Maggie Black & applied metaphysics.
Because freedom is our natural state of being.
Dancer’s workout as a metaphor and a *tool to embody our true essence/IsBe.
“The only True law is that which leads to Freedom,” Jonathan said. “There is no other.” Richard Bach, Johnathan Livingston Seagull.
“It’s not enough to have a great mind; the main thing is to use it well”.
René Descartes.
Spot the metaphors – hint: change the word ‘dancer’ to ‘Flyer’.
What makes ballet so magical is the way dancers’ bodies appear to defy the laws of physics.
To the untrained viewer, a *ballerina appears to effortlessly lift her leg to her ear while balancing on her tiptoes (while breathing & smiling); she soars so high that she appears to fly.
- A tool- something you use temporarily to support your work.
* male or female, Ballet dancer.
Achieving these ‘magical’ moves requires a great deal of passion, focus and dedication/work.
So, playing on our Earth-Stage with clarity and freedom requires the same attitude.
Did you know that even the most accomplished dancers aren’t born with perfect ballet bodies?*
*link to my personal journey.
Good news: no matter what you struggle with, there are practical & fun ways to re-awaken your original potential within your set of *genetic programming.
“The body has a stronger memory than your mind”.
Mikahel Baryshnikov.
The shift in attitude de-programming your belief system:
The Old saying – “No pain, no gain” is out. (cabal idea).
Instead of forcing your body/mind to perform new and improved manoeuvres, discover, as I did, that there are more loving & organic ways to break free — a path filled with fun, playfulness, and optimism.
For me, it all began with the Maggie Black technique, a milestone that filled me with a sense of relief, ease and freedom.
The voice in my head screamed: Where was this teacher all my life? I was determined to get to the bottom of it so that I could share my findings with others.
Give these techniques a try, and soar into your absolute freedom. (link to my classes).
*Genetics: programs/information.
Expanded awareness & perspective by increasing Rotations – It’s All in the Hips and Alignment!
Having a narrow range of physical rotation affects everything from your first plié to the last grand jeté. (For non-dancers, it translates as blocked/limited/stiff movements = restricted freedom, and prone to pain and injuries.)
On a metaphysical level, it means that increasing your rotations helps increase your insights & innerstandings, allowing you to see beyond your programming, which automatically collapses them.
Hence, increasing your compassion level = transmuting the psychopathic Matrix.
Nerdi info: “Turnout/rotation is controlled by joint orientation; how the femur bone connects to the hips. To achieve your maximum rotation, start by finding proper alignment,” explains Megan Richardson, a senior certified athletic trainer and clinical specialist at PT Plus in New York.
Shannon Bresnahan, a teacher at San Francisco Ballet School, said, “The pelvis should be squared, lifted, and in a neutral position, relaxing your lower back. You need to discover and squeeze the right muscles. These muscles are tricky to find, but once you do, you’re cooking with gas”
Metaphorically speaking: Find the ‘brain muscles/antennas’, a term I use to describe our mental faculties and their ability to perceive and process information, and learn to work them properly.
To help dancers locate them, Richardson tells her clients to make a fish face and then mimic it with their butt cheeks.
Meaning: re-train your thinking, and the body will obey.
“Everything around the rotators should be soft. It’s like a Jell-O mould:
Firm on the inside and jiggly on the outside.”
Metaphor: Be equilibrated, focused on your truth, and have a laissez-faire attitude on the outside —don’t take anything personally.
Trick
To strengthen these muscles, Richardson has dancers practice rotating from parallel to turnout while wearing socks on a slick surface, such as a kitchen floor, keeping the rest of the body in perfect alignment, and breathing. (I’ll teach you how to do it)
The End of the Struggle for Balance: Becoming *Equilibrated.
The secret of Flying.
*Équilibre, a French word meaning equilibrium, a state of steady stability, and composure where *opposing forces cancel each other out. (the end of inner struggle and doubts).
A state of mental ownership, describing a centred and stable being.*Opposing force, in old Hebrew, translates to Satan- food for thought.
- Equilibrium: A physical or alchemical state where opposing forces are equal. ( co-operating as one).
- Balancing: used metaphorically as the process of searching for natural inner symmetry.
- Composure/alignment: A calm and stable mental and emotional state. A sign of a true FlyingWarrior.
- Stability: A condition of being steady, preventing you from losing your cool = or being out of alignment.
Are you trying to achieve inner and outer balance? Do you keep wobbling?
“It doesn’t do any good to wobble around.” S. Bresnahan
Aerodynamics principles “Hold the *barre, push against the floor to get to the top of your muscle tone and stretch upwards,” Bresnahan says.
*The ballet barre is a metaphor for temporary support.
The good news is: “equilibre” is our natural state of being, and it’s not gone, just “trained out of us, meaning we can re-train it. ( body memory).
Imagination for Freedom
“Dancers tend to be visually dominant.” learning to trust inner visions and awakening our superpower- imagination is key for being re-equilibrated, it is exhilarating because it is in our nature, and besides dancing/flying better on stage, everything else in life benefits from it ( in all dimensions).
Fun tricks – easy does it
- Balance on one leg (in both turnout and parallel), count to 30, do it first with your eyes open, and then closed. Then switch legs.
- Intend to sense where your body is in space, and experiment with different lighting conditions, such as darker or brighter lighting.
It will decrease your reliance on your physical eyes for balance, and it trains the proprioceptors in your joints and skin, as well as the vestibular system (the area of the brain responsible for balance).
Expanding Extension – Flexibility and strength go hand in hand.
Extension requires both flexibility and strength.
“And it’s not just about the working leg: The primary area you need to strengthen is actually your core and the standing leg.” Shannon Bresnhan- Maggie black principles.
“The first muscle to activate when we move our legs is the transverse abdominis (the deep abdominal muscle).
“Since it is a difficult muscle to locate, I suggest finding a good trainer who has mastered the Maggie Black technique to guide you in the right way to find it and how to work it without injuring yourself”. Says Bresnahan.
*What are extensions in ballet?
The ability to raise and hold a leg in the air, with the higher the leg goes, and the longer one can hold it while maintaining correct alignment (equilibrium), displays a high level of technical mastery and mental control over the body.
Jump Higher = flying.
Catching extra air at the height of a leap is one of the greatest joys of dancing/flying.
The secret to achieving a jump like that is Absolute Alignment training, and the Maggie Black technique is the number one in the field.
In this technique (which athletes across disciplines have used for decades to increase their force and speed), you find the blueprint of your alignment and create greater ability to move and be free.
“Jumping/flying is the ability to produce high-speed power,” says Richardson.
Mind diet
Limitations to your DNA? Don’t believe your eyes- know your truth.
“It’s the way you mentally approach those jumps/flights that makes the difference. As you reach the bottom of a good, healthy plié (with your heels on the ground), think of exploding up off the floor,” ( Hint: The deeper you dig, the higher you soar). “Keep persevering, seek advice from people with more knowledge, because there’s no substitute for experience,” Says Bresnahan.
Practical metaphysics: The only way out is IN.
(Click here to view my private flying sessions.)
Having had the honour of being a protégé of Shannon Bresnahan, mastering the Maggie black technique, has opened my doors of perception. I have experienced a true alchemical transmutation in every aspect of beingness, physical, mental, emotional and ” spiritual.”
I’ve since expanded and simplified it for non-dancers, because I wish more people would benefit from this simple yet profound tool.
Thank you for taking the time to read. I hope this has been fun and useful for you.
And as always. I share because I care <3 Tink
Freedom of movement short clip
Mystery school
Mystery schools are ancient traditions of spiritual training that have existed on our planet since time immemorial, mentoring the adept through alchemy in sacred, hidden/occult Knowledge using initiation and ceremony, yet emphasising direct experience (gnosis), unlocking inner wisdom and facilitating spiritual remembrance.
Rooted in Atlantian technology, Mystery schools existed globally, notably in ancient Iran, Egypt, Greece, and the British Isles (druids), and taught philosophy, the purpose of “life”, the art of conscious death, and the universe, emphasising self-discovery over academic.
The misuse of spirit power that came with this Knowledge led to the creation of the secret societies. ( will be discussed in depth in our Sherlock’s salon)
Key Characteristics
- Initiation and Secrecy:
- Knowledge was transmitted only to initiates who had undergone specific rituals and transformative experiences, often guarded with great secrecy.
- Experiential Learning:
- The focus was on direct experience and inner wisdom, not linear academic study.
- Rememberance of our Origin:
- The ultimate goal was “spiritual awakening”, teaching about the Absolute and our spirit as a direct emanation of it, infinite Is-ness.
- Rituals and Ceremonies:
- Ceremonies were used to alter consciousness and facilitate the spiritual journey. (Like Shamanic Ayahuasca).
- Symbolic Knowledge:
- Teachings were often conveyed through symbols, veiled in allegory, to be understood only by those who had been initiated.
Historical Examples
- Ancient Egypt:
- Mystery schools explored the nature of the soul, the afterlife, and the cosmos, teaching that the afterlife was a certainty under Osiris’s watchful eye.
- Ancient Greece:
- The mysteries of Eleusis, a prominent example, re-enacted the myth of Persephone to teach initiates about the agricultural cycle of life and death, as well as the hope of a happy immortality.
- Global Presence:
- Similar traditions existed in other cultures, including those of Celtic druids, Vedic India, and indigenous cultures worldwide.
Purpose and Approach
- Inner Journey:
- Mystery schools taught that life is an inner journey of spiritual awakening, encouraging individuals to look within to unlock their intuition and inner wisdom.
- Unlearning and Remembering:
- A significant aspect of the process was to “unlearn” preconceived ideas and “remember” innate Knowledge and ancient wisdom.
- Community and Guidance:
- They provided a supportive community for self-discovery and a held space for personal journeys into a more profound connection with ancient wisdom.
Legacy
- Influence on Western Civilisation:
- The wisdom and practices of these schools profoundly shaped philosophy, arts, science, and mathematics in the Western world.
- Modern Mis-interpretation:
- The wisdom of ancient mystery schools continues to influence contemporary “spiritual paths”, offering a way to explore the unknown and deepen inner understanding.
- Calculated mis-interpertation, created the New Age movement, a political religion of confusion and misdirection. ( deeper dive with Sherlock’s salon