Nowadays, I don't get to many rock concerts. When I read about the resurgence of Jimmy Cliff (a reggae music legend) in a recent issue of Rolling Stone, I said to myself, "If Jimmy comes to Santa Fe, I am going to see him." A few weeks later, I was thrilled to see in the paper that he was going to be playing an outdoor show right outside of town.
I got to the venue while the opening act was performing. The large patio was just starting to fill up. I wandered up near the stage, then decided to do something I don't recall ever doing at an open seating event; I walked up to the front and positioned myself against the security fence a few feet away from where Jimmy would be singing. I had a feeling it was going to be a special night.
From the second Jimmy hit the stage, I knew I was in for a treat. This 64-year-old artist brought all of himself to the show. His mind, body, and spirit were working as one. The joy and enthusiasm pouring out of him were uplifting. He moved like a man decades younger than his years. Because of his level of integration with every aspect of himself, he was able to transcend normal consciousness and bring the audience with him.
For many of us, we do not spend our days in harmony and joy. We tend to be in internal conflict. Our minds might be in one place while our bodies are in another. Our souls might long for a particular experience but we find all kinds of reasons to ignore that calling. This lack of integration leads to tension, stress, and feeling down.
In a real sense, we are fighting with ourselves. We pay a steep price for these battles.
The good news is there are many ways to bring your mind, body, and spirit into alignment and balance. Over the last few months, I have been writing about a set of movements I co-created called Sulam Chi, Ladder of Life Force Energy. Sulam Chi is one option to quickly and easily bring you into harmony and peace.
I want to share with you a simple exercise from my DVD, Sulam Chi: A Dance of Life, called the Spinal Twist. With the right focus and relaxed breathing, doing this exercise is a great way to get into your body, align your mind with your movements, and let your spirit flow:
You don't have to a performer or an athlete to be in the flow of life. Sometimes it happens spontaneously. To be there consistently, take some time to go inside and see what is blocking bringing all of you to life. As you free yourself from internal conflicts, you might find yourself humming a few lines from a Jimmy Cliff classic:
"You can get it if you really want
But you must try, try and try
Try and try, you'll succeed at last."
You can learn the movements of Sulam Chi from my recently produced DVD about it called, Sulam Chi: A Dance of Life.
Click here to purchase Sulam Chi: A Dance of Life
For more by Levi Ben-Shmuel, click here.
For more on the spirit, click here.
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I tried the exercise this morning and it certainly helped me wake up. It was gentle and fun.
Do you give other exercises like that in the dvd?
It's great to hear Jimmy Cliff is still going strong.
If you get the chance, I highly recommend catching a Jimmy Cliff show! Best wishes, Levi