We know that sacred dance has told the story of the human Spirit since before recorded time. In this book, the author has responded to a hunger I have had for many years but was not even fully aware of. Just reading the Introduction and the Table of Contents caused a quickening of my heart with a feeling that I was coming home to re-experience something that my body, mind, and Soul had always known and was longing to be reacquainted with. It was somewhat like driving into a town that you grew up in as a young person and had the opportunity to revisit as an elder—memories flood back, and you begin to breathe deeply into the history of who you are, all the while connecting to all that you have experienced throughout your life.
Carla takes us on a journey of discovery—an adventure for the whole self to dive deeply into! Her background, in both her studies and her many years of exploration and work in the field, uniquely positions her to share this adventure in a way that provides us grounding in the history of cultures that dance around the globe, and then leads us through a body-based emotional and spiritual meditative experience that is truly transformational.
I am amazed at the level of detail and precision that Carla gives us in these pages. When you open the door of page 1, I know that you too will be awed by each page as it unfolds its treasures for you to embrace. In addition to the deeply powerful words that will fill your mind and heart, the practical ideas and suggestions are the golden nuggets in the treasure chest! Carla’s descriptions and instructions are clear, concise, and easily understandable, and having the videos is incredibly helpful in “seeing” what the daily movements look like. However you choose to take this 365 day journey—whether it be each day one at a time from the beginning of the year through to the end, whether you start in the middle of a year, whether you jump in here, there, and everywhere as the Spirit calls you, or if you join together with others and make this a group journey—you WILL be inspired in ways that will surprise you. I wanted to find one of those nuggets to share with you—one example of something specific that particularly touched me personally—but I simply cannot! I have always been drawn to the many cultural and spiritual expressions of dance and have studied most of them over many years. This book is like I have fallen into the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, and everything is there in one place that I can delight in and explore to my heart’s content. What an amazing gift to receive.
Whatever your personal understanding of The Divine is, this book engages in an inclusive and deeply personal way, while also connecting you back to people from another time, to others on this journey in the present, and to those who will be in your future. This book draws from a plethora of spiritual and religious traditions, and I am sure you, like me, will have many “aha” moments as you learn, laugh, and dance your way through each day.
In addition to the incredible personal benefits of taking this journey of discovery with Carla, I believe this is an important book for our times. As we engage and understand globally, we are called to action—to be and do what we each personally can to create a world that is kinder, more compassionate, and caring to each and every Soul on the planet. I am grateful to have Carla as a colleague and member of the Sacred Dance Guild (www.sacreddanceguild.org)—an organization that has been dedicated to advocating and celebrating dance as an expression of the sacred since 1958. As the president of this organization, I wholeheartedly embrace the words in our statement “One People, One Planet and One Heart in the Dance of Life.” Carla’s book underlines this in a bold, meaningful, and timely way.
I suggest you take a deep breath and dance in with the whole of who you are! You will be changed.
Wendy Morrell, President, Sacred Dance Guild