+Joy.jpg)
Psalms of My Soul
Grateful for Divine Dance
Sephirat Ha Omer - day 35, 5 full weeks
Malchut sh b'Hod
- Joy Krauthammer
In years past I always loved dancing both live, and alone to Gabrielle Roth.
In the early 1990's during one of my summer solo driving sojourns up the Coast to Esalen Institute, I bought a Gabrielle Roth video at the Heart Beat bookstore gallery in Big Sur, CA. I'd never heard of Gabrielle, didn't know what the video was about, but the cover art energy felt good as I held in my hand, a '5 Rhythms' video, and a natural skin frame drum in my other hand. It was the first video I'd ever purchased and I didn't even own a VCR.
After waking in my cabin, gazing at the ocean waves and chanting my prayers, and before daily week-long workshops-- in the early 7 am morning dance hour at Esalen, I would totally love to move my body to whatever the sunrise leader was playing (especially Leonard Cohen's "I'm Your Man"). I didn't realize I was dancing to the same '5 Rhythms'; I did knew the dancing made me feel good, playful, and I could surrender in the inner Splendor of being in Malchut and Hod. For several annual summer trips, dancing at Esalen started off each divine day for me.
Soaking in Esalen's late into the wee hours natural springs hot tubs on the Pacific Ocean's edge of the Big Sur cliff's, and having Esalen massages were good too, as was the natural garden food decorated with edible red nasturtium flowers. I loved walking through the garden and all the hilly green and moist mystical magical grounds.
A year after my video purchase, a Sarah's Tent spiritual friend invited me to dance at an LA event, and I went and I still didn't make the connection. I went home to the Valley after wildly dancing with this woman Gabrielle Roth with whom I had been unfamiliar, and with her African drummer, who just happened to be my LA private djembe teacher, Nigerian Yoruba priest, Ayo Adeyemi; Small synchronistic world filled with joy and Hashgachah Pratit, Divine Guidance. (See my Babatunde Olatunji site: http://babatunde-olatunji.blogspot.com )
Some time later I put the threads and beats together; A little beshertness/meant to be. I looked for and found the unopened dance video with the inspiring cover, bought a VCR, and loved watching the tape over and over again, wearing out my carpeting. I rarely had watched TV, so this was a different step, watching and dancing at the same time. Discovering a ritual dance community in LA kept up my joyous aliveness.
Wish I hadn't badly damaged my knees, or I'd still be crazily happily dancing with all my body and soul (and not just spiritually drumming for ritual prayer-filled dancers)…with Gabrielle in all her rhythms.
Every summer I showed up at the Heart Beat store at the same time, pulled into the parking lot, which was right on time for Sunday night Esalen dinner down Highway 1, and I checked into my cabin, just as sunset arrived. Jerusalem, Bali, Sedona and Big Sur-- favorite lands for my neshama/soul. In gratitude and awe, I still feel Big Sur.
Each subsequent summer after my first Heart Beat visit, most amazing for me is that the gallery owner looked at me as I entered the shop, recognized me from 12 months earlier, and joyously exclaimed, "Same day, same time!" I was a good customer with a healthy heart beat and my heart beats in memory of all that I received.
BlesSings for dancing health, wholeness, peace, revealed miracles, creativity, discovery, wonder, blooming gardens, majestic sunrises, love and joy,
JOY
No comments:
Post a Comment
Hi,
THANKS for reading my words.
I always love to hear from you.
Thanks for writing to me on COMMENTS.
BlesSings,
Joy