Who Is Raj?

Raj is my yogi name, short for Nataraja (king dancer, an incarnation of the Hindu god Shiva). He’s my playful, creative, dancing, musical self. And Raj is my sometimes hippie, cannabis inspired, alter ego who definitely thinks outside the box. I love it when he comes out to play. Raj has taught me to pay attention to my body, and to pay attention to my partner when we dance, becoming one as we do. When I have taught this thing I call ZenTango, it is Raj who has showed us how to be.

One of the first things I discovered early on is mindfulness. Through the practice of meditation I learned to quiet the “monkey mind”, the distracting chatter that goes on continually in our heads. Like still water on the surface of a pond, I could then see more clearly, looking into and seeing myself reflected. Or picturing a snow globe after the snow has settled, everything becomes more clear. So too in dance, as we focus on what is present and not allow the mind to wander, we see each other and where we are, moving better together. 

Interestingly, I really enjoy dancing with my eyes closed … being sure, of course, to mind my “floor craft” and not bump into others. But when safe and secure, dancing while blind affords a real benefit. With the eyes closed, we can more readily see with the “mind’s eye”, seeing where the other is, where we are, and what our somatic relationship is to our partner. It is really quite sublime! Try it … but be careful, especially if you’re the leader, the “responsible” partner. The last thing you want to do is disturb someone else’s mindfulness when they’re trying to be present. 

(ツ)