Day 21: Last Day!

Day 21:
Dance: intermittently throughout the day. Danced as I got my place ready for guests tomorrow night.
Ended the day with Yoga and Pilates, and a hot bath.

It was a rainy day, so I took Gwyddie on a short walk.

It's been a great journey! Thank you for your witnessing and sharing in it!

And to my students, with whom, and partly for whom, I did this second 21 day diary challenge: thank you for your presence in my life! I am so grateful for all that you do to build your practice, stay focused (or not! ;) and your dedication to learning. Its a pleasure to teach and to know you!

Happy re-birth of the Sun! May you have all the best in this world.

Day 18, 19, 20 Power and Challenge

Day 18:
45 min walk with Gwyddie.
60 min drills and choreo

Day 19:
45 min walk with Gwyddie
10 min Yoga.
15 min Pilates.
10 min meditation

Day 20:
30 min dance.
15 min Meditation

I'm finding Day 20, today, to be a day of challenge. So much volatile energy! These last days of the Solar year are turning out to be quite a dance through the labyrinth of ups and downs: big change, claiming power, disappointment, breakthrough, and boundary setting.

More dance to come tonight. I feel like I certainly need its medicine!

Day 17: Rainy Days and Mondays...

The place where Gwyddie and I walked today. 

Day 17:
-Meditation: 45 mins
-Pilates: 20 mins
-Woods walk: 45 mins (Yes, even in the rain! The Gwyddster needs his exercise, and so do I.)
-Arm/shoulder excersices with Gwyddie (a controlled variation of tug'o'war, with counts!)
-Drills: 30 mins

I also wanted to share this article about practice:

Practice 101 – Improve your brain while becoming awesome

Next, I'm onto DIY shoulder massage with a tennis ball, and then a hot bath.

Day 13, 14, 15, 16. Distracted, sad, candles lit. Back on the horse.

Day 13:
15 min outdoor yoga
30 min class prep
60 mins teaching.

Day 14:
Class and workshop planning for Winter.

A moment at the Silent Prayer and Candlelight Vigil on Sat. in Salem, MA.

I then found it difficult to concentrate due to the Sandy Hook school news. I was an after-school teacher at an elementary school for many years. It hurt to hear this news, and I am so very sad.

Day 15:
20 min Pilates
Woods walk.

Day 16:
90 walk/run with Gwyddion to the woods and to golf course (which is now closed to golfers, so dogs are welcome to run!!!).
60 mins creative choreography.
Thinking a lot about my sister today, and missing her. Thinking of her young daughter, my niece, who is school aged. Thankful for her presence in the world, and praying for the ones who are lost.

Feeling the need to do more Pilates, finding myself getting behind in that. Core strength!

Addition (day 16): 
10 mins Pilates
20 mins meditation.

Day 11 and 12: Posture and basics

Day 11:
-45 minute walk with Gwyddie.
During this walk, I revisited my breath and alignment posture practice. Though this is a daily practice ideally, I gave it extra focus. Each time I feel myself moving back into habitual stress patterns, I deepen my breath, let go of tension, and put myself into a relaxed yet strong and healthy posture. I imagine my body walking as a fluid unit. I move from my core of power.
-Shimmies drills. 15 minutes. Back to basics.

Day 12:
90 min walk with Gwyddie.
Today I needed some rest from yoga, Pilates, and dance due to neck pain. So instead I worked with a dear friend on putting together an event. This event has Bellydance as a major component, of course! More, soon!

Day 8, 9, and 10. Busy Weekend, Gentle Monday

Day 8:
Taught my Queen of Swords workshop for 3 hours.
Morning dance prep: 30 mins
Post workshop stretching and DIY tennis ball massage: 30 min
Two neighborhood walks with Gwyddie (rainy day) 25 mins each. Low impact.

Day 9:
Photo Shoot with Cheryl Fair! 4 hours.
Woods walk with Gwyddie: 45 mins.

Day 10:
I'm writing this in the morning, so I can't say what I've done yet except drink a cup of coffee. But after a very full working/playing weekend, what I need most today is self-care and gentle creativity. On my agenda: Yoga, and a woods walk with Gwyddie. House cleaning; dreaming. Talking with a family member. Talking with a friend. Nutritious meals, and maybe just a little comfort food. Tarot reading for myself, and some astrology. Meditation and magick study. Wrestle with Gwyddie, and lots of hugs and kisses.

Blessings.

Day 7: Creative Impulses!

I got a wonderful burst of creative energy today, and it was exciting! Spontaneously created a new piece. Costume design and all.

I work that way sometimes. It seems to happen suddenly and all at once.

-2 1/2 hours of dance.

• Creating new choreo 
• drilling established piece
• workshop prep for Queen of Swords tomorrow

-30 mins Pilates.

-15 min meditation

-morning Gwyddie walk/run

-evening walk, 1 mile

Day 6: All in a Day's Work

-Short run with Gwyddie: stop and start 30 mins

-Woods walk: 1 hour, 3 miles

-Yoga: 45 mins 

-Class teaching: 1 hour.

Day 5. Unconventional place.

Today was tricky.

BUT, that said, I did do my work, just in a most unconventional way.

My partner had to go in to have a follow-up on a medical matter, and I had to go with him. It took two hours, and I waited in the waiting room. Not one to accept boredom, I chose not to sit and read a stupid mag, or f*ck around with my phone. Instead I did yoga, meditated, and did choreo drills. :) Two hours.

The staff at the desk were very interested and one even asked me for a mini-lesson in Bellydance! Yes! Get moving out from behind that desk, ladies! It was good to see their smiles and enjoyment.

This gets me to a point: Why in the hell is it that, establishments such as hospitals that are supposed to exist to help people with their health, end up being some of the UNHEALTHIEST places for people to work? Nurses with long hours, people behind desks and in front of computers all day, low pay...I live near a Hospital in Salem, and I regularly see out of shape staff in scrubs standing outside smoking and drinking soda. C'mon now! What kind of a culture is this? Let's get it together already! That isn't "health". That's just cycles of crisis.

I'd like to see hospitals become more about health and healing. I think there are many who agree with me, and are doing something in this regard. Attitudes change slowly, though, and money, of course, plays a role. That said, I hope that future generations will look back at this time and think that this was barbaric compared to what they have developed for themselves, the way we look at the hospitals of times mercifully gone by.

I've got more to say about physical movement in public places (and social prohibitions against it), but that will have to wait for another time. My work for Day 5 has come to a close! :)

Day 4: Short post, long legged bird

-Morning dog walk with Gwyddie, 1 hour of throwing a ball, running, (and standing around chatting and drinking coffee).
-Pilates, 25 min
-Woods walk, 1 hour, 3.5 miles.
-Bellydance drills and workshop prep: choreo review and rehearsal 1 hour.
-Meditation: 25 mins

 According to my fitness Android app, I hoof it at an average of 3-4 miles per hour. Dang! It's good to have long gams! ;)

Day 3: Healing and strength

I am kinda high right now!

13 years ago, yoga changed my life. I had been in so much chronic neck pain from injuries sustained as a little kid; yoga took much of that pain away, strengthening me and stretching me body and spirit.

I practiced yoga for 10 years before a second car accident gave me whiplash that was so severe that I had to stop. Because the accident involved a forward strain in my neck along with neurological damage, such things as sun salutations had been beyond me for some time. My nervous system would protest with shocks, burning, and numbness, dizziness and nausea.

3 and 1/2 years later, I am so glad that I have stuck with the healing process. I have continued to work my way back to core strength with Pilates and gentle Hatha yoga.

Today I completed my first non-stop Vinyasa yoga session in a long time!!! It has been a while since my nerves and joints have been able to tolerate this style of vigorous yoga, but all went well. It felt great!!

Completed today:
-Light (for me, not Gwyddie!) morning walk to dog park. Chasing Gwyddie at park in small sprints.
-Yoga: 45 min
-Mediation: 20 mins
-Woods walk with Gwyddie: 1 hour, 2 miles
-Bellydance drills: 30 min

Day 2. Krampus. And Discipline. ;)

If it happened after midnight (so that technically it was Day 2), does it count that I stole Krampus's switch away and began to dance a Raqs Assaya with it to Gothic Xmas music at the height of the party last night?...

Maybe. But I thought that, just to be safe, I would make sure that I got some good practice in during daylight hours today. :)

-Yoga this AM, 15 mins
-Stretch and strength. Intermittently throughout Ravens game.
-Bellydance drills, 45 mins:
I practiced footwork primarily today. I am good at footwork as long as it is improvisational. As soon as its time to decidedly use one foot or another sequentially, as in a traveling choreo or transition, well, that is another matter! So I worked with that today. I did everything on both sides and brought it up to ridiculous tempos to make it even and tease my brain.
I also worked on 3/4 hips of many kinds today. Again, I am often an "I don't know HOW I do it, I just do it," kind of girl. But the name of the game right now is consistency and organization. And so it is!

Our strengths also tend to be the same as our weaknesses. This is just how it is. For instance, I LOVE improv! I love spontaneity, inspiration on the fly, in-the-moment kind of presentations. It is my strength, for sure, and I feel that much magick comes from this place. However, this means that my weakness is that I can err in this direction, and need to give extra special attention to structure, focus, form, and sequence. Not so much that I lose what works best for me, but enough so that my approach is balanced, disciplined, and strong.

So maybe its symbolic that I stole Krampus's switch last night. Discipline me? No dude--I've got this one under control. Just watch me, sucka.

Dance deliciousness challenge!

I am beginning another 21 Day stretch into sharing my dance practice!

I have recommended to my students a 21 Day Challenge for Dance Deliciousness!!!! I have challenged them to practice for a minimum of 15 mins a day, and to log what they have done, so that it can be shared. I am setting my example by rekindling my dance blog, Serpent Moon.

Sometimes we think that we are doing more than we are! ;) Logging our practice keeps us on the straight-ish and narrow-like. Focused!

Day 1 begins today. 21 days from now will be the Winter Solstice, when the Sun is reborn and a new solar year begins. So I am ending my year with a dedicated practice!

My goals:

1. To keep my DVD materials fresh in my mind. I will be shooting in February, and I need to make the process as efficient as possible. My script, etc is good to go. Just needing to keep working it.
2. To expand practice and challenge myself. New moves!
3. To work towards creating a new choreography. Some shows coming up, including Paris, Germany, and NYC.
4. To continue to build and maintain core strength with Pilates, Yoga and cardio (woods loop).
5. Continue and expand meditation practice.
6. Continue to improve as a teacher.
7. Behold myself with honor, compassion, self-love and gratitude. My body is a temple for my divinity.

---

Day 1
-I began the day excited to see snow!
-I taught a private 1 hr. Classical Bellydance lesson. So nice to be returning to what I was "raised" on in this way!
-Worked with basic Hatha yoga in cool down.
-Stretches, light Pilates.
-Off to the dog park! Running with Gwyddie around the park, throwing the ball. Our "after-walk". 1 mile.

The Moon is Almost New Again! Day 29

Day what? I've lost track…

I am happy to report that Gwyddion is doing much better now. He's able to eat and keep his food down and in, he has more energy, and he's starting to get that wild look back in his eye. I'm very happy with this! It took us over two weeks, but I think we found the right medicine for my wonderful little four-legged boy.

As you can see from my posting history, I've missed many of the last days that I had intended to write this blog. This was largely because of the serious illness Gwyddie was experiencing. However just because I didn't write, doesn't mean I didn't dance. I did manage to get some practice-time in as well as Pilates and yoga. I also taught classes, and attended a sacred dance concert.

I've increased my intake of vegetables and fruits quite a lot over the last few days. Here's to getting my colors! I've been missing my long walks in the woods that Gwyddion and I were taking for many weeks; we haven't been able to do this as he has not been well enough. I'll be getting a membership at Planet Fitness so that I can still keep up on my cardio fitness.

I said above that this is day 29. The new Moon is this weekend; its been my plan to write from new Moon to new Moon and see where that takes me. I am very glad that I've done this blog! It is helped me examine my habits.

It is my plan to go ahead with this blog for another Moon cycle. I have some more new positive habits I'd like to form. I do write other blogs however, and I find that on days that I write elsewhere is too exhausting to write here as well. So it is my intention to write three times a week or so only.

I hope that you will continue to take this journey with me!

Aepril

Day 20 and 21. Wait...what!? and the Black Madonna

Has it been 21 days ALREADY? That can't be right? But it IS! Wow!


I am so grateful for the readership that you have indulged me with. Thank you to everyone who reads!


So it takes 21 days to create a habit, "they" say. Hmm....I am not satisfied with what I have done. I need to go deeper, be even more disciplined. 


I decided to do this blog diary for 28 days. And so it shall be. and I think that we might go beyond that as well. Are you with me?


Day 20:
2 hr choreo
1 hr class. 
No pilates :(


Gwyddie's sickness has really thrown me off. It is taking a lot of time and attention, and worry energy. He's still not better yet. Please send him healing energy if you can. 


Day 21:

Today I go to the Voyage of The Black Madonna with Alessandra Belloni: A musical journey to the ancient sacred sites of the Great Mother Goddess concert at Dancing Gypsy in Spencer, MA. Dance, music, chant, singing, etc. I am very excited to go to this, as the Black Madonna is very important to me. She is the one who takes the dispossessed into Her arms. She is the aspect of the Dark Goddess that gives comfort. And She is from the Catholic faith, the faith of of family, Yup, I'm a Catho-witch! :) My friend Dina LeDuke hosts at her studio.

Tomorrow: private lesson


(I'm not sure what happened to the text background color! But there it is. Glowing. :)

Days 16, 17, 18, 19

Day 16:
Sunday in Easthampton
I took the 2.5 hour ride out to Easthampton, MA, to work with the amazing people at Blue Guitar Studio. Chaya Leia of Venus Rising Bellydance was a most gracious and considerate hostess, and I enjoyed myself immensely!

I taught my Shamanic Bellydance Intensive, which is always a deeply profound experience for me. Each time I teach shamanic work the experiences are different, each person having a unique and personal experience with the journeys, power animals, guardians, and archetypes. Its an exhausting and exhilarating 5 hours for me.

Chaya was so amazingly kind to treat me to a wonderful Indian dinner, at which time I stuffed myself. Mmmmm...I do love Paneer Aloo, and get it almost every time I go out for Indian. I love spinach! That and coconut soup. Though Chaya also most graciously invited me to stay the night, I chose to drive back home. I was worried about my little Gwyddion, and his fragile health. (See my earlier blogs or my Facebook page for more about his health issues.)

Day 17:
I was wiped out on Monday, but there is no rest for the wicked, as they say. And I guess I must be fairly wicked, because my life is non-stop right now. Gwyddie has been sick, so i spent the day helping him.

Day 18:
Big day running around to the vet and back. Oy!

Day 19:
Today was spent primarily on the Dark Goddess Masque. 
Many walks with Gwyddie. He seems better.
Working on choreo for class. 60mins.

:)

Day 15: Healing

Today is a day of healing.

I picked Gwyddion up at the animal hospital this early afternoon. He is better, but has some healing to do. So I took him home, walked him a few times to make sure he was comfortable, and we both had a healing nap.

My SI joint is acting up, probably due to stress about Gwyddie, among other things. My butt is on ice again.

I am getting the last of my preparations together for my workshop tomorrow in Western MA. (I was sad not to be able to attend the show on Fri, but family must come first.) This Shamanic Bellydance Intensive is also not only for dance, but it is a medicine workshop, a time to learn healing and spiritual journeying through art. It's something that I enjoy teaching immensely, as I get to see the transformations that we can go through with dance as a shamanic form. I am also transformed each time I teach it, and I am glad for this opportunity tomorrow.

I will miss Gwyddie tomorrow, but Mike will be home with him all day. Then I'm back home on Sunday night.

Article by Aepril (me!), originally published in Belly Dance New England: "Shamanic Bellydance".

I ate fairly well, making up for yesterday's stress induced Denny's excursion. :)

Breakfast:
-Granola cereal with soy milk
-coffee

Lunch:
Hummus, calamata olives, cucumbers, organic spring mix with apple cider vinegar and olive oil, whole rye bread. Sparkling water with a bit of cranberry juice.

Day 13-14 Up! Up! Up! Posture!

Day 13: Two hours of choreo and rehearsal.
Two hours of teaching classes.

20 Pilates/yoga

Day 14:
Drive out to Easthampton to perform at Dancing into the Light.
Workshop Sunday: Shamanic Bellydance Intensive

Beltaine celebration on Sat!

Posture:
Posture is a full time job. It requires discipline and consciousness. I realize that bad posture is an escpse from being fully present,. It's also a way to shut down my chakra system, to avoid feeling.

Life goes by fast. Proper spine alignment will keep me in the now.

I hereby dedicate today's intention to both following breath and aligned posture.


Addition after original post: My dog Gwyddie had a serious medical crisis today, so I was forced to stay in Salem and not go out to perform. However, if all goes well, I will be in Easthampton, MA teaching on Sunday. Posture and breathing has been a serious challenge today due to stress, and I went to Denny's and gorged myself on iced coffee, a veggie burger, veggies, and mozzeralla sticks. Some of Mike's pancakes for dessert.

Day 11 &12 Live by the sword...

Day 11

Coffee, yogurt

Big salad: mixed greens, cauliflower, carrots, Balsamic dressing

Iced coffee

Goat cheese and smoked salmon on water crackers

Smoked organic turkey and avocado and greens on a roll.

Fell apart after dinner:
Blue corn chips--but hey, they're oraganic.
Glass of red wine.

Did not keep track of water, but I know I did not drink enough.

Day 12

I am thinking a lot about not only my physical health in regards to dance, but of my emotional health. I have been dealing with a situation that I have regarded as less than respectful towards me, and one that is unfortunately all too common in the dance world. As I've been responding to said situation, I realize (again) that too much of my energy goes into this kind of thing.

I have realized through experience that it is better to clearly and authentically state my concerns to other dancers rather than allow things to fester. If I have a feeling in the pit of my stomach that something is not right, I now say so. I state boundaries. I know that sometimes this can create drama, as many would rather play political games, but I do not have time for this. Passive aggression is too toxic.

Something that ALisa Starkweather said recently has been echoing in my mind. Something that I have heard before, and will probably need to hear again. That (and I paraphrase) we can choose how offended to become. 

Yes.

People are often awkward, thoughtless, and self-centered, or sometimes even deliberately disrespectful. We all are at times.

My thoughts are that, when confronted with this, I can say what I mean. I can say what boundary has been crossed.

Then I can let it go.

The question isn't whether or not to continue to struggle, or react, etc. The right questions are: what do I want to focus on? What aspects of my art do I feel called by the divine to focus on, to put energy into? what does my soul desire?

We all have ego. and this is as it should be. Ego is what gets us up in the morning, it is what drives us to strive, to get better, to put ourselves out there, continue to grow and achieve. It's the Warrior self, and she deserves respect and voice. She is in service to the Soul.

I said my piece. And I'm glad I did. Now onto the bigger and the better.

I chose a tarot card from my Goddess deck:
6 of Pentacles

Generosity
This card shows 3 women. One is richly dressed, the 2 others are both beggars. The middle woman has a lot, and giving adds to her prosperity.

Indeed!

-----------------------------------

This morning:
Oraganic honey granola cereal with almond milk.
coffee.

Pilates: 30 mins
Dance parctice and choreo: 60 mins

Days 8, 9, 10 Whirlwind weekend and recovery!

Day 8.

I performed at Xmortis "Arabian Midnights" at somewhere between  12 and 1am, so I was pretty tired on Saturday morning. Nonetheless, I taught a private Skype lesson at 11 EST. Mmmm...coffee!

Look at the talons! I love the costume with the chain mail, too. 
The boobs aren't that noticeable...shut up!

Then it was off to help some friends move their stuff from one Temple space to another. I did not lift anything, as I try to protect my spine from injury. I did, however, provide the truck. This, of course, required another coffee. Iced Hazelnut. With milk and sugar, that's right.

Thai food for dinner: Masaman Curry with tofu, vegetable tempura.

Mike had a drumming gig that I'd planned to attend on Sat night, but I was a very tired person from the night before, and I decided to stay home. This gave me time to spend part of the eve setting up my studio space. I put out old 1960's bellydance record covers, and organized and otherwise decorated. Lots of red, and some really cool sheets of "stained glass" for the windows. Now all I need are mirrors, and we're good! Up to Home depot I go. Unless of course I can find something free or cheap on Craig's list. I'm looking.

Day 9.

Sunday was a housewarming/birthday party at my place. I'm not even going to TELL you what I ate, because though it included lots of veggies, it also included quite a bit of white flour, and wine and Viking Blod.

I had a great conversation with my dear friend Naraya about dance, as we sat in my studio and watched her toddler daughter play my electric guitar.

Day 10.

Oh man. So tired. I needed this rest day...If you call a rest day answering emails and and having a meeting with a photographer friend to plan a photoshoot . Even Gwyddie was tired today, and that is indeed rare. My SI joint is also sore from going up and down flights of stairs, cleaning, organizing, and setting up for the party yesterday.

I will be making another appointment to get another injection in my SI joint. I have chronic sacroiliitis which at times gets in the way of my dancing. Mayas are particularly tough on it. Menstrual time is also a trigger, as  some of the same hormones that our female bodies use to widen and open the hips in childbirth are also released during menstruation. I have to rest the joint, ice it, and slurp down Ibuprofen. My ass is on ice a lot!

Tomorrow is another day. Now off to watch a horror movie, then beddie-bye.

Day 7: Damn, I love to move my body!

I love to move my body.

I also love the feeling a finishing choreography, of putting in a good rehearsal, and of just free dancing around the studio for the joy of it! Sometimes I just go through my iTunes and play whatever and remember that I have all this wonderful music! Doing that first can at times help me focus in, and serves as a warm-up.



20min Pilates and Yoga
90 min rehearsal/drilling

Today I ate:
Coffee
Yogurt
Cereal.

Not enough water.

and, I need more food! Off I go to fuel up for Xmortis tonight. I perform at 12-1am.

Happy Friday!

Day 6--the Birthday Edition...

I began the day getting up at 7am to go to the dentist. My broken tooth needed some attending. It's filled and ready to roock! However, it's a signal to me that I need to cut down on the candy and sugar.

It's amazing that when the time comes to do something, the time really comes. The Universe signals from all directions. I am undergoing a transit (moving astrological influence) from Saturn. Saturn is Father Time, She is Crone Mother Wisdom; Saturn shows up when its time to get with it, increase discipline levels, get focused, cut the shit, etc. Saturn actually rules the spine, bones and teeth! (Broken tooth, uh-oh, time to get with it and get to the dentist more often). Saturn wants real authenticity in real time. Dreams are great, Saturn says, but how do you want to implement your plan. Saturn is very happy with this blog, because it signals to the Cosmos that I am ready to get down to business.  He like Pilates, Yoga (as long as its done well and not in some bullshit kinda way), he likes honesty, integrity, and discipline. He is pictured with a scythe, the Grim Reaper, the One who cuts out what no longer works to make way for the new.

So, eh, Saturn...how long will you be hanging around my chart? 2 years, he says. Okey doke. Sounds grand.

When Saturn passed over my Moon, which rules family ties and self-nurturing, my sister passed away. So did sister dancer Jeniviva. This was a harsh version of Saturn's lessons, the cutting away of connections that I loved. I'm still trying to recover.

This time Saturn is transiting a position that signifies how I relate to the world, and how I appear one-on-one. It is telling me that the healing from loss and injury will go on, but now is the time to strengthen body and mind.. I have also been called upon to shore up boundaries, to claim territory, to claim accomplishments and personal power. Saturn is the archetype of caution and sobriety, but paradoxically, I have been quicker to say what I mean, with directness and clarity. I think this is part of claiming power. Why let something fester? That can't be good for my health, I am fiery by nature. The deaths in my life have signaled to me that life is short, and unpredictable. Petty politics are for peons. I don't have time to play bullshit games.

Saturn appreciates authentic expression in art, and real world working on it. He says--you will get out of your dance exactly what you put in. He likes solid technique, and he LOVES drilling and practicing. So, I shall do just that.

Today I did Pilates on the front porch. Gwyddie was there, coaching me. He like to get involved. He's a sweet little pest, and he makes me laugh so hard.

So far today I've had a banana and TJ"s Ginger Granola cereal with almond milk.
It's lunch time, and I'm about to prepare a salad with organic mixed greens and a can of smoked oysters. That's right, oysters. Geisha makes them tasty, and they're full of nutrients. Gwyddie likes them, too.

Since its my birthday today, i expect to fall of the wagon later. I'll jump off, maybe. :)

I have some rehearsing to do, some drilling to do, and I also have some to photos to put up. One for the road:

Day 4 and 5 Hot baths and wine cure headaches, and more...

Day 4:

Feeling not up to snuff today. Needing relaxation and rest.

-Walked in the woods with Gwyddie 30 mins
-Pilates and yoga: 30 mins
-several walks around neighborhood.

Breakfast:
Coffee, chocolate yogurt, and a banana

Snack:
Trader Joe's blueberry bar

Lunch:
Brown rice california roll (sushi)

Dinner:
Mushroom ravioli, mixed greens with organic Thousand Island. Flax flatbread with Earth Balance.

I'm noticing by doing this log that I am not drinking enough water thoughout the day. I will also start recording water. (How exciting for you, dear reader. ).

I'm also noticing that I would like to work more on my breath and meditation practice. Will alo chronicle that. So, Day 4: sat in chair holding Gwyddie, deep breathing and following the breath for 30 breaths. Listening to ambient sound and letting thoughts pass.

Yesterday eve I had a big super-duper premenstrual headache. Pounding. Irritable and overstressed. Mike suggested that I take a bath and have a glass of wine. Yes! Candles, wine, Big Band music and a hot bath. Ahhhhh....Perfect stress relief! Headache gone.

Ran circles around and around the apt while "chasing" Gwyddie with his ball. Fell asleep early.


Day 5:

Breakfast:
coffee, ginger granola cereal

Lunch:
Apple and blue cheese

Dinner (early) 5 Vegetable dumplings with sauce.

Gwyddie is under the weather with digestive problems. (He's seeing DR. Jessamyn tomorrow). So no woods today, as he's needed rest.

I will also be seeing the Dr tomorrow, as MY TOOTH BROKE!  What?! Yes, it broke? I didn't even know I had a cavity, there was no pain. Sheesh. Off to the Dentist bright and early tomorrow, and its my dang birthday! That's OK, because I'm celebrating with friends on Sunday.

Rehearsal for dance performance at Xmortis on Friday : 60 mins

Tonight: photoshoot! :)

Day 3

I started the day with a walk with Gwyddion in the woods:
Breakfast:
Trader Joe's Instant coffee.
Organic pomegranate/strawberry yogurt, multi-grain toast with Earth Balance and blueberry preserves.

The medication that i am on for my nervous system issues slows me down and makes me feel tired and spacey. By nature, i am a pretty high strung individual, a Vata dosha with a healthy touch of Pitta. In fact, I often feel that the two "types" war it out within me. The sensitive fragile artist-mystic with the fiery aggressive confident self. Anyway, I never "needed" caffeine until I began taking this medication. Still, the benefits outweigh the negatives, and I am glad for it. I could substitute coffee for tea or Yerba Mate, and sometimes I do. But some vices have their place, and this is one of them. Coffee and meds it is.

Lunch:
OK, so I fall off the wagon so easily. I was hungry! Dunkin Donuts egg and cheese croissant for lunch with iced coffee at North Station. Mmmmm...

Lots of Blackberrying on the train. Caught up on dance-related emails (never!).

Snack: 1 banana, almonds.
Dinner: Jasmine rice with chicken, with this awesome African Smokey seasoning, and big bowl o' mixed greens. (Yup, I ate chicken).
Nightime after class: 1 piece pizza with anchovies (this fish=omega 3's! seriously! and lots of white flour in the dough. Fine.).
3 walks with Gwyddie not including AM walk I mentioned earlier.

Today I did not have time to do any dance. So I chose to be extra conscious of my posture throughout the day.

I have had trouble with my posture for some time, being tall and all. Tall girl symdrome. So I must be extra careful with it. And after two car accidents, my spine has been injured and weakened. I am still recovering, but I've healed quite considerably. I am needing some good solar plexus chakra work. I am wanting to get myself back to a good healthy posture and core strength.

I struggle with chronic pain in my spine from injuries. I find that it keeps me from dancing and exercising as much as I'd like. I generally do at least 2 miles in the woods with Gwyddie per day (he needs it for his boundless energy). This is hiking, climbing, walking, running, and sitting and breathing. Occasionally Pilates and Yoga on the rocks.

I would like to do Pilates more than that. I hereby set my intention to do Pilates at least 3x per week.

Dear diary...

I've called this diary "Serpent Moon" because it has been begun on the New Moon (created yesterday). I pulled a card form my Animal-Wise deck to ask for a dance guide and "8 of Ancients: Rat Snake" appeared. "Acceleration and Movement." The serpent. "Progress is assured as long as we assert and accelerate our efforts". OK! I am publicly pushing myself to work in a more organized way toward some new dance goals.

Poem by   Travis Bowman   

My intentions for this time period of one moon cycle (28 days) is to develop some new habits and better organize my efforts. I am wanting to more clearly examine the connection between my everyday agenda, my art, my overall health, and my dance practice, becoming clearer about where I prioritize my time.

I do this publically to both help myself be accounatble, and also to decide, frankly, if i truly enjoy my work as much as I like to think, or, what aspects I enjoy most, and are the ones I do not enjoy worth time. I have many other artistic media that I enjoy working in; again, my intent is to more clearly prioritize in a way that is authentic, and meaningful, and current.

I was inspired by Naraya and her blog to create this public dance diary. Thank you, Naraya! :) If the great and accomplished Naraya can do this, then its probably a smart idea for me to try it out, too.

---------------

Day One: (yesterday)
-Taught private Skype lesson in AM.
-Began blog.
-Also, went to a mixed media Tarot inspired show; had the pleasure of watching OmBellyCo dance.

I enjoyed the show on many levels. The dancing was brief as it was part of an overall collaboration, but was a pleasure watching Erin Power, (once a student of mine and assistant teacher and now a teacher in her own right and member of OmBellyCo) step onto the stage as The Empress. Watching OmBellyCo and their ATS work reminded me to remember to practice basics, and learn some new things that I may have overlooked the first time around. for instance, the dancers had some very beautiful arm accents that would be nice for me to learn. Also, they move slowly and simply; again, there is an elegance in that that I would like to capture in my own dance. I tend to "attack" my work. I'd like to better learn to let the audience come to me, rather than feeling the need to grab them around the neck. Not that there isn't something to be said for that, but still...;)

Day Two: (today)
Neck ache. SI joint pain. Hangover. Day off from dance movement, unless you include the celebration dance I did all over the house today for Gwyddie as he finally made it up the stairs.
-Worked on website. Several hours.
-long discussion with Mike about events and projects over Sunday coffee
-made arrangements for Dark Goddess Masque