This post is also available in: Ελληνικα (Greek)
If you ask me to truly consider who I am, I will tell you that I was born to be an acrobat. I have always loved observing the world upside down, from a completely different point of view. I have always loved changes and the swing between reality and fantasy until I find my balance or reach my limits.
I don’t remember much from my childhood. I can only remember flying and doing roly-polies on the couch and moving my body like it was plasticine. When I was 8 years old I went to a circus performance for the first time and and ever since that day I really wanted to get into my acrobatics! This was the cornerstone for me to start attending gymnastics lessons. I was never afraid to trust my body, it was my feelings which I was always afraid to trust.
Sometimes it is easier to balance on a tight rope, rather than the bright path of your feelings…
The fear of our self, the fear of the perception of others, the fear of not taking action and this one heavy fear of our thoughts are more frightening than the acrobatics and the fear of heights. I have always loved to swing above the sea of emotions. I hold myself tight, I trust my body in this frightful rhythmic swing, but I feel that I have these moves under control. I repeat my ritual moves that have inflexible and defined structures. The rhythmic moves help me focus on my inner self and this focus is very important for my creative growth.
Is it the right time for me to lose myself in the infinite blue?
I follow a series of choreography up in aerial swings, purple silks and tree branches swaying in the wind. I listen to the rhythm of my breathing and find my balance. I trust my body and that removes any fear from my thoughts. I like that I can see the world upside down! Every so often my feet touch the wooden floor.
Ever since I was little, I enjoyed rituals. Returning back from school I always followed a specific route among the orange trees. I was walking on the square tiles, only stepping on the one that are next to the trees, holding a nice thought in my mind.
Rituals give signs to your subconscious that it’s time to activate.
Anne Lamot
Acrobatics is one of the most important rituals of mine. It feels like my super power. My daily routine helps to activate my body relaxing my muscles whilst improving my flexibility, I feel like new horizons open and I discover new dimensions in space.
During modern dance workshops and contact improvisation, before we start learning new techniques, we gather all together forming a circle, embracing the energy of the room and sharing our energy. We allow the motion to come naturally through our body to communicate with each other.
Am I ready to lose myself in the dark blue sea of feelings?
The thought of fear makes us overthink and creates fantastic plots that are worse even than brutal reality. So many times, we activate our feelings but we cancel the actions last minute, because we feel overwhelmed by the thoughts we have created by our own imaginary scenarios that may happen.
I think that we are braver than we believe.
It is the survival instinct and part of our evolution. Maybe we are even magnets. Magnets don’t care how they work. It’s in the nature to attract some objects ignore others. We attract whatever we think of… Sometimes we attract fear, we think of it all the time but in reality, this way we heal ourselves from the captivity of our own minds. We get exposed to it every day, so we make ourselves stronger and we finally release ourselves.
I keep fear away from my “swing“ and I know that in time I will feel stronger, I will let myself fall from a higher point! I will get better and better. I love choosing my routines and challenges.
We can turn every routine into a ritual, following a positive attitude and perspective. The difference between a routine and a ritual is not necessarily action. It’s the attitude. A good way to break down our small daily habits is to have a panoramic view of them. A delicious breakfast in the best possible part of the house, a smile, a summer memory of the beach, an evening walk, the last gazing of the light the day that passed…
We create our routines in daily essential tiny actions and habits.
When we finally find the rhythm, our thoughts become clear and creative. We are performers. We perform acrobatics, in a sensitive line of the horizon, the moment the sun sets…
I dream I will swing among the clouds one day and fly above a purple sunset!