Dance as if no one is looking

Have you ever had a setback a delay or had to take a detour? I know I have had that happen many times. Sometimes you can think that these setbacks, delays, and detours are often just a way of "keeping" you for something way better. Many take this view.

There is, however, another way of looking at setbacks, delays and detours. First, don't let them discourage you, second, don't see them out of context. Third, consider that these events may lead you to a new adventure, a new road to travel, or a new way of thinking.

Life is complicated, our lives follow dance-like steps in the mambo, tango, or the cha-cha. If you dissected the movements and saw them without the rest of the dance, you’d only see painful contortions. But when you see the big picture can you see the poetry of your life in motion. The sad fact is we only see the big picture when it is completed, not when we are dancing, so whatever you do, don't stop dancing. Remember you are your own choreographer 

Do you wanna dance?

Our senior group is exploring ideas on how to bring more seniors into our center. One of the ideas that came up is the idea of a dance club once a month. Dancing has been a part of human history for thousands of years. Today, people in every culture can reap the health benefits of dancing, here are some:

A group of Australian researchers found that men and women with mood disorders who participated in a two-week tango instruction program felt less depressed and experienced significant reductions in their levels of stress, anxiety and insomnia.

A few weeks of salsa dance classes can seriously increase an older adult’s strength and balance, according to a study published in the journal Gerontology. “Salsa proved to be a safe and feasible exercise program for older adults,” said the study authors. They also noted the high adherence rate of the program—over 92 percent of participants ended up completing the full eight-week salsa dancing regimen.

Older adults with knee and hip discomfort may be able to swap their pain medications for dancing shoes, a Saint Louis University (SLU) study concluded. After engaging in a 12-week, low-impact dance program, participants with an average age of 80 years old were able to decrease the amount of pain medication they were taking by 39 percent.

People with stable chronic heart failure may derive the same aerobic health advantages from learning how to waltz as they would from more traditional forms of cardiovascular exercise, such as cycling or walking, says a study published in the journal Circulation. Unlike other types of cardiovascular exercise, dancing doesn’t necessarily require specialized equipment or workout settings, making it a much more accessible option for those looking to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol and maintain healthy body weight.

When compared to other leisure activities like playing golf, doing crosswords, reading and cycling, dancing appears to offer the best chance of helping stave off dementia. According to a 21-year study led by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, aging adults who danced regularly had a 76 percent reduced risk of developing dementia. Experts theorize that dancing is beneficial for our brains because it combines cardiovascular exercise with split-second decision-making that taxes our neural network, forcing it to create new pathways.

Dance is a gentle and painless way to exercise because it engages the mind and body in an enjoyable way that does not feel like exercise. And it causes fewer injuries because its varied movements are less repetitive in nature. Dancing happens to be a universal form of recreation as well. Seniors with conditions like Parkinson’s disease, dementia, cancer, arthritis, asthma and heart disease can all participate. Research into using dance as a therapy for each of these ailments has unearthed a host of advantages and very few risks. However, it’s always important to clear any exercises with a doctor before beginning a new regime, especially for those with pre-existing health conditions.

Dance with your loved one like no one’s watching! The best part is that dancing doesn’t have to include formal classes or training. Simply play some favourite tunes at home and let the music inspire your movement

This is because dance lifts the spirit while benefiting the body, and anyone can learn basic dance moves with some practice. And because it is not dependent upon the season, you can enjoy dancing all year round.

Life is a dance.

Life is dancing with a partner; when setbacks, delays, and detours happen; they're like steps in the mambo, tango, and cha-cha. 

If you dissect the movements and see them without the rest of the dance, everyone looks to be in great pain. But when you see the big picture... it can be poetry in motion, especially when you share the dance with a great partner

In life, setbacks, delays, and detours are often just one way of "keeping" you for something way better. Don't let them discourage you, remember you have a partner, focus on them, so you don't see the delays, detours and setbacks out of context, and whatever you do, don't stop dancing. 

Dance of life

Waking up as a little boy the excitement for the day's adventure pumped through my veins and lit up my eyes. I'd look out the window at the bright sunshine, the fields, and the expansive blue skies and magical clouds.

Once out in the freedom of the day, with no responsibilities, I'd hop, skip, jump, and run with joy, wonder, and excitement. Somewhere along the way, I began to remember and learned about cause and effect. Suddenly some limitations came into existence. Continuing to grow and mature, I learned to reason and apply my own critical thinking to situations that may or may not happen. I was creating a new reality within the context of my mind and my past experiences. The horror!

Now, with another level of awareness that has developed, the spiritual awareness, it's like walking the tight rope between this world we live and work in, and the uninhibited freedom of a child at play. There is something more to this experience of life. We are not just conditioned beasts of labour and love. We are not just confined to living a life sentence in suburbia. There is, and always was, so much more available to us. It exists everywhere, including suburbia, at work, in the mundane, at the most extraordinary and ordinary. The only way I can explain the discovery is to dance.

One day hopeful, the other day destitute, one day in love, the next day hateful, one moment playful, the next moment serious, and one day success, the next day failure. We're constantly moving and changing. The only constant is the silence, the stillness, the quiet place deep inside where spirit connects spirit. We feel it in the closest moments of intimacy with family or significant others. It is experienced in the greatest profound moment of joy and all words, all senses, all comprehension has escaped us. There is nothing left to figure out, there is only to forget.

Everyday we would do well to forget many of the happenings of our yesterday. No bias, no fear, no limitations, no expectations, just wonder. Wonder and curiosity accompanied by joy and love. This intrigues me greatly. How would tomorrow look? How would my world interact? This ideal leads me to believe that more is available for all of us. As an idealist, many things I say may seem unattainable. This is the peak possibility, of that there is no doubt. While the ideal is beautiful, any measure or occurrence of that ideal is welcome. A grain of salt to flavor each day for a fantastic experience of life. Each day, I need to be that grain of salt too, and dance!