My Blog

SEEDS

rachaelgollub — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 02:31:33 GMT

Every experience I have with this dance just reinforces just how amazing and powerful it is. Even with its' immense growth in popularity lately, I still think it is one of the worlds's best kept secrets. If only all women could have the experience of having an instant community of other women who accept them, encourage them and support them--can you imagine how different our relationships with other women would be? There are so few places that we as women in this culture can get together, support one another, look our best and have a great time. I recently participated in a national teacher training for an amazing program called SEEDS (Self Esteem and Education through Dance). It is an innovative program that is the brain-child of my teacher Myra Krien. The program was created seven years ago for young women aged 15-18 to participat in a 9-month program (1 full school-year) geared toward teaching them valuable life skills. The heart of the program is learning to dance American Tribal Style Belly Dance. The details and benefits of the program are too far-reaching to even begin to explain here, but needless to say, it is and AMAZING program. The program gives young women experiences and knowledge that are vital to their survival in this day and age and I would encourage anyone who has any interest in working with young women to attend a training. Thank you Myra for giving this gift to the world.

lost and found

rachaelgollub — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 02:19:13 GMT

It seems that as soon as I feel as though everything is falling apart in my life, everything suddenly sorts itself out. I don't know if this is a good thing, or if it just leaves me in a perpetual state of confusion. Today is my lovely mother's birthday. She is sixty today, although you would never know it. I think she has found the fountain of youth--hormones (she is a physician specializing in women's health and menopause). She has so much ambition...like everyone else in my family. It makes it seem like I have none. But really I have no idea what I want, so how can one have ambition without direction. I am hoping that soon I will have a breakthrough, but I am beginning to realize that it is ultimately up to me. (Some epiphany, huh)

Where is my house?

rachaelgollub — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 17:46:33 GMT

When I was a year old my family moved from Albuquerque, NM to Silver City. As the story goes, I walked around our new house for several hours asking "Where ....is....my....house?" Since then, I have moved several times. Once with my family, the rest as a young adult. This past weekend I celebrated my twenty-third birthday in the Grand Canyon (literally in the canyon). We camped for two beautiful nights with the most breathtaking views (pictures do not do it justice). It was one of the best birthdays I can remember. It was wonderful to be back in Arizona, where I lived for the past three and a half years. I never thought it would seem like home, but it was strange how it really did feel like a homecoming. It seems I have been working my way westward. Now I am suddenly settled in California and it is almost as if I never even planned it. I am coming to realize that sense of place is important, but sense of self is essential.