I was blessed to go away this last weekend with my favorite teacher, Maria Soledad. She is a Brazilian woman who has spent 10 years traveling around sharing and learning feminine wisdom all over the world. She hasn't been to the US in 5 years since a retreat at my old farm,so it was a rare opportunity that I was so delighted to be part of. Learning from her inspired me to write my book, The Lotus Project, the Art Of Being a Woman. It was a fabulous weekend with woman from all over the world.
Maria was very clear, being in the Taoist Tradition, Dragon Gate Tai Chi Line and traditional Tantra Yoga, that when a true master teaches, he has beginners and advanced students in the same class. Her teachers never had levels or separations of their students. They taught the same basics to all. The difference was in the understanding and working with these basics that advance the student in practice and consciousness.Things she learned at 20, took time and practice for her to understand as she developed. The tradition was the same basics, the student the one who grows and transforms with the practice.
This is one of the reasons I so loved all the teachers I have learned with. These ancient traditions are not "Americanized". Where you do 200 hours and go to this and that, getting certifications and titles. They are the true teachings that in doing the simple basics, it awakens something inside of you through the doing. The experience becomes yours, very real and you share it from that transformation you have. It is experiential and it is your dedication to yourself and the practices that make you a master at these arts.
We learned some new ways to awaken, practices to do just as you wake up lying in bed. We learned a few additional ways of breast massage but most of the practices I had done before in group 5 years ago. It was really rewarding to do these practices again, in a group and see the transformation of myself since I last learned with her. The basics to health, beauty and femininity are the same. It is I, my level of consciousness, my life and what is happening, my diligence to utilize these basics that makes it work.
Often in our country, people are " I did that or I learned that" Always thinking they need a new bit of information, a new way, a new tactic. It is not like that in the ancient wisdom .Information is not the same as wisdom that comes through application. Yes there are various twists on the basics but the practices for health are the refined practices for health. They don't change as it seems in our country. What changes is the person doing therm and their level of understanding and wisdom. I find this very stabilizing. Especially from our culture where there is a "new" berry or program or solution each week. Truth is not like that. Yes it alters on your level your understanding but the words don't have to change. These ancient traditions are around for they work. They don't need to reinvent smoothing that is working. It is not about our commercial marketing twists. It is real knowledge.
So do remember that as you surf about for ways to be more healthy or beautiful. The healing and expressive arts have been about a long time. Thousands of years. They don't shift and change like our world. Tai Chi is tai chi. Yoga is yoga. The kata's and asana's work or they would not still be around. We don't have to do hours of these great arts or know everything or understand them inside out. You begin with the basics, as you do them ,you learn more. As you develop yourself from the practices, you have experiences, knowledge and wisdom about these traditions. The line I am part of is an oral tradition that goes way back and it has only changed by the great living master as he adapts his practice through his life. It is not changing quarterly, monthly or annual.
The femininity practices follow the same line. It is not the practices that shift but your experience and growth of your feminine nature that switch. They work you on a deep, subtle level that is why they are so powerful. People in our country want to switch and change things for they say they are not working. But often it is more real to say, they are not working with them. Practicing is repeatedly doing the basics. A Master at anything is developed my doing the basics over and over again. This is what develops you. Following a line or a tradition in repetition. It works that way in all things. Usually if something doesn't work for one, it is because they aren't doing it.
Whatever your new health way is this spring season, take note of this. Rebirth yourself with a steady practice of something pleasing to your body. It should be basic for we need to move for health of living. Moving for health and lifelong well being is very different discipline or mindset than exercise.. Don't just jump in and out of things. Find something that is pleasing to your body, that makes you feel good as you do it and stick to it. You can't know the fullness of anything if you don't keep up your practice of it. You can't really have an opinion or true experience of it either.
These are great ways to see your body practices. Master your physicality by doing basic movements or practices designed to support your overall health. It is easier, the results longer lasting and the experience and wisdom beyond. I find it stabilizing and my growth is there. Doing the same things, the levels of understanding, the transformation different each time. I want things to be steady, easy, available, practical, for on the go to keep up my health. Nothing hard or I won't do it. Just lovely way to learn and share.
Beauty and Grace through Pleasure and Play
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Lyn Hicks, Health and Beauty Coach, Published Author, Educator and Event Coordinator
at The Room At Meadowbrook in Ottsville, PA.
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