What’s on Leyla’s Mind
by Leyla Najma · 6 Comments
Re: Exercise and Sexy for my Man
Lately I have been getting women coming in and taking my free classes who are looking at belly dance for various reasons. There are more women who are doing belly dancing for toning their stomachs, exercise or for their boyfriends and husbands. Another young gal said her father wanted her to learn belly dancing and of course I wrote and asked her to explain. But what I am finding is that with the changes in the modern world there aren’t as many women getting into dance to become performers or life long students of dance.
It didn’t occur to me to start belly dancing for my husband or boyfriend and I was in a state of total sell absorption meaning belly dance consumed me. What I’m really saying here is that I didn’t belly dance for anybody else but myself. I feel the same way that famed actress Shohreh Aghdashloo does in regards to either being born an actress or being born a dancer. You don’t become a dancer you are born a dancer who listens to or understands her calling. Most dancers live their lives validating their calling which means a life time of training and dedication so they can transform into their divine inspiration. It’s a calling that takes women on the side paths of lessons, and experiences that make for great adventures. We become the Indiana Jones of our own lives because we search for teachers from far off lands and we travel in search for spiritual guidance and enlightenment. Basically what I am saying is for any woman who has the mark of the Goddess, they are born dancers and they die dancers.
The “sexy for my man” is understandable because we are empowered as belly dancers especially when we understand our bodies. But I think with the connection with belly dancing to stripping we need to explain what belly dancing really does for women. The sexual self is only one of the many aspects of who we are. There is sacred and spiritual meaning to dancing and in many ways when a woman understands herself in a sacred way she shows characteristics of the Goddess. I don’t mean this in a silly way that we are all Goddesses, I think for all of us we have become strangers to the Goddess concept. Belly dance makes the path going back to the Goddess fun but also we learn so much about who we are.
There were many Goddesses in Egypt that represented many things to many people. Hathor symbolized the vengeful eye of Ra, Bastet was the Goddess who protected the Pharaoh in battle. Isis was the Goddess of rebirth and fertility and Sekhmet was the Goddess of war and chaos. I think each woman has a specific Goddess that she has an affinity with which makes belly dance different from all other dance forms. We dance in constant connection to the ancient beliefs of the Egyptians and other cultures. To understand the present sometimes we need to experience the past.
I can understand that belly dancing can be intriguing for many women who didn’t experience the drive to dance from a young age. But it’s important to look up the history of this dance form whether you’re a novice or someone experienced. Look up the different Goddesses the Egyptians gave offerings to and see who you have a connection to. If anything it’s fun and it will give you a different viewpoint of what you think belly dance is.
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About Leyla Najma
As always I am constantly amazed by your spirit and happy to be “The Belly Dance Husband”
I am amazed that you put up with my Goddess demands!!! You definatetly are going to Heaven!! But most importantly I get to live life with you which by the ways is coming up 9 years! Hopefully the years flew by………lol….I know the answer to that one!!!
Leyla, I love your articles and points of view and it really gets me to think! While reading your article it made me think of why I got into dancing and the reasons where that I was intrigued not only by the dance but the history and culture behind it and that it was being offered in such a little town. I am from Syrian decent and I wanted to be able to connect more with my family heritage. As well as I wanted to do something for myself and to be able to connect with who I really was. Dancing has done so much for me and is a part of me and my life I could not begin to think about not having the dance in my life.
On the other side though women do bellydance for other reasons and when I first realized this I was kindve amazed! What you dont want to know the beauty or the culture or the history is what I found myself thinking and thinking they were missing out on so much more! I realize though that this I am a dancer it is deep within me and that it is ok for others to think differently but it is still my job as a teacher to educate my students and hope they take some of it with them.
I recently sent out pre registration forms to possible students in another town close to where I live. One of the questions where why do you want to bellydance? Out of the 10 students all of them stated; good exercise, they wanted to learn for their boyfriends/husbands and one thought it would be fun. There are so many different reasons why women want to dance but my hope is once I get them into my class I will be able to share with them so much more! There is a sensual side but also a spiritual side and being able to connect with yourself and your body.
I think we are all Godnesses we just have to look inside ourselves and dig down and deep and reveal who we are!
Hello Allison,
Dancing for oneself is a gift to the self and a way that we show our spirit that we are listening. The Goddess aspect of this dance form is a learning process that goes on throughout a performers life. There are many elements of each Goddess in me and as I change the elements change.
I don’t fault women for trying belly dance out on a whim but it is my job as you know it is yours to let them know that they are on a magificant journey that will take them places they never imagined. It’s only because this dance form helps women get to know themselves again and thus keeping the inner temple fires burning that ultimately makes a statement not only to thier inner guides but with the Divine!
Thanks for sharing……..
I agree with you totally! This for me is a dance of empowerment.; it is beautuful and so powerful. It is my
Goal to dance the dance all the way to heaven. I do however find myself having to eplain to men the history and culture
Of the dance and say no to showing them any of the moves.
I love and respect the art form.
Myrnie
Hello Myrnie……….in these trying times it is only natural women to look for something that seems like fun but I feel it is thier inner guidance telling them to find their sanctuary within.
I have had families leave because they thought I was doing a vulger dance in restuarants, had large groups get drunk and strip while trying to dance with me ( mortified I retrieved the owner who made them behave) had dancers insult me in front of my face and the list goes on. Even people who think they are cultured show signs of ignorance or cruelty. It’s just the way it goes……especially as a professional dancer. If it was not for my spiritual guidance and my connection to the divine, I would have left years ago. This is a spiritual quest for me, my life time vision quest……..so even in burn out or low points I still know where I am on my path.
Thanks for sharing!