OMG! Congratulations on being nominated! Wow!

Way to go girl! You must be freakishly excellent at what you do to get nominated your first try. Good for you!

Thanks so much!

On a side note, I got a call today from the ballet studio down the street asking me to fill in for a teacher who's sick. I haven't taken a ballet class in over 25 years and I haven't taught ballet in about 5 years.

Super-dancer can handle it,though. Booyah!

Love and blessings,
Rachel

I have a big grin at this moment. Way to go, Rachel!

(Gee, I wonder if this might have anything at all to do with how you have so taken the SOGR principles to heart and are so consciously CHOOSING to live in the certain way?)

No wonder at all Rebecca! If it weren't for the SOGR and this course and forum and for YOU, I wouldn't know how to recognize the Law of Attraction -- even when it hits me in the face like this.

I just found out that the ACTUAL Chita Rivera is presenting the award. She was the original Anita in "West Side Story" and the original Velma in "Chicago" on Broadway. Wowzers!

Love and blessings,
Rachel

quote:

Originally posted by Rachel:


THIS is what happens when you really follow your bliss.

So exciting! The Awards ceremony is at the end of this month. I'll let you know how it goes!

Love and blessings,
Rachel

Rachel, you are awesome! And I've really missed YOU. Rock it girl!!!

Thanks All!

I went to a rehearsal at the performance venue last night. Just as we were about to run through the number for the first time on the stage, one of the other dancers turned around, looked into my face and said, "You look really excited."

I WAS really excited. Our director mentioned later that a lot of the cast members looked intimidated by the bigger, more elaborate space. Another performer said he was getting nervous.

Not me. I LOVED it! I LOVE big theatres. I LOVE big audiences. I LOVE having the lights in my eyes.

I'm really enjoying the whole process of preparing for this awards ceremony. The event is on Monday. My family alone could bring home up to 4 awards, and my home theatre has more than 50 nominations. Not to mention rubbing elbows with the very best talent in North Texas including Chita Rivera. No matter who wins what, I will have plenty to celebrate. I can't wait!!!

Love and blessings,
Rachel

Sounds to me like you're NOT waiting, Rachel. You're celebrating already.

And that is SO SOGR. Cool!

Thanks, Rebecca!

There is SO much love for you here. XOXOXO

Love and blessings,
Rachel

More following my bliss...

Yesterday, an acquaintance of mine named Murray Cox dropped by to arrange an event I do for him every year. He's a math professor and the acrobatics team coach for a local university. Really cool guy.

Anyway, I've always had a dream to be able to do a back handspring. Recently, I took a step toward that when I did an assisted back walkover in one of my dance routines. THAT was FUN. The back handspring has been a conscious part of my CMI for a few months, and I had thought of asking Murray to help me, but I hadn't seen him lately.

Yesterday I asked if he could teach me. Not only did he say it would be easy, he's willing to trade me the training for some dance coaching for his acro team. I get to go next week! Yay!!

Every time I go to a dance audition, they ask if anyone has any exciting "tricks" they can use. I've always wanted to be able to do something this spectacular. I'm so excited!

Yay for following my bliss!

Love and blessings,
Rachel

And now I want to be a dancer.

quote:

And now I want to be a dancer.

That made me smile, Luv2luv.

Here's another example of using the SOGR to be, do and have more.

Last week I was asked to do something challenging as part of the Column Awards performance. I was asked to do some kind of multiple spin as the company is singing the final note of our song. At first, they asked one of the guys to mirror me on the other side of the stage, but he said he couldn't do it.

Then I thought I would be doing it by myself. That draws more attention to me, but on the other hand, I can do whatever I want because I don't have to match someone else. I tried a few different things and decided that my double pirouette to the left was reliable enough to use there.

Then I found out that they asked another guy to mirror me. He was very nice and said that he would do whatever spin I wanted. Only, he's so good that he was consistently doing triples anyway.

Now, pirouettes are considered to be among the most difficult spins in the world. I don't remember ever having a solid triple pirouette -- even when I was doing a lot of ballet. No one else in our company seems to be able to do them at all (except for Stephen, of course.)

In high school, my doubles were pretty good. I'm actually known for doing a lot of (easier) spins in my ballroom dancing, but pirouettes simply haven't been a priority for me in decades. Clearly, the choreographer thought I could do nice spins, or she wouldn't have asked me in the first place.

As a dance teacher I often tell my students that spins can smell fear. Being tense, forceful or off balance will ruin a spin pretty reliably. So this is the perfect place for the SOGR.

I looked up pirouettes on you tube and found some lovely ballet dancers demonstrating multiple spins. (One nine year old girl could do EIGHT spins -- amazing!) I watched them over and over and tried to imagine what it felt like to be doing those spins so well. Then I found a few instructional videos and watched them a few times. I thought about the advice I always give my students: spins are about balance -- that means alignment and strength. Stay relaxed, don't use too much power, remember to spot.

After about an hour of visualizing and thinking about how to achieve a great spin, I got up to practice. I still couldn't do them. In fact, I started falling out of singles.

I stopped and went within. I tried to allow my internal connection to Source to guide and advise me.

I backed up and started to practice only balancing - without the turn. That was better. I noticed my hip had been popping side ways, and I began to lift more strongly just as I planned to come out of the balance.

At that point I had to stop because my students arrived.

The next time I attempted this was in the rehearsal for the big performance. Stephen, my mirror, wasn't there that day, but I felt relaxed and unconcerned about the spin. When the time came, I landed my triple easily and cleanly. In fact, I felt so confident that I asked the choreographer if it was okay for us to do TWO triples since there was so much time.

The moral of this story is:

One hour of visualizing
plus
15 minutes of physical practice
along with
strong connection to Source
equals
SUCCESS!

Thanks to all who are traveling with me on this amazing journey!!!

Love and blessings,
Rachel

Bravo! Thank you so much for posting this, I'm looking this week to start doing some new forms of exercise and involving these kinds of principles right from the start, so it's lovely to read how this is working out for you!

Wonderful post Rachel....Thanks for sharing your example of using the principles. I have seen the same principles work in sports....for example in free throws......if an athlete can just take a moment to center, practice the shot perfectly in their mind once, believe it.....the shot counts almost every time. It's a great tool for everyday living too, isn't it?

Congratulations Rachel! I love ballroom dancing too and happy to hear you were able to branch off to another style and find success. Keep on dancing

I love your stories and am really happy for you! I can also sense the excitement emanating from your posts and that's really cool and contagious. You're really talented!


Love and abundance to all!
Prince

Update:

The Awards Ceremony was last night. We had a BLAST! It was just like the Academy Awards -- except I knew everybody!

My friends all looked so glamorous in their evening wear, and there was SUCH a big group from our theatre -- I ran around hugging and complimenting everyone.

My show performed first. Being on that stage was really fun. I enjoyed every second. And yes -- I landed my two triple pirouettes just fine.

I really enjoyed watching the other performers and cheering for my friends. Our theatre company took home 10 awards!

Of the 4 possible awards for my family, ALL went to people from other companies, but I didn't mind at all. It may be a cliche, but I was truly honored just to be nominated, and my friends made me feel like a winner with all their love and support. It was a great night!

I was so excited that upon arriving back in town today, I forgot to go to my acrobatics lesson.

I had unwisely scheduled it for noon today, and then COMPLETELY forgot about it. Oops.

Oh, well. I've already rescheduled it for next week. It's all good.

Love and blessings, all
Rachel

That sounds like SUCH fun, I'm so enjoying reading all your successes here!!

Backflip accomplished!!!

I think I could get addicted to acrobatics!

Love and blessings,
Rachel