Essay - Dance & Movement Therapy

Foundation Course: Introduction to dance and movement therapy foundation course. 

Clarify and define the meaning of therapy and the meaning of dance. When does dance become therapy?

The word ‘therapy’ derives from the ancient Greek word meaning service. Therapy is an abstract noun, and a popular concept word for the therapeutic process. The word ‘therapeutic’ as defined by the Oxford dictionary means alleviating and of the healing arts. Many activities of daily life can be considered therapeutic and therefore healing, for example listening to music, walking nature, associating with friends etc., all that rewards by way of release, pleasure, esteem, amusement, connection, relaxation, rest, acceptance, refreshment, and understanding. 

The Turin Shroud

The veil cloth that Veronica gave to Jesus on his walk to Calvary, and upon which his face left an imprint, is immortalised in every Roman Catholic Church in  6th station of the cross, but this event is not mentioned in the New Testament. There are crudely painted cloths but they are not original. However, the Turin Shroud is not a painting, but a photograph on cloth, and it has blood on it! So it is a very strange item indeed! 

During the massive cathedral building programme of the 12th - 14th centuries, relics were demanded by the papacy to bring pilgrimages to these expensive places of worship. The Turin Shroud has been carbon dated to 1260-1390, just the date of the required relics. However, it is obviously not the winding sheet of the corpse of Jesus. An early Roman Catholic Bishop recognised this. However, it is the image of a crucified man of this date, so therefore who might this be? 

Description of the Shroud:  It is a long length of cloth that comprises of an unusual herringbone flaxen twill fabric. The threads were bleached prior to weaving and hand spun. It is 14 feet 3 inches in length and 3 feet 7 inches wide. It has no mildew despite being in damp conditions for centuries. It has no brush strokes, no pigments or dyes. It shows two full length images, one of the front and one of the back of a naked and bearded man, with a moustache and shoulder length hair. It shows the body bore lacerations that are consistent with flogging. There are small puncture holes in the forehead consistent with a crown of thorns having been placed there. Also shown is a knife wound to his side. His wrists, and his feet are pierced in a way that is consistent with Roman crucifixion. He has his hands folded over his groin. Many measurements have been taken of the subject and some researchers have stated his strange physicality is that of a man who has also been, not only crucified, but wracked. 

The Magdalene’s Story

We don’t know very much about Mary Magdalene. She is mentioned 12 times in the New Testament - the earliest of Christian writings. She is one of several female followers of Jesus who assisted him financially when he was teaching and healing from Galilee to Jerusalem. As she ministered to Jesus and the disciples from her own resources, it can be assumed she had an independent source of wealth. She is not named after a father or a husband, but after a word meaning 'tower'. This could be a place name or a name of distinction relating to her ability and kindness. Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward, Chumash, and Suzanna and many others also provided Jesus with resources, therefore they were vital to his ministry. 

The gospels tell us that Jesus healed Mary Magdalene of seven demons. We do not know what these demons involved, perhaps illness or distress. Did she come from Migdal, a town in Galilee? It is not thought so, as there was no town of this name in the first century. 

 

Mary’s Story

Luke uniquely tells us the story of the mother, whereas Matthew’s account has the father as the central character - history was told always from the male perspective! We read of a girl named Miriam (or Mary in translations), who had come of age to marry, she would be around the age of 12 - 14 yrs old. We are told she was betrothed to a Joseph, meaning that they were engaged but she would be living with her parents, a home she would rarely leave until she married. They were of the House of David - a royal line when a corrupt puppet king sat on the throne of Judah. 

Suddenly, a supernatural messenger from God, an angel named Gabriel appears. Mary was agitated and disturbed by his presence, because this Angel has a name that translates from the Hebrew as the ‘strong man of God’! This unobserved girl, concealed in her family home, finds herself no longer isolated but in the presence of one who is spoken of as an angel who is called upon to incite war and who destroys the enemy! Here Gabriel acts as God’s instrument, and a young girl is confronted and alone with a male stranger to whom she is not related, and she refutes accepted customs!

Last Chance to See!

Stephen Fry’s ‘Last Chance to See’ and David Attenborough’s ‘Madagascar’ both highlight the extreme plight of some of the world’s most endangered species that are teetering on the edge of extinction due to hunting, mining, crop plantation for animal feed, habitat loss and climate change. 

If the great philosophers, spiritual teachers and wisdom keepers of the past could speak, what would they say? How would they speak and with what level of urgency in their voices? For those who believe in eternal life, many want to contact waiting spirits. Noisy stimulation of the outside world prevents the hearing of the 'still small voice', of those who provide advice, counsel, challenge and support.

Where Troy Once Stood

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Where Troy Once Stood - The Mystery of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey Revealed by Iman Wilkens  

 "Now there are fields where Troy Once Stood..."

 
This is an outstanding research work which puts the epic poetry of Homer in a new setting. The author, the late Iman Wilkens, was fascinated by Homer since his childhood, and later made an indepth study that is the subject of this book. He discovered Homer's poems were oral Celtic tales told 400 years before they were written by the Greeks. The Trojan war was not set in the Mediterranean as has been largely claimed by academics, but is set in East Anglia, between the tribes of Western Europe and the tribes of Britain. Place names and river names, wind directions, time frames, constellations (which are still in use today), coats of arms, etc., were used to identify the true origin of the story. All information is meaningful; including numbers, colours, names, deities, and all are necessary yet are hidden under the guise of an entertaining story. The Odyssey shows sea charts, and the Iliad details the history of the Trojan War. The reason for the war is not the abduction of a beautiful woman, but the highly desired deposits of an extremely rare metal. 

The Advent Moon - A Poem

“The Advent moon shines bright and clear; my soul waits -

These Advent nights are very long;

Who Was St Patrick?

Who was St Patrick? There is an ancient earthen cross at Banwell in Somerset which some archaeologists think could be the birthplace of this mysterious Saint. A cross lies in the landscape and has arms which extend about 20 metres and are directed to the compass points. Malmesbury nearby was also an early religious establishment and the historian, William of Malmesbury mentions that Patrick's grave was at the nearby great Abbey cathedral at Glastonbury which could have been dedicated to St Patrick along with St Mary the Virgin. Irish pilgrims were frequenting these places so it is expected there is a valid connection We know little about his life. Some say he was born around 400AD. Perhaps his father was a town councillor but he became enslaved in Ireland as a teenager, of about 16 years of age, and escaped to Gaul.

Durrell Wildlife Charity

"DNA could not have developed by chance" Francis Crick, co-founder of DNA design. 
The Durrell Conservation Trust is an international charity that protects endangered species from extinction. It is an international charity founded by the naturalist and writer, Gerald Durrell OBE. His entire life was inspired by spending several years as a child on the island of Corfu. Gerald died in 1995 and the Trust is overseen by his wife, Dr Lee Durrell who has continued his outstanding work. Dr Lee Durrell was awarded an MBE in the late Queen Elizabeth II Birthday Honours List. 

The Durrell Wildlife Park, previously known as Jersey Zoo, is a modern day stationary Noah’s Ark where rare species can be bred and studied and returned to the wild where possible. There is a training programme with courses available and education projects are run by highly skilled specialists in species conservation. The Park is open to visitors who wish to see some of the most endangered species in the world. Summer is a favourite time to visit as the breeding programme often reveals newly born rare species, such as the yellow mongoose triplets born this year and the male Black Lion Tamarind that was born by caesarean section, hand reared and syringe fed at the zoo. http://www.durrell.org/Latest/News/Baby-black-lion-tamarin-born-by-caesarean-section-at-Durrell/ 

Writing a Film Review

Title:
Date of Release:
Certificate:
Duration:
Genre:
Director:
Principle cast list:
Summary: Accurate description of the story-line. Was it based on a true story, a book or play, is it a remake? etc.
Personal opinion of certificate, duration, genre, acting and setting. Avoid criticism of Director and casting. Give a personal rating.
Provide an illustration of the film, a trailer or podcast link if possible. 

 Heck spellings of names, and if broadcasting, check name pronunciations. 

The 3 of Cups - Dali Tarot

Understanding your own emotions. Because the card reminds us of the three graces, the three Norns (the Norse goddesses fate), and the three wishes of many fairytales, it leads us to the cosmic wisdom exemplified by the saying “all good things come in threes”. The blue palm trees and the blue grotto point towards bliss, enchantment, and great joy. Life will become a feast if you go beyond yourself and learn to retain your emotional independence, even in the company of others. 

This card is all about the quality of your feelings. The nudity of figures represent beauty and naturalness. Symbolically, it encourages honesty and at the same time warns of insolence (shamelessness and lack of culture). The red forms in the upper corners can be interpreted as a curtain that can be drawn across, obscuring the appreciation and gratitude required to fully know what this card reveals. On the left and right sides, two springs gush fifth, representing the inconsistencies of your emotional life. 

The Bee Blessing - A Tradition

 In the distant past, country people had a tradition...

Whenever there was a death in the family, someone had to go out to the bee hives and tell the bees of the terrible loss that had befallen the family.

The bees were kept abreast of all important family matters including births, marriages, and long absence due to journeys. This peculiar custom is known as “telling the bees”.

The practice of "telling the bees" may have its origins in Celtic mythology that held that bees were the link between us and the spirit world. So if you had any message that you wished to pass to someone who was dead, you needed to tell the bees and they would pass along the message.

The typical way to tell the bees was for the head of the household, or “goodwife of the house” to go out to the hives, knock gently to get the attention of the bees, and then softly murmur in a doleful tune the solemn news. 

Romance Literature

Geoffrey of Monmouth (1150) wrote the ‘History of the King’s of Britain’ in the Chansons de Geste genre and imposed chivalric codes on the fictionalised story that centred around Arthur, his court of noble knights and their high born ladies. Later the Norman poet introduced the Round Table, a place of brotherhood and equality.  Chivalry was the highest code, and designed for knights to lead a pure life and to get to heaven. It demanded to act honourably, support good causes, and have complete self control. Many endowed churches, went on pilgrimage, and fought abroad. The essence of chivalry was to defend the holy land, liberate the Holy Sepulchre. Many women and children fought alongside men.

From 1165, Chretien de Troyes introduced themes and characters, including Lancelot, Percival and the Grail. In each of the five poems, a knight looks for adventure and the rescue of damsels in distress, to defeat dragons, face enchantments, increase prowess, loyalty and courtesy. Percival is told by his mother to stop at every church and pray, and never take anything from women except a kiss and a ring. But Percival broke into a woman’s tent, aggressively kissed her and ripped a ring from her finger. An older and wiser knight tells him to help women and orphans and give mercy to any knight who needs it, and not to talk much. The quest for spiritual perfection, moderation, jousting and courtly love are high values. 

How to Write a Card Deck Review

Whether a tarot or other divination deck, a review is intended to enable a prospective purchaser to choose the best deck for their requirements. 

Some information is standard in all card reviews: 
the number of cards
whether they have textual information (and what is that information? If a book is included with the deck, a book review is required also)
the names of those who designed/created the deck - artwork and textual information and some background about them
whether it is a standard tarot deck or has anomalies, such as an unusual size or the cards placed in an unusual sequence or whether extra cards have been added.
a description of the card backs, whether they are reversible or irreversible
the publisher’s website or secure place of purchase
the recommended retail cost
ISBN number 

Hera

The red Goddess of Cancer’s still and her deep waters says “No need to rock the boat!”

Seated on her heavenly golden throne, the Goddess of the Sky wears a royal crown surmounted by peacocks, her sacred bird. In her left hand she holds the pomegranate, its teeming seeds are a symbol of life eternal. In her right, she holds the staff of authority, at the top of which is the crescent moon cupping the orb of the sun. A cuckoo sits on the head of the staff - this is Zeus as he first appeared to her! She is Goddess of women, marriage and maternity. She is an idealised wife though Zeus punished her, beating and binding her, suspending her from the skies! 

Hera’s reign with Zeus was a constant quarrel causing celestial thunderings as the Olympian crockery flew across the divine living room! She is a noble and modern matron, her crown defines her role as the respected queen of the pantheon. Her temples were on the highest mountains to denote her elevated status. 

Meditation - A Free YouTube Video

 

This free YouTube meditation is titled 'The Fount of All Knowledge'. Make yourself comfortable, avoid interruption for 15 minutes, and relax! Written by Wendy Stokes and spoken by Erica Longdon.  

Women’s Day

We will celebrate International Women’s Day on 8th March. This year’s theme is ‘Embrace Equality’. Some readers will ask whether those that 'think' like a woman, 'feel' like a woman, or have the 'physical' attributes of a woman, can be included in this category! We hope by sharing our ideas and knowledge, that we can shed some light on this - or will we perhaps make the topic even more confusing! 

Women collectively come together for mutual support every International Women’s Day. Women across the world have needed to fight hard for equality and despite legal equality in many modern countries, women are still not equal to men in many ways. They still suffer discrimination and have poorer life choices. They don’t earn equal pay, and they don’t reach positions of power as easily, or as often, as men. Their life is sometimes arduous, their health not taken so seriously, and they can be at major risk of being a victim of crime from those who they have loved. They usually accept caring duties that involve looking after their partner, their children and their elderly or disabled relatives. 

7 Habits

Personal Mission Statement: 

Succeed at home first. Seek divine help. Never compromise with honesty. Remember the people involved. Hear both sides before judging. Obtain the counsel of others. Defend those who are absent. Be sincere yet decisive. Develop one brand-new proficiency a year. Plan tomorrow’s work today. Hassle while you wait. Maintain a positive attitude. Keep a sense of humour. Be orderly in person and in work. Do not fear mistakes, only the absence of creative, constructive, and corrective responses to those mistakes. Facilitate the success of subordinates. A listen twice as much as you speak. 

Born to Win - An Extract

Born to Win - Transactional Analysis with Gestalt Experiments by Muriel James. 

“Each human being is born as something new, something that never existed before. Each is born with the capacity to win at life. Each person has a unique way of seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and thinking. Each has his or her own unique potentials, capabilities and limitations. Each can be a significant, thinking, aware, and creative being, a productive person, a winner. 

The words winner and loser have many meanings. When we refer to a person as a winner, we do not mean one who makes someone else lose. To us, a winner is one who responds authentically by being credible, trustworthy, responsive, and genuine, both as an individual and as a member of society. A loser is one who fails to respond authentically. Martin Buber makes this distinction as he retells an old story of a rabbi who, on his deathbed, is asked if he is ready for the world to come. The rabbi says ‘yes, after all I will not be asked, why were you not Moses? I will only be asked, why were you not yourself?” 

Few people are 100% winners or 100% losers. It’s a matter of degree. However once the person is on the road to being a winner, his or her chances are greater for becoming even more so. This book is intended to facilitate that journey - Born to Win by Muriel James. 

Books I Love and Recommend!

 

"Galileo's Daughter" is a favourite of mine and is a book based on Galileo's letters to his eldest daughter (none of hers survive). He put his two illigitimate daughters into a closed order (Poor Clare's) where they lived in great hardship from 10 years old. He meant everything to his eldest daughter, Sr Marie Celeste, who often wrote to him pleading for tiny sums of money. He was one of the most famous inventors of his day. His invented telescope allowed him to see Jupiter's moons and to confirm the theory of Copernicus that the Earth revolved around the sun, a matter which brought him before the Inquisition on heresy charges. She died of dissentry aged 34. The man who had seen further than anyone became blind and a 16 year old boy lived with him and when Galileo died, the boy buried the father and daughter in identical coffins. In 1992 the Pope confirmed Galileo was correct! Galileo is the name given to the spacecraft that studied the moons of Jupiter.

 

And I also loved this book very much, by the female author, Dava Sobel. It describes the painstaking work and the rejection and acceptance of John Harrison:- Longitude -  The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time. This is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest: the search for the solution of how to calculate longitude and the unlikely triumph of an English genius. Anyone alive in the 18th century would have known that ‘the longitude problem’ was the thorniest scientific dilemma of the day – and had been for centuries. Lacking the ability to measure their longitude, sailors throughout the great ages of exploration had been literally lost at sea as soon as they lost sight of land. Thousands of lives, and the increasing fortunes of nations, hung on a resolution.

Women's Day article for Psychic News

We will celebrate International Women’s Day on 8th March. This year’s theme is ‘Embrace Equality’. Some Psychic News readers will ask whether those that 'think' like a woman, 'feel' like a woman, or have the 'physical' attributes of a woman, can be included in this category! We hope by sharing our ideas and knowledge, that we can shed some light on this - or will we perhaps make the topic even more confusing! 

Women collectively come together for mutual support every International Women’s Day. Women across the world have needed to fight hard for equality and despite legal equality in many modern countries, women are still not equal to men in many ways. They still suffer discrimination and have poorer life choices. They don’t earn equal pay, and they don’t reach positions of power as easily, or as often, as men. Their life is sometimes arduous, their health not taken so seriously, and they can be at major risk of being a victim of crime from those who they have loved. They usually accept caring duties that involve looking after their partner, their children and their elderly or disabled relatives. 

9 of Cups

9 of Cups Dali Tarot by Johannes Fiebig, published by Konigs Furt: “Mature Talents. You have brought a uniqueness that will make the world a better place. Do not hide your talents. Be generous and show others the treasures you have to offer. You are a treasure. The key to the unfolding of your inner wealth is love. Love is not just an emotion. It relates to not just the correct measure of kindness in a relationship, but a way of encountering the world with love. The greater your love, the greater the benefits for yourself and others. Any material gains have no value unless they are fulfilled with the respect and the love you personally add to create a greater whole, bearing in mind the strengths and weaknesses, and advantages and disadvantages of yourself and others. Practical Advice: Stop internal dialogue, the nervous chattering of your internal voice. Find inner peace. Don’t parrot or imitate the ideas of others. You have talents that are blooming. Find a framework for your high-flying plans. Love your tasks and enjoy the excitement of work well done.”

Saalumarada Thimmakka - A Tree in Time

Saalumarada is known as a folk hero in her home area because, when she was a teenage girl, she planted her first Banyan tree just outside the remote Indian village of Hulikal in south western state of Karnataka. She was illiterate, but had green fingers, and enjoyed the planting of the tree and watching it grow. Though Saalumarada was born into poverty and married very young, she had not fallen pregnant. There was a local folk tradition that if a childless woman planted a Banyan tree, the national tree of India, she would be rewarded with a child. She did not conceive a child, but she continued to plant up to 380 Banyan trees, watering them daily, and creating a 28 km tree lined avenue near her village. To add to this, she planted another 8,000 trees of different kinds. For this, she was granted the highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri Award in 2019 when she was almost 100 years old. 

Rapprochement Card Reading

Taken from the card of Justice by Amy Zerner and Monte Farber: This card depicts the naivity of youth yet it contains very ancient wisdom. It is a winged angel that carries the heart-tipped-star-encrusted spear of Ultimate Truth. This extraordinary spear cuts through obscuring veils to reveal hidden wonders. The bright, shining blade only deals punishment that is deserved, or provides protection for validity of innocence. The scales held in her right hand weigh all factors, and finds the pivotal point between truth, order and justice. Yet she is not blindfolded, and she sees all sides of any given question. Behind this impartial Angel of Justice, a pink sky indicates the dawn of recovery as Justice must prevail. The angel has chosen to take her stand on a huge leaf of neutral space that Justice brings to a world in chaos in terms of ecology, health, finance, education, well-being, legal and all other necessary attributes. Without Justice, no kingdom, society or organisation can survive for long. 

Now is the time for seeing the other person's viewpoint. It is time for a balancing out of accounts on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level. Conflict resolution involves the risk of letting go of power in the short term for rewards in the long term.

Sergio Magana Interview

"I travel extensively throughout Mexico, the USA, Italy, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom as an international workshop facilitator, specialising in ancient knowledge of the Mexican people, bestowed to me by my family. At birth, I was given a special name to inspire me and to guide my life path. I am now an initiated shaman in a 5,000 year old tradition. I am also a Radio Host in Mexico City and have a wide following of people who are interested in the methods of healing and elevated consciousness that have been handed down the generations. These were once secret, but are to be revealed as we are approaching a difficult time of transformation, as the fifth sun enters the sixth position in the long chain calendar.