Dear sisters,

I now know how to use this blog! Yay!!!

Thank you for choosing to be here. I hope that what I share is of worth to you, somehow, someway.

And thank you to all the beautiful women in the DOWH Winter Series who explored being a 'moving valentine' at the Feb. 14th DOWH session. It was a beautiful dancing ritual of falling in love with self- all parts of self; of the inner marriage of all opposites (from the most fragile to the most bold) within, and to the birth of the divine child; of connecting with the one heart of humanity and of the earth. It was a living experience of love in action, for all of humanity.  

We started in circle talking about the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, and the possibilities of coming into a new place of peace on earth, and then dear Michelle Tocher shared her heart-stirring story of finding the Princess lying with her heart rooted to Earth.  I recited stanzas from the most wonderful poem "Imagine a Woman In Love With Herself" by Patricia Lynn Reilly, as everyone lay on the floor in relaxation. "Imagine a woman who believes it is right and good she is woman."

Some of her words were echoed throughout the dance journey, as inspiration --- "Imagine a woman who authors her own life.  Imagine a woman who trusts her experience of the world and expresses it." 

We danced with opposites, we danced with each other, and we played wildly with scarves and shakers to the funky beat of Third World's "Now That We Found Love" and Zap Mama's gorgeous song 'Danger of Love'.  "Imagine a woman who values the women in her life."

Eventually, we all dropped to the floor in a 'Healing Ripples of Love' circle dance, as we made a chain of fluid movement passed around the circle. It was soothing, soulfull and connecting. I felt honoured to witness, hold space for, and be inspired by each woman's spontaneous loving flow. "Imagine a woman who sits in circles of women."

And finally, our last dance was our return home in a 'Falling in Love with Self' dance. "Imagine a woman who has grown in knowledge and love of herself. A woman who remains faithful to herself.  Regardless.  Imagine yourself as this woman."  We danced as the lover offering herself to her beloved. The sounds of Sheila Chandra, the incredible voices of Wende Bartley's 'Temple Project' and Coleman Barks' "Open the Love Window" (song of Rumi's love poem) lulled and carried us home.

I am grateful for those 2 hours of dance, connection and love. It was, for me, the perfect way to celebrate Eros, Quan Yin, Aphrodite, Freya and Venus. May you know that you are the lover, the loved, the loving.

Blessings, Erica

Love After Love

The time will come
when, with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other's welcome, and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf, the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

By Derek Walcott