Dance to Breathe

Such a long overdue post! I have again to thank my friend Chesa for inviting me to a workshop she organized for Treston International College Advance Program. Looking back, I just realized this helped the shift in my frame of mind that got me to where I am now. I said yes to this thinking that might as well get some free exercise that I badly need not knowing the full extent of what the said workshop entailed. Funny how upon reading the invite and seeing there that it will be a therapy of sorts, I right away made sure that there will be no sharing of emotions involved. I was assured that there won't be any of that. It would just be a morning filled with dancing. OH HOW I WAS FOOLED!!! Each "dance" session was actually followed by a group discussion! However this was actually what I needed and more.

We started warming up with Zumba, which was apt as our speaker, Ms. Dinghy Kristine Shama is a licensed Zumba instructor in the US.  To add to that, she is also a psychologist. The best part was she was able to merge both of her passions that gave birth to Dance/Movement Therapy Session that she advocates.

Zumba all the way! 

My defenses were down as we started our Zumba. I was in my element anyway as I've always loved dancing. However, of course there was a twist to this! We were each called randomly to show a dance step that will be followed by everyone ala following the leader or sagidi sagidi sapopo!!! I hate being put on a spotlight in front of strangers, but gladly each turn lasts for like 8 counts and the torture was over before I can freak out. 

It was explained to us that the point of this was to compel us to stop thinking too much. Wherein we are not given a chance to plan ahead what steps we will act out but to go with the flow on what our bodies dictate us to do. We live in a highly cognitive world where putting our brains first over our emotions are seen as a strength. We over analyze everything and multi-tasking is seen as a norm. What we need to do is balance the two in order to avoid having our anxieties reach a boiling point that causes a breakdown that can manifest through physical illness. 

I actually want to note that women often compensate for this more than men, don't you think? We so do not want to be seen as weak so we push our emotions aside even if we are genetically built that way. We are also the ones that multi-task effectively right? And this is just not applicable in the work place. Even as stay at home moms, we tackle too many things at once. I actually had a conversation with a fellow mom about this. I was complaining that I am getting too forgetful and sometimes I find myself unable to finish a sentence since I cannot supply the proper term or word. Of course we are quick to blame the anesthesia we all had when we gave birth. That is why there are those that opt to do everything naturally. However, can't we also attribute it to the fact that we are always lacking on sleep and  we OVERBURDEN our brains for multi-tasking too much. So really something just got to give. In my case it was to speak not even eloquently but just like a normal sane person. My mind need the rest badly. 

Funny how I was worried about the sharing part but ended up pouring my heart out.

The next step to our session was explained to have something to do with empathy. Oh finally something I am good at. I pride myself for being in tuned with what the other is feeling and acting accordingly. Turns out I am emphatic to a fault.  We were paired up wherein one was the Mirror (leader) while the other was the follower.  I was assigned to be the mirror. My task was to start dancing once we've heard the music playing. It was free style and you can do whatever. My partner would follow my moves once she is ready. You would think it easy but I was too conscious of the others and of myself.  Made me realize what was wrong with me! In contrast with others who completely allowed themselves be swayed with the music, I was constantly looking around. Maybe others were watching me! Or was assessing my partner and what she was thinking of the things that I was doing. So on and so forth. I have known this fault of mine for awhile now. But this exercise was such a slap in the face of how hindering this attitude is. I did not enjoy at all. It was torture how it the music stretched on.  It was such a great wake up call to me! That I vowed by the end of the session that I will be more in touch with what's going on in me rather that focusing on what other people think. 

This activity also led me to push myself to be more accepting of opportunities that arises. I am always quick to say no to invitations that tests my comfort level. I always need my safety net. I have let go of that now. As I write this, I have took on more challenges and welcomed change that I would not normally deal with. So far so good. I actually think that the universe is encouraging this new mind set of mine by blessing me with more good juju. I love it! I feel so different and light and all in all positive. 

All pumped after the Zumba warm up!

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much love