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Love and News from Wu Tao Instructors
We have Wu Tao Instructors all over the world now, and it’s always such a thrill to receive news of a new class going, trainees embarking on their learning journey and positive student feedback. Here’s some offerings from some of our beautiful Wu Tao community members. Wu Tao inspires poetry, joy and purpose.
Read this wonderful article by Occupational Therapist and Wu Tao Instructor Jo-anne Henderson and see how Wu Tao is guiding her work. I am inspired by her dedicated focus and commitment to her clients and profession.
What is Your Life Dance? By Jo-anne Henderson
Adele Oram
Adele Oram teaches Wu Tao in Melbourne Australia. Regular Wu Tao-ers, I think you will appreciate Adele’s expansion of the Tao Dance poem. I intend to share it with my students soon! She’s also shared some wonderful feedback from one of her students. It’s always great to read how Wu Tao is helping someone regain their health and well-being.
Hi Michelle,
I’ve added some verses to the Tao Dance, I love poetry and love to write and when I first learnt this dance I connected on that level as well. The additions felt natural to me and put a little piece of me into the dance, I love that it’s the first dance and it sets the scene for all classes. So in my classes we say:
I am Life
I am Love
I am the Sun
I am the Moon
I am the Earth
I am the Sky
I am the Planets in the Universe
I send my ripples out into the world
And with life I flow
I am on the tip of the world
looking down
As above
So below
As within
So without
I am Life!
In addition, after having a car accident after Easter camping last year, it’s been wonderful to recover and build strength with fresh eyes to be teaching my classes and workshops again this year. One lovely student who joined my February workshop had a particularly poignant journey and I’d like to share her journey with you. Caroline joined my Wednesday on-going class in Selby after the workshop. She has suffered from anxiety and depression for many years and being a larger woman her physical body has hindered her mobility and caused pain in her joints and particularly her knee after an accident. After the workshop I ask all participants to write a testimonials/provide feedback and this is what she sent me:
What do you like most about my dance classes?:
Adele was very patient and encouraging, if you had trouble keeping up she was only too happy to go through the movements step by step so that you felt more confident to go on.
6 months later:
I love the way I feel during a Wu Tao dance session. After a really stressful day with screaming kids, Adele is lovely, calm and cheerful. Wu Tao makes me feel balanced and calm.
What are the 3 biggest benefits from participating in these classes?
After the workshop:
I felt like I was getting a healing! Every time I moved I sensed energy shifting that was blocked. I enjoyed learning about my body, the elements and the meridians. I feel better inside, sleep better and it has helped with my anxiety.
6 months later:
I feel more balanced, calm and centered. I have more flexibility, I am so happy that I am able to bend back on my knees. My overall health has improved, I feel fantastic!
(Adele says: Love how she doesn’t even mention her anxiety – just that she feels fantastic!)
Why would you recommend my classes:
After the workshop:
I had trouble moving my physical body after an accident with my knee, Adele was fantastic she had adapted some of the moves that wouldn’t impound on my knee. Even though I’m overweight, I can still move well!
6 months later:
I was plagued by ill health for so long – fatigue, tiredness, sore painful joints and asthma. Since coming to Wu Tao I have noticed a huge change in my physical body; I’m not as tired and I have more energy; less joint pain; more flexibility, sleep better and no asthma!
Adele says: Caroline has been a wonderful addition to this class and as always, it’s humbling to witness another’s journey and transformation through Wu Tao, it’s one of the reason I love teaching it. Caroline has already made her mark on this group of committed dancers (the others have been dancing with me since I started 5 years ago), just this week when we were dancing the Fire, at the end when we all bow to each other, she blew us each kisses, that’s definitely a keeper! We have the added bonus of a professional singer in this group and as I know with many other classes when it comes to the Fire Dance, yes we all sing it! Dance ~ to me is poetry in motion! Much love, Adele
From the lovely Shireen Tripp (Instructor Cronulla NSW)
Music and dance is the Tao’s most natural expression. Albert Einstein was able to see his quantum particle veiw of life because of his musical mind. He believed that all of life is connected by a universal dance which keeps beat with a universal tempo. (Ala ‘Wu Tao Dance )
Wu Tao Dance provides the means for us to intuitively and instinctively align with our deep-seated cosmic pulse. – especially people like me that (for some reason), appear to be ‘tone deaf’ and ‘un-coordinated’.
Wu Tao Dance provides the tool for people like me to enter into our most natural state – which is musical movement and joy-filled dance.
I was a bit shy, at first, to refer to my class, as a ‘dance class’ – or heaven forbid! to refer to myself as a ‘dance instructor’
Not any longer. Why? – well, because, coming from South Africa, where the indigenous people dance as naturally as they breathe, I have always believed that the impression of ‘dance’ as held by the West, is just not right.
But me, having (genetically), one foot in Africa, and one foot in the west – I waffled and wobbled between both views. Not any longer:
Dance is not for ‘exhibit’ in the same way as one does not breathe for ‘public exhibit’. Dance is the body’s most natural state and music is life’s most natural form of expression.
Thank You Michelle, for providing the tools for everybody to experience healing through a childishly simple way of unlocking the most profound.
“Hi Michelle, I have been teaching the Wu Tao movements to my Tai Chi class. The ladies love it. On the 12th July 2015 this month, we had a class outside at a village Strawberry festival in Crudwell Wiltshire. Everybody loved it, had great feedback from members of the public. People felt enchanting and totally relaxed by just watching the class members perform Wu Tao”. Monika (Wu Tao Stretch and Relax Instructor United Kingdom).
“Miranda and I had such a restorative dance today! We met on the beach and danced Wu Tao. It was very cold but the fire dance finally completely warmed us. I said to her afterwards that it had connected me back to my sacred self, as it always does, and like no other practice has ever done for me, and Miranda said I should let you know — so here you are! ” Catherine McCredie (Instructor in the wings! Melbourne Australia).
Is becoming a Wu Tao Dance Instructor part of your calling? You can find our more about the training program here. Email Michelle for a personal consultation to see if it’s the right move for you.