Wu Tao Dance on a Postage Stamp!

Last week was a big one for me. I had to leave home for eight weeks to do a nursing prac in another state of Australia! For the past few weeks I have been going through separation anxiety and a fair amount of fear about the unknown. So many variables to deal with.  However I can now report it is all going well so far! I was gifted with free accommodation through a friend’s friend’s friend from a facebook shout out. (Thank you Neelam and FB!).  Some very kind people offered to let me stay at their city apartment. However, I didn’t know them at all so I was a little apprehensive.

Then there was leaving my beloved Steve, Wu Tao classes, home comforts etc and going into an unknown hospital, nursing people with life threatening heart conditions! It was all a bit much initially, however, I can now say that I have well and truly survived the first weeks AND discovered how to dance Wu Tao on a postage stamp!

The past months I have been teaching 3 Wu Tao classes and loving it! My body has felt fantastic and I have been emotionally and mentally stable. What do I mean by that? Well, I have been able to flow through life and negotiate the ups and downs with relative ease and energy.  In fact, it’s the best I have felt energetically for quite a while, except for when I dance every day in a training or a retreat. So I came to the realisation that 3 sessions of Wu Tao a week is the minimal amount I need to do to stay energised and balanced.

I made a commitment to myself to continue this practice  while I was away from my classes.  So, I arrive at my new little home. The lounge area is 2.5m x 2m. I call that a postage stamp! This is waaay smaller than any studios I use! I decided to give it a go and see if I could do all the dances on this tiny area. And you know what? I did it! I actually did it! I made some variations (I’m going to share some of them with you below), but it worked fine! Most importantly, I felt absolutely fantastic and have had great nursing shift afterwards!

So here’s how I did it…

For the water, wood and fire dances face a corner and do the dances on the diagonal. This gives a longer space side to side.  Because you move to the right first, I think it’s best to face the right corner…

Here’s a little diagram:

It’s easy to do the air dance facing any direction you feel to call front, and of course the earth dance is done to each of the directions or if you choose each of the four corners which again gives you more space.

 

I also do a few stretching moves at the bus stop in the early morning dark before an early shift! I can easily fit in the lung makko ho stretch, and some of the air, wood and fire dance moves before the bus comes at the good ol’ hour of 6am! I am not an early morning person, but truly this helps to get me going. My body appreciates the stretches very much and I start my day feeling energised, calm and optimistic.

 

So that’s how I am keeping myself balanced and happy while I do my nursing prac. However, I don’t intend to spend all of the 8 weeks dancing on the stamp! Nothing beats dancing Wu Tao with a group of like-minded people, journeying together to that place of energised peace and balance!  I will be offering workshops in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne in the coming weeks and I would love for you to join me.

Any queries, feel free to flick me an email.  I promise to get back to you as soon as I can.

Keep dancing!

Michelle