Life sometimes throws us curve balls that we never expected – which can leave us confused, experiencing a range of emotions and feelings that we never imagined.

Part of the beauty of life is that it is unpredictable. Everything changes and nothing is permanent, although we like to convince ourselves otherwise. Things happen to and around you that transform who you are and impact your life. Rather than fighting the changes and wishing for things to go back to the way they were, we need to cultivate and grow our ability to truly accept whatever comes – and embrace it.

We need to learn how to look at whatever happens through a positive mindset, instead of a negative and defeatist one.

It’s a fact of life. We’ll face many challenges (like the death of a loved one or a significant change in a relationship that’s important). It’s not easy to accept or embrace them when we’re hurting and wish they never took place. But if we start now to cultivate acceptance in our lives, we are laying the foundation to better cope with future crisis in a different way and view them differently. Instead of resisting, we will accept.

Deepak Chopra’s, The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success, dedicates a complete chapter to Law #4. This concept encourages us to open our arms and receive what happens to us, because if we resist and fight it, our minds will be filled with turbulence. Chopra goes on to explain that, although we can hope and want things to be different in the future, we need to accept the present moment and things as they are, in order to make life flow smoothly, instead of roughly.

I am learning the true power of acceptance. It’s not easy, but it has been a healing process.

Life for me has taken many turns and twists this past year. My family has faced and conquered some severe health challenges (things are back on track now), I’ve taken a full time day job that I love, I’m still dancing and teaching and writing shows, http://tinybuddha.com/blog/the-power-of-acceptance-stop-resisting-and-find-the-lesson/

April 2014

Wow! Can you believe it’s already April? Time has certainly flown and it’s been busy. The new session of classes starts this Sunday and I hope to see you back in your hip scarf, shimmying and smiling! Beginners are learning cymbals, Intermediates continue with the Oriental choreography and Intermediate Plus fine tunes their technique.

Raksanna’s Near East Dance Ensemble continues working on the next stop in the Confessions of a Belly Dance tour. We’re playing in Kansas City on May 17 at Union Station – right next door to the King Tut exhibit. This weekend is the photo shoot with the Kansas City cast – and then we’ll reveal who’s who next week! Tickets are now on sale, so if you can make it – we’d love to see you. We continue our VIP tradition, so why not treat yourself to a fantastic experience you’ll always remember?

I’ll write again next week … when we reveal the new cast!

Until next time, Happy Shimmies,

Raksanna