Dancing with Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering

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After that first meeting, I returned to Rishikesh many times to study with Balyogi. And, for years, I practiced the teachings such that I had a direct experience with what Balyogi was pointing me toward. When I was ready, I shared my experiences of these teachings with experienced meditation students on a limited basis. Many students found them to be of great value and asked for more in-depth exposure. Due to this student response and at Balyogi’s urging, I resolved to write a thorough explanation of my own understandings of consciousness that have arisen from working with these teachings. Moffitt wholeheartedly believes that it is mindfulness that allows us to set intentions through understanding what matters most (your values). Being grounded in intention and aligning one’s actions to those intentions “as best you are able is what provides integrity and unity in your life” (clarity). Three types of happiness: progressive (conditions are right), happy during challenging times, and well-being that is full realization ("nirvana"). Like Phillip Moffitt who left Esquire, and the industry, in 1987 after an apparently stressful stint as CEO and editor-in-chief, to devote himself to what he calls “the inner life.” In the two decades since, he has been ordained a Buddhist priest and, in 1991, founded the Life Balance Institute, a non-profit organization devoted to the study and practice of spiritual values. (He didn’t leave the industry altogether. From 1998 to 2005 he penned a bi-monthly column for Yoga Journal called “Dharma Wisdom.”)

Keep beginner's mind at all times. The "I" no longer dominates. How can you add more to your teacup if it is already perfectly full? As part of the program, researchers surveyed 330 people after they had taken about 8-10 weeks of dance classes. The majority of participants agreed that the program helped them improve their well-being and energy and make new friends. Many of them appreciated that dance could help them express themselves creatively and stay fit and healthy.

4. Dance helps us stay young

Again, dance seems to help with depression above and beyond just exercising or listening to music. In a 2007 study, 31 psychiatric patients with depression were split into three groups who danced to music, just listened to music, or rode on an exercise bike for three minutes. The first group danced to “Hava Nagila,” a joyful, upbeat song that involves holding hands and jumping. (The researchers actually chose this dance because there’s evidence that people who are depressed tend to move less vertically.) Phillip Moffitt’s life is right out of that classic story in which a financially successful man — one who seemingly has it all — realizes he needs something more. Dancing With Life is divided into four books—one for each of the Four Noble Truths—each containing three insights. The Venerable Ajahn Sumedho, who wrote the preface to Dancing with Life, writes that “. . . the lucid way in which Phillip has written about how to actualize the twelve insights is a real achievement.” What is this book doing, all hiding in the corner of Audible for the past three years with only one other posted review?! 'Dancing with Life' is a true orchid: a well-written, reasonable-length book from a credible author that stimulates reflection and means for self-improvement in the reader for years to come. Simply put, the book is a treatise of Buddhism's Four Noble Truths. You needn't be Buddhist to take to heart these teachings:

Dance may have been an important human behavior evolved to encourage social closeness between strangers,” write Bronwyn Tarr and her coauthors. Ellie, who reportedly split with her ex in May amid rumours of cheating, is said to be smitten with Vito, who she admitted to Closer magazine was now "part of her family" and loves her mum's cooking...Strictly stars Ellie and Vito have been surrounded by rumours of a romance ever since the show started. If life is going to dance with you, then what kind of dance partner do you wish to be? Finding a way to be at ease with the dance itself is a crucial skill in finding freedom and meaning in life.
Dancing with Life teaches you how to move from suffering to joy in your life.

The ego knows how to fight to survive--it does so through desire. It doesn't like the thought of death and consoles itself with instant gratification, fame or even suicidal thoughts ("if I can't win, I don't want to play"). Three different dukkhas: physical/emotional pain, constant change, and life's complex compositional nature. Phillip Moffitt has given us a clear and practical guide to dealing with the unhappiness and frustration that come our way in life. He leads us on a path of connection rather than isolation, and compassion rather than fruitless anger and self-judgment. Everyone could benefit from reading this book.” —Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of HappinessIn a 2007 study, 60 elderly Brazilians took ballroom dance classes for a year. The classes covered a wide range of swing, waltz, salsa, tango, and other styles of music. Based on open-ended questionnaires, people reported that dance improved their balance, flexibility, and coordination, and made them feel playful and relaxed. Not only did dance remind them of their youth, but it also helped them reconnect with Brazilian culture. There are several reasons why grooving makes us feel so fabulous. The potent mix of biological, social and cognitive stimulation that happens when we dance creates the perfect emotional martini. It’s a couple of measures of brain-juice, one of social bonding and a half measure of clear thinking, with a twist. Dancing to music is a great way to overcome these negative feelings because both the physical exercise and the emotional response to the music can lead to the release of dopamine in different parts of the brain. As dopamine levels go up, we can shake off some of those negative feelings and float towards euphoria. Suggestion: In dyads, have each person state what the term imaginative possible means to them and describe one or more such moments in their life. Have each person answer the question: What prevents you from opening to possibility more fully in your life?