'normal' to us. It taught me that sometimes it takes breaking away from routine for literally months for our true path or what truly matters to reveal itself to us. Things that just wouldn't have been revealed if we had carried on as things had been. It taught me that sometimes we need to create space for real change to occur.
This pandemic has been many things, but I feel like in many ways it has been a precursor for structural change, snapping almost all of us out of our usual routines and changing the dynamic of society. It has created a new space for all of us to live in, for over 7 months. This new space has been playing out in so many ways, on individual as well as global levels. I do feel in some ways like we are on the brink of significant positive changes, which I sincerely hope come to fruition.
Have you been experiencing a sense of structural change or similar? Perhaps internally or perhaps on a day to day level? I'd love to hear from you 🥰
The Lotus in Eastern Thought
On a slightly different note, here is a lotus flower:
If you have even a passing familiarity with any Eastern texts/imagery, you may have noticed the lotus as a recurring theme. Whether it's used as a descriptive tool for gods and goddesses (describing lotus eyes, hands, feet etc), to symbolise energetic fields in the body, or any other of the myriad ways in which the lotus appears. Maybe you wondered of all flowers, why the lotus? Why is this the one flower we always refer to?
The lotus has particular significance as it is rooted in the mud of lakes and rivers. And even when the water is murky, it pushes upwards till the surface is broken. Where a most beautiful flower then blooms under the light of the sun! And it is this parallel with the human condition that makes the lotus one of the principal symbols used throughout Eastern religions/philosophies/art.
Keep an eye out for the lotus, and take a moment to smile inside whenever you see it 😊
Till next time...
Thank you for reading 🥰 Wishing you all a wonderful last few days of 2020, and good cheer and fortune going into 2021!
Warm wishes,
Maryam 💗