Often times when you enter into a new situation you are met with a mix of excitement and anxiousness. Such was the case when I recently went to teach the girls from Philadelphia Dance Academy summer session. 

Here were teenage girls participating in a brand new activity; nonetheless, the girls seemed to be able to flow from dance to yoga almost effortlessly. Their yoga forms were as good as their dance moves I had just seen. They moved into the postures with ease and comfort. They seemed naturally able to understand the form.

I studied dance from 5 yrs. until about their age. It was something I loved and enjoyed thoroughly. I wasn’t the size of a traditional ballerina nor did I have the grace of one. I advanced more in jazz and modern dance. I was slightly frustrated by the fact that I wasn’t as expressive or advanced as some of my mates. I had no idea why, if I wanted to do something, I wasn’t able to fully engage in it. I think my level plateau and I never found a method or worked hard enough to excel past my natural talent.

Such as life; but, it is a good time to discuss the natural advantage that people would have in advancing their dancing skills with the addition of yoga or pilates to their regimen or vice versa. Joseph Pilates (1881-1967) knew this when he created a way to strengthen the body, elongate muscles, improve health while working the mind and body in harmony.

For me, learning yoga after I danced was very interesting and enlightening. I found it was the tool that could have advanced my dancing. When you practice yoga you learn how to concentrate, control, breath, engage in that moment in that form. This is very necessary to make each movement, pose, step, action a deliberate and artistic one in dance. The zest in a dance performance is the energy in the form.

In yoga I found my energy. I found my focus. I found my form. Slowing the mind down to control the body and emotions. While every person does not struggle with the same set of challenges I believe a true dancer must have high skill levels in these areas naturally or trained.

Beyond the immediate benefits to a dancer, anyone can benefit from these forms of exercise because they are mental and physical forms that help create grace and perspective in life. A free spirit will know how to release their body and mind and move to the rhythm thereby building a connection to their spirit. Let your spirit shine!

If you have a girl that wants to study dance, find out more by contacting:

Lori A. Lahnemann
Director
The Philadelphia Dance Academy
232 S. Fourth Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215.922.2422

It’s a funny  thing, the say when the student is ready the Master will appear. He did appear; his name is Chik Mason. He is a wonderful, devoted, wise, skillful, passionate, giving person & Master from who I learned the most sacred things in my life.

That would be how to live in harmony with myself & others, how to quiet the mind, how to still the body, how to create strength & openness simultaneously,  how to create form, how to align my mind, body & spirit to unite, how to look at the world outside the ego, how to think in a more universal way, to have compassion & understanding & love for all others, to move like the wind, to flow like water, to breath fire (at times), to care for myself & others, to be a healer, to be a teacher, a student of the Eastern Way. I am sure there are many other things that I gained from being his student & friend for many years.

His presence was/is sacred & that is why you know he is a Master. His time & energy revolved almost solely around Daoism & practice of the Eastern Arts & teachings. He had little time for anything else; other than vegetarian food, dance, performance, coffee & tea with students & friends. Having never been around a person so focused & devoted to what appeared a limited amount of activities or philosophies in life; I was confused. He was kind & gracious enough to personally help me figure out why. So, I hung around him for his humor, grace & poise, tremendous ,powerful, clear energy & I felt like a sponge trying to absorb all that he encompassed.

Daoism is that complete & perfect of a science, a philosophy & craft that you could spend the rest of your life trying to cultivate it in every sense of the word in every aspect of your mind, body & spirit. Having done that successfully you would reach enlightenment  & this would be heavenly!

So, whether I knew it or not.. I got on the path. Lao Tzu says, “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with one step.” Well, I took the step & I keep taking them. For me, the path was not so direct or committed at first introduction. As I look back , I see following the path more closely would have yielded more benefits & less hardships in my life. But, I am a bit of a hard ass, a self destructive person & a rebel. Thank G-d, these traits have minimized themselves through my practice & teachings. I think I was always willing to change & learn just not more than I wanted to which was one of my problems!

The great thing is that until you are no longer living in your body you have another opportunity! This is very useful to those who need to learn through experience!It became clear to me after some time of practicing yoga that there was more to “it” than just yoga.

Starting to know my Master & hang around him, I could immediately tell he was “different” & this intrigued me! I couldn’t get enough of him & “his way” . I knew it was much different than mine!  If you hang around another person enough they kinda rub off on you & so he did!  I took more classes & studied intensively at his workshops.Eventually , he left Philadelphia & I was left to teach & learn & grow on my own. How scary in the beginning! Because of the uniqueness of my training it appeared I could not go study with anyone else. I studied Chinese yoga & Eastern Arts & most yoga is Indian.

Until my knowledge was so strong & concrete within me I dared not study with anyone else!Now that so much time has passed I have begun to study with people I admire & feel are going to provide me  with some, new & different knowledge. I have studied with Rodney Yee, Shiva Rea & Sean Corn. I am, also, about to go to a Being Yoga conference in November & I will be back with all the wealth of knowledge & experience!

Totally Zen became a vision of how I interpreted my learnings, how they affected me & how they continue to help my evolution. I believe I can help convey some of my learnings to anyone who is interested & help  bring some of these benefits to people I cross paths with on my way! I have made it my passion & devotion to accomplish this in a way that interprets life through a combination of my psychology training, my Eastern studies, my life experience & my quest to stay on the path!

I believe it takes a lot of “work” & it encompasses more than yoga. It means training your mind, your breath, opening your spirit! Using natural foods, natural products, herbs, massage, candles, incense, music & whatever else you can to layer the effect of the universe on your being into your soul.From here, it is your choice..

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