Puja

In one of the style of dance I do, we open every rehearsal or performance with something called a "Puja".


Basically it is a grounding, a thanksgiving, and a memorial, all rolled up into one sequence of movements.


It is a lovely way to bond together as a "tribe" before going on to the dance floor, and a great way to center yourself, remember what it is about, and get over any last minute jitters.


It is, for lack of better work, a moving meditation in which you thank you teachers; not just current teachers, or formal teachers, but everyone who has guided you on your path, and helped you become who you are, as a dancer and as a human.   You give thanks for the space you dance in, and the world you dance in.  You give thanks for the music, and the ears with which you hear it.  You give thanks and reach out to the other dancers, not just with you but all over the world, the dancers that dance this day. You give thanks for all those that came before, that have created and influenced and shaped the dance. You recognize the energy flow that binds us all together, and draw down part of that universal stream to yourself, and dance with it.


I need to do the Puja more often in my life; not just when I dance.  I am a member of so many different tribes, all of whom should be acknowledged with gratitude.  I should remember more often to give thanks for the spaces that have allowed me to grow, the people who have influenced and supported me, and the forces that have brought me to where I am this very moment.

"Only this I know: The philosopher's soul dwells in his head, the poet's soul is in the heart; the singer's soul lingers about his throat, but the soul of the dancer abides in all her body." 

~ Kahlil Gibran ~