Guest Wakened Voice

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Cosmic and Sacred Dance


Choreocosmos, the School of Cosmic and Sacred Dance teaches the cosmic dances of the four elements, the seven planets, and the twelve signs of the zodiac. These twenty-three cosmic dances embody a path following the archetype taught in the Middle Ages at the School of Chartres in France. There the pupils were instructed in the mysteries of the elements relating to Mother Earth, then the mysteries of the planets having to do with the Cosmic Soul, and finally the mysteries of the zodiac pertaining to the World Spirit. These three macrocosmic levels correspond to “body, soul, and spirit” on the microcosmic level of the human being. The introductory courses of the School of Cosmic and Sacred Dance are concerned with outlining a path of experience – through music and movement – to these three levels, with the intention of aligning ourselves harmoniously with the cosmic world. This activity is a metamorphosis of the ancient temple dances in which human beings sought to connect with the cosmic forces of the planets and stars through movement.
Cosmic dance is “meditation in movement”. In the cosmic dances the four elements, the seven planets, and the twelve signs of the zodiac are practiced together with their corresponding gestures and sounds. On the basis of a spiritual understanding of the elements, planets and zodiacal signs, new choreographic forms have been developed by Robert Powell, the founder of the Choreocosmos School. These forms, which are danced in a circle, are accompanied by live music from the classical tradition, usually piano or violin. The music is chosen in order to bring to expression the nature of the elements, the planets, and the signs of the zodiac. As the music of the great composers essentially mirrors the “harmony of the spheres”, it is well-suited – through the correspondence between the musical keys and the zodiacal signs – to enable a living connection with the cosmos to take place.
At the advanced level there are the cosmic dances of the “planets in the signs”. Working with the passage of the seven classical planets through the twelve signs of the zodiac yields a total of eighty-four cosmic dances (“Sun in Aries”, “Venus in Taurus”, “Mars in Gemini”, etc.). These cosmic dances encompass a learning process through movement, leading to an inner knowing or “gnosis” through the experience of these cosmic configurations in dynamic movement.

Lastly, a few words about the spiritual ideal of the Choreocosmos School. There is a continual exchange of divine energy between the Cosmos, the Sun and the Earth. The way to enter into contact with this is through love. Divine Love is the fire that ignites everything. It is everywhere in the universe, and it is also in us. Cultivating love is the spiritual ideal of the School of Cosmic and Sacred Dance. In doing the cosmic and sacred dances we seek to connect our hearts and minds with the Divine Love and Supreme Consciousness that pervades all existence. It is Sophia, representing the new Divine Feminine energy now flowing from cosmic realms into our solar system, who is the all-embracing focus in every Choreocosmos workshop. The essence of these workshops is to explore in depth the Sophia teachings on many levels. All “friends of Sophia”, whatever age and whatever inclination, are warmly invited to participate in the Choreocosmos workshops to help bring the Sophia energy into the world now. Schedules of Choreocosmos workshops in Europe and North America are posted on the Sophia Foundation website.
About Robert Powell, Ph.D.: Robert is an internationally known lecturer, author, eurythmist and movement therapist. He is founder of the Choreocosmos School of Cosmic and Sacred Dance, and co-founder of the Sophia Foundation of North America. He received his doctorate for his thesis on the history of the zodiac. His published works include: The Sophia Teachings, a six-tape series (Sounds True Recordings), as well as the following books: Divine Sophia–Holy Wisdom, The Most Holy Trinosophia and the New Revelation of the Divine Feminine, The Sophia Teachings, Chronicle of the Living Christ, Hermetic Astrology, vols. I & II, Christian Hermetic Astrology, The Christ Mystery, The Sign of the Son of Man in the Heavens, The Morning Meditation in Eurythmy, Cosmic Dances of the Zodiac and Cosmic Dances of the Planets (both co-authored with Lacquanna Paul), and the yearly Christian Star Calendar. Robert offers workshops in Europe and North America, and leads pilgrimages to the world’s sacred sites (1996 Turkey; 1997 Holy Land; 1998 France; 2000 Britain; 2002 Italy; 2004 Greece; 2006 Egypt) - see www.sophiafoundation.org

Wednesday, September 06, 2006


THE POWER OF CURIOSITY
by Mattison Grey

First, I want to acknowledge you for your curiosity in reading this article. Just the fact that you are reading this means you are more curious than most. Curiosity is a powerful force, but what is it? Really….. What is curiosity?

Try this:

* One a scale of 1 to 10, how curious are you?
* Who is more curious: an adult or a two year old child?
* So again, in comparison to a 2-year-old: how curious are you?
* Another way to get a handle on your curiosity is to ask: On a scale of 1-10, how often do you get what you really want? That is a measure of your true curiosity.

WHAT IS THE POWER OF CURIOSITY?

Curiosity is the most essential component of learning and communication. Without curiosity, we simply do not listen to other people. In the absence of curiosity, we are unable to take in new information. If we are not receptive to another person’s communication, what are the chances we are truly connecting with them, or being able to produce great results with them?
Consider de Geus' Law of Learning: that the only sustainable competitive advantage is the ability to learn faster than your competitors.

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." (letter to Curt Seeling, March 1952) - Albert Einstein

Curiosity is unique. It is a form of a human brilliance. Unfortunately, most learning systems don’t focus on it. We are, however, building a coaching and training business built entirely on curiosity. We believe that being curious and eliciting curiosity will be am imperative skill for the leaders of the future. Right now the only profession that fosters curiosity is coaching.

When you elicit curiosity in people, you are coaching them. Curiosity is one of the most powerful coaching tools, and is available to everyone, not just professional coaches. It is completely possible to foster this quality in others. Once you learn to do it, you will be twice, even three times more effective in your communication and your ability to learn. Being curious can be your secret weapon. It is also one of the most important skills for leadership. In the moment you get curious about other people, they get curious about you. If you want to be a leader, you must be able to create curiosity. Why? Before people will follow you, they need to be curious about what will happen with a new course of direction.

Curiosity is very fragile. If right now you are asking yourself, “How can I get more curious?” you are on the right track. Sometimes being clear about the opposite of something helps us to understand it. What is the opposite of curiosity? It is Familiarity. And familiarity breeds contempt. If you have contempt in any of your systems: work groups, family, personal relationships, you have a problem and the then the only real solution is curiosity.

For most of us, our natural curiosity is educated out of us. When you go to school, it isn’t long before you figure out that when the teacher asks a question she is looking for the right answer. When you are in a job, it appears to you that you are being paid to be right. To have the answers. So that is what you do, you spend you time being right. But is that what you are really being paid for? Does your company want you to have the answers or do they really want you to innovate? The problem is you cannot do both. Innovation requires curiosity: being right is steeped in familiarity.

In any business environment, curious people have the power to transform --
 Motivation into Inspiration
 Judgment into Results
 Managing into Leading


I invite you to spend some time this week noticing:
when do you have to be right,
and when are you just curious?

What to do to get ahead in the business world? Learn the Coaching Tool of curiosity. The MBA is dead as a strategy for success. As people begin to be less tolerant of poor management, lackluster leadership, and manipulative selling, the new fast track for ambitious results-driven professions is coaching tools. Adding a few coaching tools to your tools box can make a huge difference is your results with people and your income. Coaching skills are the key skills needed for success in the of the 21st century. How sharp are yours?

Upcoming Courses:
Reality Selling

Learn to Sell with ease and grace in a way that is respectful and authentic

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What good is your calling if they are not calling you?

If you love what you do, if your business lights you up, you wish you could attract more clients—but you’re confused about marketing and you just hate to sell, then it’s time you shifted the way you think about getting clients..

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For more information, go to www.GreystoneGuides.com .
Copyright © 2005 Mattison Grey. All rights reserved.