Other Pagan Belly Dancers? - Page 3

Farasha Hanem · 01-03-2010, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sita

Hiya,
Just to let you know Chryssanthi Sahar, a member and poster on that thread has her own site: Chryssanthi which includes more info on Greek Tsifteteli which you might find interesting.

My friend who is Wiccan is also drawn to the bellydance in the same way as you, so you're not alone.

Sita

Thank you very much for the link, Sita, and I agree with Shanazel, Walladah; more rep coming your way!

His_Einna · 01-03-2010, 10:27 AM

Woot! I'm home :-D Proud pagan, very into the Egyptian deities...Hathor/Sekhmet being my girl of choice. Very ecclectic (in every way possible) but I love the connection between my deity and my dancing.

walladah · 01-03-2010, 10:35 PM

that is the key phrase Zorba!
Thank you all for sharing this internal attitude to oriental dance - I do believe that earth and nature connection is common in all dances (even in ballet, but it is suppressed or given to the evil characters of ballet) and it is so strong a feature that has made most monotheist religions to ban dance!! and most people to consider dance inferior to other arts.

In Greece we call it the Dionysian element (Dionysus was a strange God, he was almighty=with power equal to 12 gods of Olympus but he despised his own power, so he preferred to dwell in forests along with wild animals and free women, called Mainads). In Spain it is called duende=elf (in Greek it would have been translated "daimonium", little God).

Shanazel · 01-03-2010, 10:53 PM

Terpsichore has long been my favorite muse and is the name of the Norfolk Island pine that has been our Christmas tree for many, many years. I love the idea of trees dancing.

Ahimsa · 01-04-2010, 09:14 AM

Well, I don't like to define myself by a religion, but I have very Pagan beliefs. The nature based spirituality is what I feel very connected to and I feel belly dance ties in nicely with my beliefs. I am particularly interested in the idea of expressing the elements in my dance; fire (shamadan, candles), air (veil) and so on. I also feel the group dancing and drumming together really builds the energy and when you finish you feel like you want to scream and clap!

I have also wanted to include my spirituality in my costume; I had a great idea for my air costume with double veil. I was going to replicate a dragonfly, with feathers attached to the bra cup as a symbol for air. Maybe i'll attach my pics as I construct it!

LunaXJJ · 01-05-2010, 09:52 PM

Thanks for all the wonderful replies everyone.

Einna - I imagine that someone with a connection to the Egyptian deities would find belly dance to be a great way to feel in tune to them =]

mahsati_janan · 01-05-2010, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shanazel

Well, the pagans are certainly coming out of the woodwork here (so to speak). Maybe one of these days we'll be recognized as having equal rights to the mainstream religions, and no pagan who dies for the USA will be refused the right to have a pagan symbol placed on a gravestone at Arlington. That little bit of bigotry still rankles with me.

There is currently at least one headstone with a wiccan symbol in the Arlington cemetery:
Wiccans dedicate grave at Arlington | Stars and Stripes
Authorized Emblems

Dance can be a wonderful way to connect to your spirituality if you feel drawn to it. Good luck in your journey!

Shanazel · 01-06-2010, 01:01 AM

Thank you for listing that link. I have often wondered about the state of thigns since the first pagan symbol was requested a number of years ago. The lawsuit re: use of pagan symbols at Arlington settled in May of 2007. The government did not go quietly and gracefully into recognizing the religious rights of those who don't belong to a "recognized" religion- there had to be a fight.

Quote:

Deanna’s tombstone is one of two in the cemetery bearing the symbol; Pfc. Abe Kooiman, a World War II veteran who died in 2002, also left instructions to have his headstone marked once a Wiccan symbol was approved. Fox said at least four other veterans have also had the symbol etched into memorial plaques since the lawsuit was settled.

mahsati_janan · 01-06-2010, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shanazel

Thank you for listing that link. I have often wondered about the state of thigns since the first pagan symbol was requested a number of years ago. The lawsuit re: use of pagan symbols at Arlington settled in May of 2007. The government did not go quietly and gracefully into recognizing the religious rights of those who don't belong to a "recognized" religion- there had to be a fight.

You're welcome - I thought I remembered reading about it before. They don't have all of the options available, but they have at least become a bit more inclusive

nightdancer · 01-06-2010, 01:53 AM

Pagan as well.

Shanazel,

I was at Arlington a few months ago. There are pagan symbols on some of the headstones. I will PM you the link to my daughter's photo album so that you can see it.

I lean towards Athena, as she's presented herself in myself in multiple ways. I am not an overly dedicated and deliberate pagan, but Athena symbolizes the traits that I have come to value in my life, as she is the goddess of wisdom, war, industry, justice and skill.

01-03-2010, 10:35 PM	#23 (permalink)
walladah Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Greece Posts: 133	"work in a Wiccan environment" that is the key phrase Zorba! Thank you all for sharing this internal attitude to oriental dance - I do believe that earth and nature connection is common in all dances (even in ballet, but it is suppressed or given to the evil characters of ballet) and it is so strong a feature that has made most monotheist religions to ban dance!! and most people to consider dance inferior to other arts. In Greece we call it the Dionysian element (Dionysus was a strange God, he was almighty=with power equal to 12 gods of Olympus but he despised his own power, so he preferred to dwell in forests along with wild animals and free women, called Mainads). In Spain it is called duende=elf (in Greek it would have been translated "daimonium", little God).

01-04-2010, 09:14 AM	#25 (permalink)
Ahimsa Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Essex, UK Posts: 64	Well, I don't like to define myself by a religion, but I have very Pagan beliefs. The nature based spirituality is what I feel very connected to and I feel belly dance ties in nicely with my beliefs. I am particularly interested in the idea of expressing the elements in my dance; fire (shamadan, candles), air (veil) and so on. I also feel the group dancing and drumming together really builds the energy and when you finish you feel like you want to scream and clap! I have also wanted to include my spirituality in my costume; I had a great idea for my air costume with double veil. I was going to replicate a dragonfly, with feathers attached to the bra cup as a symbol for air. Maybe i'll attach my pics as I construct it! __________________ *Ahimsa x*

01-05-2010, 09:52 PM	#26 (permalink)
LunaXJJ Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NY Posts: 187	Thanks for all the wonderful replies everyone. Einna - I imagine that someone with a connection to the Egyptian deities would find belly dance to be a great way to feel in tune to them =] __________________ "Rhythm is a dancer, it's a soul's companion, you can feel it everywhere."

01-03-2010, 10:27 AM	#22 (permalink)
His_Einna Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: A teeny tiny england town Posts: 81	Woot! I'm home :-D Proud pagan, very into the Egyptian deities...Hathor/Sekhmet being my girl of choice. Very ecclectic (in every way possible) but I love the connection between my deity and my dancing.

01-03-2010, 10:53 PM	#24 (permalink)
Shanazel Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rocky Mountains USA Posts: 8,572	Terpsichore has long been my favorite muse and is the name of the Norfolk Island pine that has been our Christmas tree for many, many years. I love the idea of trees dancing.

01-06-2010, 01:53 AM	#30 (permalink)
nightdancer Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Below the Mason-Dixon Posts: 775	Pagan as well. Shanazel, I was at Arlington a few months ago. There are pagan symbols on some of the headstones. I will PM you the link to my daughter's photo album so that you can see it. I lean towards Athena, as she's presented herself in myself in multiple ways. I am not an overly dedicated and deliberate pagan, but Athena symbolizes the traits that I have come to value in my life, as she is the goddess of wisdom, war, industry, justice and skill.