A Brief Introduction

Back in 2007 I began to study the art of belly dance, particularly the tribal style. It wasn't long after that I began trying to find little ways to incorporate dance into my religious and spiritual practice originally with the idea of saving time because I was so busy with college and a job. It wasn't until May in 2008 that something happened to change my perceptions.

To quote the journal entry I made in my now defunct Livejournal account.

"It's interesting how one moment, when one offers something that seems to them simple, almost too unworthy to be laid before the divine powers to which the devotee gives reverence transforms into an experience so powerful and mysterious that it's almost frightening."*

I didn't go into further details then, I was still trying to process the experience of entering a full trance for the first time. It's hard to describe that moment when conscious thought ceases and there's nothing but pure experience of what can only be described as divine.

The more important thing is what I got out of it.


"At first I had chosen to try to combine my belly dance practice with my spiritual to save time an energy. (Working 40 hours a week with a long bus commute to and from really takes it out of me some days.) After last night, I've decided I really need to combine the two more often, and perhaps find away on my own to develop specific ritual dances.
Only time will tell how well it works. "*


Time most certainly has now that it is 2012 and I have continued to work on the use of dance in a sacred context. It's had starts and stops, and hasn't always been the first thing on my mind but it has endured and will continue to do so.

A few months after this is when I originally launched this blog, which didn't last very long as I was driven more by enthusiasm and the pursuit of something creative and fun that I let my content suffer. I plan for all that to change now, I have a more focused idea on what I aim to share with all of you.

The other important element I should mention here is my religious background. While what I write and more specific rituals and dances come from and are derived from this framework I would like to say that I try to be mindful of the multiplicity of paths, and really hope that anyone who is inspired to dance in love and praise of what and whom they hold sacred, will find what I have to share useful and perhaps even inspiring.
To describe my religious practice I like the term 'Syncretistic Classicism' coined by a dear friend on his blog over on Wordpress.** Though I'm sure we don't define it in exactly the same way, I would give it's definition as not only relating to acknowledging the syncretistic practices in the ancient world, but also on another level that while it is based on the classic religions of the ancient world it is also syncretistic in ways that allow it to adapt for the modern world. My base comes from Ancient Egypt and Rome with Italian witchcraft, Western Hermetic thought, and Ancient Greek religious practices as secondary sources.


Well, that's all that I can think of to say about myself that is relevant at this time.

Blessings,

Satiah

* All typos are from the original post, I chose not to fudge with any grammatical errors so I would not be tempted to change after the fact my thoughts on the experience.
** http://erosiserosiseros.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/syncretic-electric/