“If you expect the unexpected, you’ll be prepared for miracles.”
I returned from Montreal last night eager to write and share with you about our 11/11/11 class. It left me speechless. Much of it felt like an out of body experience, in the best way, and yet in the end I felt embodied, grounded and completely inspired by the incredible group of people, 17 women and 1 man, that showed up to dance their purpose.
Many people know that I have a daily ritual of picking one card per day from one of my many tarot or other inspirational decks. Before leaving for the class on the morning of 11/11/11 I chose a card titled “Unexpected Visitors” from “The Enchanted Map” deck by Colette Baron-Reid. The card reading began with
“If you expect the unexpected, you’ll be prepared for miracles.” The rest of reading emphasized detours, surprises, adventure and synchronicity. Since I was flying to Montreal later that night I assumed that the message of the card was related to that journey but I soon found out otherwise.
Unexpected Visitors
I arrived at the Civetta Dance Space expected 12 participants for the 11:11:11 class. But the door kept opening and dancers kept appearing. In the end there was a total of 18 of us.
As it turns out, I had printed exactly the right amount of handouts, sacred livelihood cards and brought exactly 18 candles. No more. No less. Earlier in the week I had gone out searching for small white candles and holders. I found an unmarked package of candles at Goodwill and bought every small glass holder they had. I didn’t count them. When I placed the candles in the holders, there were two candles left over but the wicks were broken so I set them aside and didn’t pack them up to bring to class. It was pure synchronicity. And so it was that I had unexpected visitors and our journey together was the most magical and sensational adventure.
The Focus
The focus of this special class was to explore our unique gifts, desires, dance our unique dance and plant the seeds for a future of living more consciously from a place of inspiration and purpose. To me, this focus was a blend of 11:11:11 serving as a gateway to a new consciousness and living out a sacred livelihood (principle 11 of the Nia white belt) from a place of higher consciousness and authenticity. But doing it together, as a group, as a community, is where the magic emerged.
11:11:11
We began with introductions and I explained briefly what my thoughts were about the 11:11:11 portal:
A gateway to a more authentic and collaborative way of living. No longer every man or woman for herself. The number one is about leadership, beginnings and leadership. When I see so many 1's alongside one another, I see community, collaboration, a group of leaders and a paradigm shift guided by working towards a common good leading with heart, spirit and sacred purpose.
Defining a Sacred Livelihood
sacred: to be dedicated or devoted exclusively to a single use, purpose, or person.
I then briefly explained Principle 11 of the Nia white belt: Creating a Sacred Livelihood:
Adapted from Nianow.com
"Sacred Livelihood means first of all recognizing the sacredness of your body – every single part of your body. Your sacred body is dedicated to a single purpose, your life! Your body is the physical container or temple of your life. Through your body, you create your life and your livelihood using three inalienable resources: time, consciousness, and energy. All you do, each of your decisions, is an investment in your livelihood – an investment of the life-force energy you draw from to make choices, to act and create. Creating a sacred livelihood is about consciously bringing your gifts to the world through each choice and action in a way that creates a life of happiness, a sense of purpose, and a sustainable state of health and well-being. Discovering your unique purpose will help illuminate your path – and like your body, your purpose will evolve. With every thought, choice and action, you are creating something new, a new ripple to impact this world. This is the Body’s Way."
Employing Muses
We did a short writing exercise and after, I facilitated a guided meditation slight adapted from the Waking Planet 11/11/11 script beautifully written by my friend Barbara Upton of New Paltz, New York:
http://wakingplanet.blogspot.com/2011/11/111111-portal-to-new-earth.html
After the guided journey, we each took a moment to write out sacred purpose on a small index card.
And then we danced.
The Routine and Preparing for Miracles
I carefully and intentionally crafted this routine so that the songs resonated with the theme of creating a sacred livelihood, which was also the class focus.
The first song was spent in silence as I read the following quote:
“When you walk through the gateway of your sacred purpose, you walk into yourself. Blessingly buffered from the madness of the world, your purpose filters out those relationships and energies that undermine your expansion.
Infused with vitality and a clarified focus, new pathways of possibility appear where before there were obstacles. Life still has its challenges, but you interface with them differently, coated in an authenticity of purpose that sees through the veils to what really matters.
The rivers of essence rise up to meet you, carrying you from one wave of expansion to another...”
– Jeff Brown
In that spirit, the second song was titled “Expand.”
Each subsequent song built on the other, crafting a movement story of discovering and dancing our unique purpose.
11/11/11 Routine Playlist
1. Chakra 1 - Shannon Day
2. Expand - Shannon Day
3. A Different Space - Nia Routine AO
4. Smell Of Desire - Enigma
5. Star Power – Nia Routine Vibe
6. Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall - Coldplay
7. Just Say Yes - Snow Patrol
8. A Canterbury Tale - Nia Routine Universal Mind
9. Passion of Your Passion – Nia Routine Passion
10. Colour In My Name - Nia Routine Vibe
11. In Love's Domain - Tim Wheater
11 songs and total time was 1 hour, 11 minutes and 11 seconds. I could not have planned this if I tried. The timing was one of the unexpected miracles.
Bright Flames
When we got to song 8, A Canterbury Tale, we formed two parallel lines – much like the number 11, or you can envision Soul Train.
In pairs, we danced down between the lines and through an imaginary portal as I read each statement of Sacred Livelihood
(names excluded), and at the end of the "portal" each dancer lit a candle.
We witnessed one another. Each purpose was heard, received and acknowledged. Towards the end of the song we formed a circle around the table that held 18 bright flames. With those flames burning bright we returned to the dance floor for the final three songs: Passion of Your Passion, Colour In My Name and In Love’s Domain.
Receiving the Voice of Sacred Livelihood
The last song, In Love's Domain, was spent on the ground, resting and listening as I read the
“Voice of Sacred Livelihood” written by Debbie Rosas, co-founder of Nia.
I cannot share the entire script with you but will share an adapted excerpt:
"Make every action in life personal, a creative and sacred act. Commit to consciously transforming your body and life with love and recognize that you are a teacher to the world. Seek your destiny, walk your talk, and discover what is meaningful and sacred to you. Make what you do motivating and inspiring for yourself. Recognize you will manifest your greatness. Awaken your inherent power to change, to be better and happier, and you will awaken others. Consciously take care of your own body and life and you will become a leader to others. Help people know without knowing; teach them to treat their body, mind, emotions, and spirit with respect and love and you will become a great healer. Whether caring for a patient, a client, a child, a parent, or your staff, make everything you do a reflection of a Creative and Sacred Livelihood."
Embracing the Unexpected
I expected 12 people but 18 showed up. I structured the class in a way that required me to use my microphone but the mic didn’t work so I had to project with my voice and emphasize with my body. I had a script prepared but only loosely read from it because the words flowed. I expected to stick with my agenda but relaxed and allowed myself to be guided by the group. I expected to teach the routine one way and it channeled me in another direction. I was truly being guided by something beyond myself.
I do not have photos to share of this very special gathering of souls. It was very much a sacred class and I found myself in tears a couple of times. I felt incredibly grateful and honored to witness each individual purpose and dance alongside each spirit in the room. I was in awe of everyone and left convinced that collectively we were/are going to change the world.
Over this weekend I will share a few songs from this routine and I hope you will join me in dancing your sacred purpose.
