March 25th and 26th 2023.
Re-Connecting: Dancing the Sufi Way. A Non-Residential Gathering at Brigsteer, Near Kendal.
The time is approaching for our next gathering at Brigsteer. Spring will be with us again by the end of March. Amazingly it is now ten years since we first danced here together and our circles have grown and deepened in so many wonderful ways.
Samuel Lewis, the founder of our dances, often used to quote the classical Sufi Al Ghazzali, who pointed out that Sufism is based on experiences and not premises.
Many years ago Paul Brunton, a student of the Indian yogi Ramana Maharshi, spoke of three main methods of spiritual unfoldment and the transmission of blessings: through the breath, the heart and the glance. Samuel utilised this approach to mystical unfoldment throughout his life and in his later years added another method – the atmosphere. He offered the dances as an accessible and effective method for us all to actually experience deeply the mystical dimensions of being, including Universal Peace.
These dances uniquely combine all of these ways of spiritual unfoldment and the transmission of blessing along with the spirit of devotion in a dynamic rhythmical way: the breath through the songs we sing; the waves of the heart; with the eyes through the glance; and in the refined atmosphere we create together. It’s good to keep this in mind, as we may not always remember to acknowledge how powerful the dance experience can be.
For those who may be new and considering coming along, you will be warmly welcomed. It is not necessary to have experienced this form of dancing – sometimes called Dances of Universal Peace. The dances are simple and accessible, while profound and deep. Mostly we dance and sing as we move together holding hands in a circle. The chants we sing are based on sacred phrases from various spiritual paths.
Through dancing and singing together we experience how to inhabit our bodies more fully as we develop a greater sense of awareness and presence. The repetition of the mantras along with the devotional quality of the movements, help transform the inner atmosphere offering many beneficial changes in our vibrational field. Together we create a healing and uplifting atmosphere.
The parasympathetic nervous system is activated allowing us to feel safe and creative in each other’s presence; our muscles relax and soften; our voices become more resonant and mellifluous; our hearts open spiritually; our minds begin to quieten; our breath becomes easier and more enlivening; we become more aware of the energy of life within us, between us and beyond us.
Surprisingly perhaps all this happens through simple, natural rhythms of heart, voice, body and breath as we move together in a circle.
The weekend is non-residential and will take place at Brigsteer Village Hall in a delightful room with a beautiful wooden floor. It is a spacious and clear, ecological venue in a tranquil setting with plenty of space for parking and is only a short drive from Kendal.
The hall has plenty of chairs. Bring along mats and blankets for relaxing in the breaks and also cushions for the sitting meditations if you wish.
For those travelling some distance a limited amount of accommodation may be available in the village with more in Kendal itself. Brigsteer is less than four miles and only a ten-minute drive from Kendal.
Essentially a modern day mystic, as a master of spiritual dance and a Sufi Murshid, I have also studied within a number of spiritual lineages including yoga, tantra, Buddhism and especially Sufism.
As a musician of the heart I accompany people on the journey of awakening through the subtle and powerful use of sound, rhythm and breath. Seemingly effortless, my way offers a natural ease and flow that invites a relaxed, open atmosphere and a sense of togetherness.
While there are many spiritual methods that can bring peace and joy to body, heart and mind, singing and dancing together in a circle is the easiest and most accessible way I have ever found which is why I have devoted so much of my life to this path.
Please pass on the details of this event to friends you know who could be interested in joining us.
Times:
Saturday 25th March arrive for refreshments from 10am.
Start at 10.30am. Finish at 5.30pm.
Sunday 26th March arrive for refreshments from 9.30am.
Start at 10am. Finish at 4pm.
Price:
£120 which includes delicious home-cooked vegetarian food for lunch on Saturday and lunch on Sunday. Some special diets can be catered for. You must let Rabia know in advance.
For catering purposes please book by Saturday 18th March 2023.
Do let us know if you are intending to join us this time.
Bookings and Further Details: Contact Mary Rabia Dowson.
Tel. 015242 21147 Email: madowson@gmail.com