A while back some people at Yale did a small study: they asked folks to imagine they had been granted the super power of being completely physically safe, invulnerable to any harm.
I invite you to try it.
Imagine yourself completely safe, invulnerable to any harm.
Give it time. Let it sink in.
Nice, right?
The study participants found it nice as well.
Guess what the study found?
The respondents’ views became decidedly more compassionate.
They had been chosen for their conservative political views. But feeling safe and secure made their responses more liberal.
Interesting, isn’t it?
How would your life change if you felt safe?
I suppose the world will always hold danger–but we don’t have to feel threatened all the time–most of us are not being threatened all the time. If you have time to read this email, you have time to feel safe…
I got into trauma resolution because I was tired of old fears.
It has been a rewarding journey. My relationship to myself and the world around me has been dramatically improved. I feel more confident; I am less likely to feel at fault; I hold my ground; and I’m calm. I like my dancing. I like myself.
It’s pretty cool.
Many of you know I have been embarked on a three-year training program to become a certified Somatic Experiencing® (SE) Practitioner. SE is a naturalistic and neurobiological approach to treating trauma, resolving anxiety, and generally feeling safe and comfortable in one’s own body. More about SE is here.
A lot of the changes I’ve seen have come from being part of this excellent program. I have enjoyed every step of the way. And the icing on the cake?
I will soon be certified!
I’m halfway through my third year of training. I’ve already included SE work in my dance coaching. Folks like it–they feel the benefits. One gal’s pain went away. Another reduced her fear of being seen. Another became close to her family again. It makes my heart glad to see the healing.
Last week, we talked about some of the issues facing the belly dance scene and how to help heal them. Healing happens on an individual basis, too. In between the SE methods and the Dancemeditation, we’ve got some great tools to help dancers feel better and dance beautifully.
If you’ve had a challenging episode in your life, if you feel that it hasn’t really been resolved, SE may help you. There’s a great provider directory at traumahealing.org, searchable by zip code. Or email me. We’ll chat.
Love,
Alia
Calendar
May 18-June 2: Dunya’s Summer Movement Monastery. Go deep while camping on a mesa in the New Mexico desert.
Saturday, May 18th: Boston area folks–Soumaya MaRose’s 7th “Thé à l’Oriental” with Tamalyn Dallal and Amar Gamal Garcia, and features a traditional Moroccan Iftar fest. Soumaya is a brilliant Moroccan Oriental dancer, and she does things right. This is a do-not-miss if you are in the area.
Saturday-Sunday, June 8-9: Cassandra Shore in midcoast Maine. Cassandra is exceptional. I can only remember one time she was in New England–and that was decades ago. Do not miss! Hosted by Kay Hardy Campbell, so you know it will be good.
Sunday, July 14: I’ll be teaching improv and group composition in Northampton MA (and performing that night at Cairo Cab). Space is limited, and registration is now open.
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