Dancin' In The Park long after dark ~

For me, the wisdom path in life is being even more conscious when these unique and special moments of personal connection present themselves. Which in fact, are near constant, nearly every day. At least they are, stopping by the dance circle, weekends in Central Park.

This little groove haven is such a rich gem of an oasis, dwarfed by the surrounding buildings on the avenues nearby. It’s uniquely set in 'the lungs of Manhattan" in an immense metropolis that over the years has become even more commercial, more expensive, ironically much safer, yet more hardened as well.

The pleasure of people watching and observing others in mid-flight here, always strikes me as quite the precious glimpse into the Soul of humanity. Seeing as we’re all making it up, each step as we go, for me as voyeur-as-witness, it’s always illuminating to watch what passes on by. Each day is a parade when I’m in a festive mood, while in less buoyant humor, it can often turn challenging and very uncomfortable.

However without a doubt, walking in Central Park on a sunny weekend afternoon is people watching at its finest. In NYC, the visual gamut is about as full as you’re going to find on this planet. Different countries, different looks, sure - although as in any big city, especially this one, the spectrum of humanity is the city’s landscape, not the buildings.

  

It’s as if we’re all zoo animals, roaming about. Some of us are dangerous, some more benign. Some are house-trained and others, you wouldn’t let near your front door. As a quick observation, it’s clear some of us are living outside our cages, while others appear to be locked behind bars of their own.

To co-exist safely in this city, you have to seriously develop your discernment skills. Like considerably. You really have to be aware on the street. It’s just common sense to pay attention, wouldn’t you agree? These simple, big city, survival skills are 100% mandatory to not get run over, run down or run through during a normal day. However, I have to wonder, living in 2014 during The Turning of The Ages, what’s so ‘normal’ nowadays anyway? What could this possibly look like, can you say?

In a more universal, Soul focused way, when it comes right down to it - what are your values, what do you stand for and what do you believe in? And is it possibly yourself?

To awaken your Sacred in life, you’ll be required to ask and answer these queries. I sense during these chaotic, confusing and challenging times, one way or another, the inevitable will present itself for all to determine. Back on a Soul level - you can run but you can’t hide. Bottom line: you can’t escape your Self.

In a place this totally full-on, where stepping on someone’s foot, riding on the subway can end you in into a very unfortunate situation, it behooves you to come to terms with who you are and why you’re here. Alive, I mean.

In fact - aside from what you look like, what you wear, where you come from and how much $$$ you have – how well do you get along with others? To skinny it even further - how well can you relate to the person in front of you? Relate being the root word to relationship, knowing how to do so, is as basic as it gets. 

I’ve learned, to play well with others is one of the essential skills in life. However we interact, it eventually comes down to this. Whether we actually do so, is something altogether different.

Like grade school’s Show & Tell, we’re all getting a chance to show up and meet our lives any which way we can. And always do, good, bad or indifferent. Except now, instead of standing before our 3^rd grade class and presenting our stuffed moose doll to our friends, we’re doing it live out in the world, each and every day.

Looking around this Central Park weekend dance scene, with some of the regulars attending since the 80’s, having lived in NYC all the while, I know I'm hanging in a very cool playground. Really!? To have lived here so long is noteworthy, duration-wise, if not pretty intense and in some ways, commendable. (Although personally, had I stayed a moment longer, leaving after 7 yrs in ’87, I’d a gone really nuts - even more than I did.) To say the very least, this ain’t no town for sissies, that’s for sure.

As I’ve come to be accepted in this bogie-down, dance bazaar, having shown up and partied along for 3 yrs now, I’ve developed connections with some there that in a city this large and impersonal, happens to mean a lot. It’s plainly clear, this is certainly so for all who keep coming back.

So you can imagine the city-wise, pedigree quality of the dancers and chill crew attending, many having shown up since it began, back in the day. As far as new recruits, it’s a selective bunch, this homie crew. You have to love to dance. You have to connect well with others and most of all, you’ve got to find the common groove, together. I’ve seen offenders of this unspoken pact get escorted off the premises, strongly encouraged not to return.

To touch back on a theme in the previous post … reaching out to the passer-byes, inviting them to join in had become a tiresome and largely, unfulfilling task. I used to try and tempt these watchers-on to get up and dance, women and men alike but gave up because the cloak of their doubt was thicker than the promise of our play. They simply couldn’t let go and go for it.

I became discouraged, always being met with the typical excuses, accompanied by the silent whisper of their fear, just underneath. However, for the first time last Sunday – a bigger crowd than usual, being a radiant Memorial weekend, I was 4 for 4. First time ever. In my own way, I took the plunge into this fray of strangers (I just don’t give up), asking two different sets of female friends to just take one step forward onto the magic, asphalt dance floor. And by golly, they did!

I was instantly blown away, taking this as a really good sign. After a terribly long, cold, funky and very looooong winter, this Memorial Sunday especially, felt like the beginning of something, hopefully, really good. It really did. Potential and promise were seductively fragrant in the air, tingling between the notes, reminding us of what’s possible.

Springtime is often rich with these optimistic feelings, where there’s a sublime feeling, portending of what’s to come. In this highly pivotal time in human history, this speaks especially so - of the glorious and exceptional events that will surely play out and the grindingly and brutally difficult that will flush up as well. It’s clear we’re all on quite a ride on planet Earth, with destination largely unknown

To a number of co-celebrants I remarked that this summer would call the very best of us to emerge, all necessary to help us navigate successfully through. I just get this feeling. Everyone got what I was saying, somehow tapping into the collective power and mystery of these remarkable times, knowing the current is indeed flowing faster and the changes coming quicker. Just you wait and see ...

   
Having this weekly respite is truly heaven sent, let me tell you. The C Park dance groove is a smokin' jewel but schhhhh ... don’t be tellin’ just anybody. We gotta keep it under wraps to keep it going strong.

Thank You & Love To Us All ~
 
PS I invite you to share these posts with anyone you feel would benefit and if you feel inspired, to write your feedback insights through the ‘Comment’ key on this blog. Also, please check out my work, Heart Tantra - The Attunement Session - on my web site heartantra.com. I offer in-person sessions here in the NYC area and absentee or long-distance work if you don't. Always Blessings On Your Way, Keith 

Dancin' In The Park ~

Having spent yet another glorious evening this past Memorial weekend, dancing in Central Park, the power of joy, play and gratitude was as usual, so incredibly plain to see. Hangin’ out there with the local, ‘homie crew’ has been an amazing, life changing experience for me. Here my Sacred, living loud, dancing happy and being bodaciously alive, has shown me once again, the power of Heart conscious, celebration in action.

This NYC, summer dance phenomena has been going on each weekend - Easter to Halloween - weather permitting and special events allowing, for close to 40 yrs now. For those familiar with the world of Central Park, there’s an afternoon roller skating scene (east of the Sheep Meadow), that runs from 3:30 – 6:30. When this wraps, the party slides about 100 ft south to the street dance crew, partying hard from 6:30 to 9:30 or so. For those dance inclined, it’s an incredible scene.

Surreptitiously coming upon this spot when I first returned to NYC in 2012, become a profound turning point in my life. Seriously. For me, dancing connects me to my Sacred, if only because I always feel joy viscerally coming alive in my body whenever I do. This energy also has a way of radically expanding my sense of freedom. Big time. To do this under the stars and street lights in one of the most amazing city parks in the world, is truly a magnificent thing.

Dancing like this in public has invited me to get over my insecurity and fears of what others think about me. The feeling of joy igniting my body when I dance, has expanded into all other areas of my life as well. The Sacred emotion of joy is truly a Universally infectious current and a wondrous gift I give to myself and exude out into my world.

In that, all healing happens in and through an open Heart, dancing like this becomes a living force of love. It becomes prayer actualized and fulfilled. For me, physically empowering joy in this way is a very high form of co-creative magic. Empowering my Sacred in my body, however I possibly can, continues to alchemically transform the deepest levels of my old personality patterns, each step at a time.

These energetic patterns or structures are the ones that made me feel afraid of being judged (and punished) by others, just for being myself. However I created these belief-system constructs (as I believe on a Soul level, we all do to survive the reprimand of abusive authority), I’ve long since evolved past their usefulness. My protection became my karmic prison and holding back just isn’t good enough anymore.

In life I’ve found, whenever I’m actively in one of my Heartspace qualities - love, joy, gratitude, forgiveness, faith and trust - the denser aspects of my ego can’t help but release out of me. This happens whenever I dance. Every time. Of course, anyone who dances knows what this is about. The catch is – and it is 100% nonnegotiable - You do have to step on in. You have to participate, not speculate. It really is so simple: you just gotta move your ass to the music.

Without a doubt, of all the people who pass by, tourists and locals alike, those blessed to come upon this pulsing swell of humanity - filling to maybe a 100 to 300 strong when in full bloom, down to 10 to 20 on a slow night - 98% + stand back and only watch. Of that near total amount, maybe a few step in and go for their groove. Only a shimmering wink in the eyes of the Beloved jump right into the joy pool and get funky, don't you know.

 

 Observing from inside the living organism and seeing into the eyes of total strangers, watching the tug within - whom I firmly believe in their perfect worlds, would gladly join in and dance if they only allowed themselves. But alas and inevitably so, an inner voice always interrupts, preventing them from taking the plunge and getting all wet with the rest of us.

This instant I believe (neither right or wrong), largely defines all of us - How free am I in this very moment to choose different, in this case, watching a bunch of freaky fun people dance outdoors and just jump the fuck in? Maybe not a question asked on your next job interview but I bet in your afterlife, Soul life review, it’s gonna come up.

In this, it’s amazing to observe people’s subtle body’s movements, innerly wanting to move and groove, while watching their heads clamping down, telling them, can’t do it, don’t go! In whatever language they speak, I'm sure they’re all saying ‘what will others think of me!’ As if they could possibly know anyone else standing in the crowd, asking the very same thing... to be continued ...

Thank You & Love To Us All ~

PS I invite you to share these posts with anyone you feel would benefit and if you feel inspired, to write your feedback insights through the ‘Comment’ key on this blog. Also, please check out my work, Heart Tantra - The Attunement Session - on my web site heartantra.com. I offer in-person sessions here in the NYC area and absentee or long-distance work if you don't. Always Blessings On Your Way, Keith