Stepping into the Dance
Donation protected
Send Catherine to Azul Conscious Movement Teacher Training
The shortest bare-bones-all-you-need-to-know details:
I invite you to support my attendance at an Azul Conscious Movement teacher training. I will receive the guidance and instruction I need to bring this powerful healing work to other people.
This training is also part of a big transition in my career. I've been a bodyworker for almost 20 years, and want to develop ways of earning that don't depend so much on my hands. So this training is also a step towards creating long-term sustainability in my embodiment work with people. Thank you for your support!
And for anyone who wants a longer story, here's more....
A few days ago I was on the phone with a friend, telling her about my idea for this gofundme campaign. I’d had a wave of certainty about creating it, but now, I was hesitant. After all, I did a gofundme campaign for an Azul personal retreat a little while ago. “It was successful,” I told her, “but I don’t think I get to do another one. Do I?”
She paused. “Isn’t that interesting? That you feel you’ve already reached a limit about how much support is here for you.”
I had to agree. It is interesting how beliefs about scarcity and lack of self-worth sneak in.
“And,” she went on, “its not like you are asking people to pitch in so you can go on a fantastic vacation. You aren’t asking people to support 10 days of clubbing and beach drinking. You are inviting people to contribute to their own good through you.”
I got goosebumps and teared up. I could feel the truth that was moving through her voice.
She continued: “You are asking people to contribute to the good of their communities through you. You are asking people to help you bring something very valuable into the world. Yes, you will benefit personally and professionally (and that, too, is a worthy cause, by the way) and of course you will love every second of the training. But that’s part of your rightness for this work. That’s part of your gift, and you do have a gift, one that will massively contribute to the greater good — you are asking people to pitch in to that.”
This was one of those moments where someone else’s voice made it easier to see myself. And what she said rang true in my whole being. It’s true. I am made for this. Dancing and serving the well-being of others is why I am here.
In retrospect, it’s quite plain that this has always been my purpose, but I haven’t always been able to see it. I was one of those little kids who was always dancing around. The one hour a week I spent in jazz dance class as a teen was the only hour a week that I wasn't completely freaking miserable. And dance has been my go to for all of my adult life — the place where I can reliably access joy and connect with myself and others.
Some years ago, things fell apart for me. Pregnancy started a chain of health problems that led to a full melt-down of my health. There was a lot of trauma in this experience, and it laid on top of deeper, older traumas that rose to the surface as well. I spent years being desperately unwell, isolated, in pain, fatigued and distressed. It was very hard. I am still rebuilding my physical and financial health, but I have found path back towards wellness. One thing that emerged to play a significant role in my recovery was conscious dance.
While I was at my worst, some friends started a weekly conscious dance class. I showed up and danced, and things started to change in my life off of the dance floor. This was the missing piece in finding my way. I moved years of unprocessed, undigested emotions. Confusion, despair, overwhelm, pain. It got me unstuck. I started to be able to make sense of what I’d been through, how I felt, what I wanted, and what my next step was. I was happily amazed at how much healing happened from people simply gathering to dance together.
I soon found Azul Conscious Movement, and in Azul, I have found the most powerful healing tool I’ve ever encountered in my 25+ years of studying yoga, meditation, dance and healing. My healing experience with our local dance group is just the tip of the iceberg. Azul has brought me deeper healing than I knew was possible, and with that healing I can finally hear the message about my purpose: I am here to dance. With other people, for the good of us all. This is what my life is for.
I am well equipped to do deep dance work. My body holds wisdom about the healing power of dance. I know a lot about bodies and how we move, about what happens when our bodies and hearts get hurt, and about how we heal. I can use my hands to help people connect with their bodies and to help their bodies release tension and pain. I know the profound healing power of a compassionate witness. I can wordlessly dance with someone and help them find more of themselves.
This training will weave together all of my healing and embodiment experiences and knowledge, and will be the bridge between my rich personal dance experiences and being a teacher.
I can honestly say I have a gift for this work — and that parts of it are in need of development. I have an aptitude for organizing music to take people on a journey, but there is much more to learn about that. Words are accumulating in me that want to be spoken, words that guide people to contact more of themselves and their dance. And for all of my comfort with non-verbal expression and connection, I have some shyness about verbal expression, and I will benefit from some structure and training around releasing my embodied experience and perspective into spoken words.
This training is also part of a big and intentional transition in my career. I have been a bodyworker for almost 20 years now, and it's time to develop new ways of earning money that don’t depend on my hands. My hands are ok — but if I want them to stay that way I can't ask them to support a full-time bodywork practice. So while I've mostly written here about the fantastic-ness of Azul, and about my deep sense of purpose, this campaign is also about my long-term ability to work and earn. This training is the first step towards creating sustainability in my embodiment work with people, and I am grateful for your support of that.
So I’m asking anyone who feels moved by any of this to consider contributing to this fund. It will go towards my expenses for an 10 day Azul Conscious Movement teacher training and 6 months of mentoring. In this Azul teacher training and mentorship, I will receive exactly the guidance and development I need to bring this powerful work to people who need it.
Thank you so much!
See you on the dance floor ~
Catherine
The shortest bare-bones-all-you-need-to-know details:
I invite you to support my attendance at an Azul Conscious Movement teacher training. I will receive the guidance and instruction I need to bring this powerful healing work to other people.
This training is also part of a big transition in my career. I've been a bodyworker for almost 20 years, and want to develop ways of earning that don't depend so much on my hands. So this training is also a step towards creating long-term sustainability in my embodiment work with people. Thank you for your support!
And for anyone who wants a longer story, here's more....
A few days ago I was on the phone with a friend, telling her about my idea for this gofundme campaign. I’d had a wave of certainty about creating it, but now, I was hesitant. After all, I did a gofundme campaign for an Azul personal retreat a little while ago. “It was successful,” I told her, “but I don’t think I get to do another one. Do I?”
She paused. “Isn’t that interesting? That you feel you’ve already reached a limit about how much support is here for you.”
I had to agree. It is interesting how beliefs about scarcity and lack of self-worth sneak in.
“And,” she went on, “its not like you are asking people to pitch in so you can go on a fantastic vacation. You aren’t asking people to support 10 days of clubbing and beach drinking. You are inviting people to contribute to their own good through you.”
I got goosebumps and teared up. I could feel the truth that was moving through her voice.
She continued: “You are asking people to contribute to the good of their communities through you. You are asking people to help you bring something very valuable into the world. Yes, you will benefit personally and professionally (and that, too, is a worthy cause, by the way) and of course you will love every second of the training. But that’s part of your rightness for this work. That’s part of your gift, and you do have a gift, one that will massively contribute to the greater good — you are asking people to pitch in to that.”
This was one of those moments where someone else’s voice made it easier to see myself. And what she said rang true in my whole being. It’s true. I am made for this. Dancing and serving the well-being of others is why I am here.
In retrospect, it’s quite plain that this has always been my purpose, but I haven’t always been able to see it. I was one of those little kids who was always dancing around. The one hour a week I spent in jazz dance class as a teen was the only hour a week that I wasn't completely freaking miserable. And dance has been my go to for all of my adult life — the place where I can reliably access joy and connect with myself and others.
Some years ago, things fell apart for me. Pregnancy started a chain of health problems that led to a full melt-down of my health. There was a lot of trauma in this experience, and it laid on top of deeper, older traumas that rose to the surface as well. I spent years being desperately unwell, isolated, in pain, fatigued and distressed. It was very hard. I am still rebuilding my physical and financial health, but I have found path back towards wellness. One thing that emerged to play a significant role in my recovery was conscious dance.
While I was at my worst, some friends started a weekly conscious dance class. I showed up and danced, and things started to change in my life off of the dance floor. This was the missing piece in finding my way. I moved years of unprocessed, undigested emotions. Confusion, despair, overwhelm, pain. It got me unstuck. I started to be able to make sense of what I’d been through, how I felt, what I wanted, and what my next step was. I was happily amazed at how much healing happened from people simply gathering to dance together.
I soon found Azul Conscious Movement, and in Azul, I have found the most powerful healing tool I’ve ever encountered in my 25+ years of studying yoga, meditation, dance and healing. My healing experience with our local dance group is just the tip of the iceberg. Azul has brought me deeper healing than I knew was possible, and with that healing I can finally hear the message about my purpose: I am here to dance. With other people, for the good of us all. This is what my life is for.
I am well equipped to do deep dance work. My body holds wisdom about the healing power of dance. I know a lot about bodies and how we move, about what happens when our bodies and hearts get hurt, and about how we heal. I can use my hands to help people connect with their bodies and to help their bodies release tension and pain. I know the profound healing power of a compassionate witness. I can wordlessly dance with someone and help them find more of themselves.
This training will weave together all of my healing and embodiment experiences and knowledge, and will be the bridge between my rich personal dance experiences and being a teacher.
I can honestly say I have a gift for this work — and that parts of it are in need of development. I have an aptitude for organizing music to take people on a journey, but there is much more to learn about that. Words are accumulating in me that want to be spoken, words that guide people to contact more of themselves and their dance. And for all of my comfort with non-verbal expression and connection, I have some shyness about verbal expression, and I will benefit from some structure and training around releasing my embodied experience and perspective into spoken words.
This training is also part of a big and intentional transition in my career. I have been a bodyworker for almost 20 years now, and it's time to develop new ways of earning money that don’t depend on my hands. My hands are ok — but if I want them to stay that way I can't ask them to support a full-time bodywork practice. So while I've mostly written here about the fantastic-ness of Azul, and about my deep sense of purpose, this campaign is also about my long-term ability to work and earn. This training is the first step towards creating sustainability in my embodiment work with people, and I am grateful for your support of that.
So I’m asking anyone who feels moved by any of this to consider contributing to this fund. It will go towards my expenses for an 10 day Azul Conscious Movement teacher training and 6 months of mentoring. In this Azul teacher training and mentorship, I will receive exactly the guidance and development I need to bring this powerful work to people who need it.
Thank you so much!
See you on the dance floor ~
Catherine
Organiser
Catherine Taye Slattery
Organiser
Louisville, KY
