by Anthea Kawakib
Poole
(Part 2 reprinted from
'Letters', Middle Eastern Dancer magazine)
The Islamic culture in which
our dance developed (and also the related cultures and dance
forms of Spain and India) is profoundly religious to an extent
we Westerners can barely conceive. Oriental Dance is an artistic
expression of these devout people (whether they consider dancing
as a profession to be socially acceptable or not is beside the
point). We overlook that fact in our struggle to learn their
dance.
Prayer and meditation can be likened to a dialogue with your inner Spirit. You will not "hear" anything (but yourself) while meditating, but the proof of your close contact with the Divine will show up in your increasing fruits of the spirit. The spiritual and creative energies of the "Muse" are flowing through a circuit we can plug into by consciously desiring Divine guidance.
This energy-balancing technique of relaxation, prayer, and meditation is not a "New Age" procedure where you put on "meditation music" and follow someone's instructions on talking to God, or try to hear voices. Spiritual growth is slow and takes place mostly without our realizing it. It's gradual and cumulative over time. What's the hurry? You've got forever.
Go to The
Spirituality of Dance, Part 1
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