Bienvenue en Paris on Bastille Day - 14 July

Monday the 13th I left the UK again, this part of the trip now by train or boat, started off with the intention to first go to Southern France, Le grand Bal d'Europen, one week of dancing and camping near Lyon before heading back to Eastern Europe via Germany.

Just shortly before leaving I somehow felt increasingly uncomfortable with idea of the dance, the masses, yeah even the camping ... rather confusing and unsettling. I was looking forward to the dancing and french charme for so long - as a matter of fact, the only part of my travel where all the train tickets were booked in advance -in the end somehow the timing didnt seem right. When I was describing my unsettling feeling to a friend, saying "I'd rather do something else, maybe spend some time at the sea, read and catch up with some writing", he simply and apathetically replied: "Well, then why dont you?"...hmm, true! Until then I felt pretty stuck, going up the walls feeling urged to make quick decisions, it simply took someone else to ask me that question of "well what else would you prefer doing? or why not change plans?" to see the horizon behind the clouds again, to open up new possibilities, yeah why not change plans? So I decided to first see my friend Brian in Paris as planned and then look for a place at the sea side instead.

Somehow good timing as I got to arrive the night before the grand Bastille Day, with grandiose celebrations, fireworks and bands playing on the streets. It was great to see that a nation possibly could come together at one day of celebrations, where the streets in the centre of its capital are blocked and everyone, old and young gathering at various places like the Place du Bastille to meet, to dance, to celebrate. I was wondering if there is anything comparable in Germany? Couldn't think of anything. Couldn't quite think of anything in any of the countries I have lived in, except for the very orange Queens Day in the Netherlands which always is quite spectacular. In these moments like these of beautiful european atmosphere of a warm and still very light summer night I just love being in Europe, a few hours south, west or east and you'll find a new rich culture, sometimes language, and its rhythms, traditions and celebrations. Exquisite.

Being in another big Metropole, Paris is also always good for hilarious surprises, like this very hairy Mama, chatting to the police.

Very hairy in Paris from mokoflip on Vimeo.

The next day, the news mentioned that 137 cars were burned in the country over night. I don't get the whole care burning tradition that seems to be a very french thing. The other interesting cultural encounter, the massive parade that day which was also broadcasted on TV. There were state guests, from neighbouring countries and the "Chief Guest of Honour" of this years parade, the Indian Prime Minister of India, Mr. Singh.

As a matter of fact even the Indian armed forces "as a significant landmark in their history" led the massive Bastille Day military parade, - the first time that they were marching on a republic day or a national day of a country.

I couldn't help but sense the taste of Imperialism from when it was still prestigious to have numerous colonies and impose your divine culture to the rest of the world. There were military parades, horses shows, thousands of flags and more french tricolore in the sky from military planes flying over the Champs Elysee. I was wondering how Mr Singh must have felt seeing all the pompos show that day.

Moko on the move – finding my “body way”

Before I left the UK, Claire – my dancing complice in spirit – and I were joking that I will dance around the world and through my sabbatical, discover all these new dances. As much as we had a good laugh imagining myself dancing across the boarders it is true that my travel and intentions for the sabbatical are also very much focused around exploring the “the move”.

I always enjoyed the dance and even more so when I grew older. The last year I discovered more to dancing and body movements than just an activity every once in a while when going out with friends and ending up dancing till the morning. Dancing and different types of body work (somatic practises) make me become more fully present and alive, my energy is expanding and it easily infects others with a wave of positive energy.

Besides the great energy it produces, I noticed that dancing and conscious body movements help me to better ground myself to let go and feel more centred in my everyday life. Movements and dance can help to leave behind longstanding habits, to be fully in the moment and change one’s conditioned responses into conscious, intentional actions.

The Embodied Presencing workshop with Arawana Hayashi (called Making a True Move) earlier this year was one of my best and most profound experiences in this regard. It is basically an exploration of your intuitive body, becoming more present in the moment (great mindfulness practise) by tuning in to your body, letting it flow the way it wants to and at times get even surprised by it. The movements are done mostly in silence and are not following any particular choreography other than your own particular rhythm, pace and finding your balance between individual experience and the experience with another (in duet or group). The movements are all with an appreciation and consideration of maintaining a balance between rest and movement (same as in music there is this interplay between sound and silence). After these 2 days, I connected with Amy and Chris with the intention to continue this beautiful practise and we continued meeting regularly, building an embodied presencing practise in London.

The picture above is from our last session in London with Amy, Chris and Marc. I miss the group and the practise and hope to continue with it as I travel, some of its elements though I found in Nia dancing which I am going to twice a week now in Budapest.

When I was in a Scottish small village this spring I was taken along to Nia dancing the first time - it was introduced to me then as dancing yoga. I was amazed how much fun it was and the great energy it brought about. This dance draws from dance arts, martial arts and healing arts to create purposeful movement and is always danced with great rhythmic music that would probably have you swing even in the tube ;) It is pure pleasure, engaging your body, mind and emotions in a very expressive and playful wa and inspires to continue dancing through life afterwards.

I gradually see and experience more and more how every movement in life is a dance.

And last piece of dance deliciousness on my travel is French Breton Dancing which is a great experience of dancing in and with a community. There is a big French Dance festival in Gennetines in mid July that I am hoping to go to for a week. French Breton Dancing was introduced to me by Richard, a tree surgeon from New Zealand who kindly offered a free class to us. It is danced with beautiful – mostly live played- music (listen to this) using string instruments, the accordion and is danced in pairs and groups – smaller of e.g. 4 and larger groups that could fill a hall.