"The first regular therapist I saw a lady who was an art and movement therapy. She was refried to me by a woman I met at a festival as someone who I could learn dance from. Believe it or not, I initially contacted her to join her Bollywood dance sessions. I always loved dancing and wanted to bring some form of creativity into my life. When I met her, I was instantly drawn to her commanding, regal and wise energy, and found myself speaking to her about femininity and that I felt quite unfeminine, particularly with the environment I worked in.

What started as an innocent conversation unfolded into a beautiful journey through which I connected with my inner artist and dancer, She explained the concept of mind, body, and importance of a connected dialogue between the two! I started to paint after I saw her and began creating a lot of art which also became one of my main outlets for healing. I now create at least two or three painting every month, if not more! The paintings are bolder, livelier and tell the story of my healing and carry deep vibrations of love. I meditate and create these paintings often in a deep trance allowing my subconscious to express, to release, and heal itself, This process is unexplainably satisfying and deeply healing, and I am ever grateful to this Angel for guiding my to my creative temple. I saw her regularly every week for two months, after which I met her a few times when I felt there was something to shift"

These are excerpts from Deepthi's book 'I AM' that describes her experience of our therapeutic journey together and how she was able to reconnect with the body, breath, creativity and dance.

As a creative arts and movement psychotherapist, I work with the 4 dimensions of human experience- the physical, emotional, psychological/ mental and spiritual levels of existence. Often clients are disconnected from one or more of these aspects of human experience and once we are able to connect the dots, life does not necessarily become less challenging but we are able to deal with life's challenges in an embodied and empowered way as well as tap into our creativity, intuitive guidance and the wisdom of the body. 

As a psychotherapist, it is uncommon to receive direct feedback of a client's subjective experience of therapy. So you can imagine my surprise and gratitude to hear about the impact the therapeutic journey had on a clients' life! It was an honour to work with this dynamic and talented woman who went on to not only write a book about her healing journey but more importantly found the way back to herself and back to loving all that she is as woman.

Here is the link to Deepthi's e-book 'I AM', if you would like to read the whole story- I AM by Deepthi Amin

What do you need to connect with more in your life?
What dimension of your experience are you most disconnected from/ challenged by?- physical/ emotional/ psychological/ spiritual? 
Are you ready to reclaim your body, breath, creativity and dance as vital and life giving tools that connect you to your inner wisdom and higher self?

If any of this resonates or you feel a strange and unexplainable pull, perhaps it is time for you to embark on your own healing journey to reconnect with who your truly are, beyond your baggage, wounds and trauma…..

(and now as I notice my discomfort at self promotion, a quick plug) 
So call me (0401 334 738) or email me (info@embracingspirit.net) and let us journey together….

Or just a take some time to breathe, connect, express and dance!!

Warm Regards,

Anjali Sengupta
Embracing Spirit: Creative Arts and Movement Psychotherapy
Aatma Dance Company
Breathe: Connect: Express: Dance!

www.embracingspirit.net

LOST LITTLE GIRL

Lost little girl
No one to comfort you
Filling the time with things to do

Lost little girl
You will be ok
Just make it through another day

Lost little girl
Finding her own way
Through song and dance and art and play

Lost little girl I hear you now
Rest your head against my brow
For you were never on your own
Through all your wanderings you have grown

Lost little girl feel my embrace
Life is a journey not a race
The time is now to just be
Instead of searching for eternity
For that was then and this is now
Together, we will figure it out somehow

~ Anjali Sengupta 
29th August 2013

Many of us have grown up in a world where there is a split between mind- body- heart and spirit. We often experience this as an inner conflict and internal separation, as disconnection and fragmentation. We add to this fragmentation by repressing/ hiding/ avoiding/ denying parts of ourself that we are not comfortable with or that society deems as inappropriate (which is more often the reason why we are not comfortable with these parts in the first place!). This leaves the inner word in a state of constant tension and internal pressure which builds and builds until it finds the point of least resistance to come exploding out into the outer world either in the form of physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual distress. 

As a young, rebellious teenager, I was so in my body which meant that I was often in a state of overwhelm without any tools to manage or make sense of what I was experiencing. What I did not know at the time was that I was also carrying all these unexpressed emotions and words, not just my own but of my family and ancestors, all the wounds of my forefathers that had been passed down to me through my blood and bones, through my genes in my physical body but also through the particular patterns of relating and responding to the world.

As excruciating as it was to be in my body, my body was also my primary vehicle of experiencing joy and ecstatic, blissful states. It was the site for the expression of painful and often overwhelming emotional states but it was also my saviour and salvation. I can see so clearly now how my body saved my life. LISTENING TO MY BODY is what saved me. Following the signs and signals, even when it is beyond all logic and reason is the key. Where once this was an unconscious and intuitive process, the journey that has since unfolded has given me a bag of tools, but none more essential and vital as the gift of MY BODY and the reverence that comes from being guided by my very own and unique Master/ Guru/ Sacred Guide.

I feel this split from the body so deeply in myself and in others, and hear the call to come back home to the body. Are you listening to your body? What message does it have for you today? Have you been listening or is it starting to get louder and louder in your inner world? Has it reached a point where the message is now being sent across the mind- body barrier to manifest as dis-ease? That tension in your neck/ back- are you listening to what it has to say? 

Well then it's about time to act on it.

Be with your body. 
Take some time to listen.
Act on the wisdom of your sacred guide….

Breathe: Connect: Express : Create

Anjali Sengupta
Embracing Spirit
www.embracingspirit.net