Embracing our vulnerabilities allows us to know the essence of ourselves-love. It is the catalyst for releasing who we think we should be in order to become who we really are. Delving deep within and connecting with our inner selves exposes the egocentric patterns that inhibit us from experiencing authentic, joyful, and balanced lives. At the same time, it infuses our lives with spiritual depth.As we began to move, my first thought was “Am I doing this right?” I looked around the room comparing myself to everyone else and immediately felt “shrink-wrapped.” I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb. So, I moved to the back of the room where I thought no one could see me. Yikes, to my chagrin, there were floor to ceiling mirrors in the back. So much for not wanting to be seen. NIA was kicking my vulnerable butt.
At this point, the teacher asked us to break out and dance free style. She called out, ” Are you doing anything new?” Or “Are you doing the same hippie arms?” “Are you staying the same space?” Of course, I was doing the hippie arms in the same space. Here, I noticed how much I was stuck in my automatic habits and afraid to break out of my comfort zone of control. Taking a courageous step, I closed my eyes and said to myself, “Trust Yourself.” I felt myself let go and did the Snoopy dance as if I was in Charlie Brown’s Christmas Special. For the first time during this class, I let myself be seen. Feeling like I was five years old, I surrendered to my inner dancer and experienced a freedom I had never felt on the dance floor.
