Peru Flow: A Dancing Pilgrimage.
by Alexandra Collas
Something Bigger than Myself
Robert Ward, in his book All Good Pilgrims, describes the pilgrim: “In the original meaning of the Latin word, a peregrinus was precisely ‘a person from another country; a stranger.’ You can take the word back even further, to its roots: per agris, through fields.”
It is through fields that the real essence of Peru Flow began. On 2007, I took my first Nia training with Roberta Mohler and right after, I started teaching a group of young girls at the YWCA in Parry Sound. All of our classes where taught outside in the fields and all the movement training I’ve had started to come to life as we moved barefoot on the ground and practiced meditation amongst the trees.
Photography: Trace Flury, Lima Peru.
It was like all the loves of my life were coming together for a great feast in 2007: I blossomed playing outdoors as a child, my life was a travelling journey since I was eight years old when I left Peru with my family to live in Colombia and then, to Canada by myself ten years later. To add into the perfect mix, dance was my home whenever I was lost.
What I experienced through those days was like nothing I had lived before. I guess that I found my calling, the true essence of my purpose and it was profound. These young girls were filled with joy and I was facilitating transformation through movement. I was honored and humbled. I belonged no matter how far away I was from my physical home. Voilà!The pilgrim finds it’s home wherever she goes. The pilgrim understands that wherever she takes herself, is home because she thrives on growing and transforming into her next stage of life. Life is never stagnant, it is never boring; to live in amazement is to live fully.
From then on, all my years of dance training started taking form into my own interpretation of dance and that, was truly powerful. That realization meant that I was constantly working on my practice but also, honoring my unique gifts and what I had to offer as a facilitator. I began to have the courage to own my own creative path.
I can go onto the technical benefits of practicing yoga & dance; on practicing barefoot; on understanding anatomy; etc. And I will go into that in future posts. I believe that is the backbone of the work. However, today I want to talk about the inspiration, the magic and the wisdom of my practice.
I want to let you know that the pilgrimage is needed, it is necessary and it the heart of my work. Peru Flow was founded in March 2012, 5 years after I knew what was my life purpose, it is here with the intention to be the pilgrim to take you to those places you want to go to grow: holistically, wholesomely, truthfully, organically, joyfully, sometimes tearfully, but always with a bigger picture in mind. If we don’t have a vision we will always remain on one shore. Today I ask you, are you ready to go to the next shore of your life? When you are, call us and join us.
by Alexandra Collas, Founder of Peru Flow, www.PeruFlowNow.com
Join Alexandra at out upcoming New Moon Circle on May 28, where she will offer a movement meditation focussed on the second chakra.
http://www.anarreshealth.ca/content/new-moon-circles-women
Join Alexandra at the Pachamama Raymi Celebrate Retreat August 1-8th, 2014 in Peru! All proceeds in support of Healing House in Peru.