Tired Soles

Today's class was discouraging. I felt that I had just started to get a hang of things, but the new dance moves we learned today were difficult. I practiced some on my own, and the individual moves aren't that difficult by themselves. I've got a hang of the mudras, and the steps are getting easier. But its when I put them together that my mind can't handle that many things. I actually realized that I do better when I stop thinking, and stop looking at my feet. Being an english major and being used to meticulously crafting papers, not thinking is probably the hardest challenge so far. Just feeling. We don't do that often, just feel, no thoughts attatched. I know its only going to get harder, with an audience looking on and all the thoughts and nervousness that comes with being on display. It's going to be a challenging semester.

I'm a little past page 400 of the Ramayana, and they've just started to fight at the gates of Lanka. It's getting intense. I would love to see this turned into an animated film, something Miyazaki like. With such eloquently articulated visuals, the work just asks to be drawn. Though, I suppose that is what we will be doing with our bodies, drawing it in a way.

I was watching a fantastic movie called "The Fall", the other night, produced by Spike Jonez. Its about a paralytic telling a little girl a story. It's an intensely beautiful movie set in Colonial India. I strongly suggest it, but the reason I mention it here is that depicted in the film is a kechak circle. It's slightly different in terms of what is spoken in the circle, but you really get a sense of the spiritual power of the thing. It's a cool scene.

Right, off to nurse my feet.