Hello, everyone. I hope you all have been doing well. The weather has started to improve in Adelaide since a week or so, generally becoming warmer and hot under the sun. It felt that spring came sometime but then again winter revisited us in September. September was a funny month for me because I got many cancellations of sessions. It felt most of them were so ‘abrupt’ that I had to sit with its ambiguity and chew some ‘bitter’ feelings in a more sustained rhythm. It was easy for me to go to a place where I doubted my competency. I wonder if this reflects the post-covid phase, or generally people withdrawing from / avoiding reality or all of these? I am not sure. As a practitioner, I am aware that I can easily lose a sense of grounding in these difficult times. I cannot agree more that responses to challenges by moving or drawing or supervision are just so helpful and vital. Although challenges may not diminish instantly, I can see them from a distance and foster a sense of resilience in me to some extent. If you have experienced anything that challenges you, go creative, move, and draw. You will get something out of it for sure. Another Grief
My dear long-term friend from India, Saravana Dhanapal (the first left in the photo, 2011) passed away two weeks ago. He was just 37. I became friends with him in 2002 when I first visited Bangalore. He was an artist, entertainer, dancer, and gymnast. At age 10, he was selling bananas all day long while he was supposed to be in school. He met an artist who discovered artistic skills in him. He then embarked on as a performing artist till the end of his life. We together went to Italy as we represented India and performed at the International Conference of Global March against Child Labour. Saravana always contributed his talents and wisdom for the art school I established for street kids. We also went to Japan to perform about Hiroshima/Nagasaki Bombings. Then we cycled 3500kms with 30 children across the country to appeal peace between India and Pakistan. We collected 7000 letters of love from Indian children to Pakistani children. What remains in me now about Saravana is that he always smiled and stayed positive. His passing was so sudden that I felt quite difficult to accept and understand it. His death was so ambiguous until I moved at Move & Connect (monthly moving space that I provide) last week. While I moved, I started to put a lot of colourful fabrics on a large yellow fabric, bundled them together and dragged them behind me. Then the orange and green fabrics somehow dropped from this bundle. I noticed and added the white fabric to it. The Indian flag was made. This little (funeral) procession was unconsciously created out of my movement. I think this way I was symbolically able to say goodbye to Saru. He left his wife and daughter (3) behind, and hopefully I can support them in my way. Upcoming Events The Spring Somatic Body Mapping is finally happening on the 14th and 15th October 2022. I am so excited about this upcoming event. Thank you to those who will participate in this opportunity and allow me to learn from you. I will continue to offer this workshop in 2023. Move & Connect 27th October from 7pm to 8pm at the Room 7, Mitcham Community Centre. Practitioners’ Learning Circle 23rd October from 3pm till 4:30pm (AEST). I will soon plan 2023. Hopefully I can share some exciting new workshops with you all. I hope you all continue to stay safe and healthy. It would be nice to hear from you too. #dancemovementtherapy #dancetherapyadelaide #SA #somaticbodymapping #BodyMapping #mentalhealth