Grandmother's Secrets : The Ancient Rituals and Healing Power of Belly Dancing

"Come, sit by me," says Grandmother. "Take this chalk in your hand. Now draw a dot and concentrate all your energy into this one dot. It is the beginning and the end, the navel of the world." So Fawzia Al-Rawi describes her grandmother's first lesson about the ancient craft of Oriental dance. Grandmother's Secretsalways circles back to this grandmother and this young girl, echoing the circular movements of the dance itself. Al-Rawi has written a strikingly graceful and original book that blends personal memoir with the history and theory of the dance known in the West as "belly dancing." It is the story of a young Arab girl as she is initiated into womanhood. It is a history of the dance from the earliest times through the days of the Pharaohs, the Roman Empire, to the Arab world of the last three centuries. It is a personal investigation into the effects of the dance's movements on individual parts of the body and the whole psyche. It is a guide to the actual techniques of the dance for those who are inspired to put down the book and move. Al-Rawi conveys in this book not only the history and technique of grieving and mourning dances, pregnancy and birth dances, but the spirit of these age-old rituals, and their possibilities for healing and empowering women today. Come, Sit Next To Me, Says Grandmother. Take This Chalk In Your Hand. Now Draw A Dot And Concentrate All Your Energy Into This One Dot. It Is The Beginning And The End, The Navel Of The World. So Fawzia Al-rawi Describes Her Grandmother's First Lesson About The Ancient Craft Of Oriental Dance. Grandmother's Secrets Always Circles Back To The Grandmother And This Young Girl, Echoing The Circular Movements Of The Dance Itself. Al-rawi Has Written A Strikingly Graceful And Original Book That Blends Personal Memoir With The History And Theory Of Her Dance Known In The West As Belly Dancing. It Is The Story Of A Young Arab Girl As She Is Initiated Into Womanhood. It Is A History Of The Dance From The Earliest Times Through The Days Of The Pharoahs, The Roman Empire, To The Arab World Of The Last Three Centuries. It Is A Personal Investigation Into The Effects Of The Dance's Movements On Individual Parts Of The Body And The Whole Psyche. It Is A Guide To The Actual Techniques Of The Dance For Those Who Are Inspired To Put Down The Book And Move. Al-rawi Conveys In This Book Not Only The History And Technique Of Grieving And Mourning Dances, Pregnancy And Birth Dances, But The Spirit Of These Age-old Rituals, And Their Possibilities For Healing And Empowering Women Today. Foreword. -- Part One: How It All Began. -- In The Beginning Was A Child. -- The Ancestral Call. -- Have No Fear, Sister. -- Seeing Feet. -- Good Morning, Mystery. -- The Tale Of Giving And Taking. -- The Magic Kitchen. -- In The Garden Of Thoughts. -- The Other Garden. -- Grandfather, The Quiet Warrior. -- The Dancing Heart. -- Oh, The Ball!. -- A Women's World. -- Blood Flows. -- The Great Celebration. -- My New World. -- Part Two: A History Of Women's Dancing. -- Primitive Peoples And Dancing. -- Dancing In The First Advanced Civilizations. -- The Greeks. -- The Romans. -- Christianity. -- The Middle Ages. -- The Arab World. -- The Bourgeoisie. -- Industrial Times. -- The Present Day. -- Mother Belly. -- In Praise Of Dancing. -- Belly Dancing. -- The Basics Of Belly Dancing. -- Part Three: From Head To Toe. -- Hold Your Head Like A Queen (the Head). -- The Ocean Of The Soul (the Eyes). -- The Gateway To The Soul (the Ears). -- Fragrance, Take Me Back From Whence I Came! (the Nose). -- Serpents In The Wind (the Arms). -- Giving Is The Source Of Receiving (the Hands). -- The Breath Of Divinity Lies In Your Breast (the Breast). -- Meekness Rests Proudly On Your Shoulders (the Shoulders). -- When Your Hips Are Circling, The Whole Universe Swings Along. -- (the Hips). -- The Snake Of Spontaneity Is Coiled In The Pelvis (the Pelvis). -- As Full As The Moon, As Soft As Clouds In The Wind (the. -- Belly). -- The Pillars Of The Temple (the Legs). -- Hold My Feet, Mother And Give Me Strength (the Feet). -- Part Four: Variations And Rituals. -- The Floor Dance. -- The Stick Dance. -- The Veil Dance. -- Walking And Whirling. -- The Menstruation Dance (rahil). -- The Wedding Dance. -- The Birth Dance. -- The Trance Dance. -- The Mourning Dance. -- Epilogue. -- Works Cited. -- Endnotes By Rosina-fawzia Al-rawi ; Translated By Monique Arav. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 155-156) And Index. "Come, sit next to me," says Grandmother. "Take this chalk in your hand. Now draw a dot and concentrate all your energy into this one dot. It is the beginning and the end, the navel of the world." So Fawzia Al-Rawi describes her grandmother's first lesson about the ancient craft of Oriental dance. Grandmother's Secrets always circles back to the grandmother and this young girl, echoing the circular movements of the dance itself. Al-Rawi has written a strikingly graceful and original book that blends personal memoir with the history and theory of her dance known in the West as "belly dancing." It is the story of a young Arab girl as she is initiated into womanhood. It is a history of the dance from the earliest times through the days of the Pharaohs, the Roman Empire, to the Arab World of the last three centuries. It is a personal investigation into the effects of the dance's movements on individual parts of the body and the whole psyche. It is a guide to the actual techniques of the dance for those who are inspired to put down the book and move. Al-Rawi conveys in this book not only the history and technique of grieving and mourning dances, pregnancy and birth dances, but the spirit of these age-old rituals, and their possibilities for healing and empowering women today ""Come, sit by me, "" says Grandmother. ""Take this chalk in your hand. Now draw a dot and concentrate all your energy into this one dot. It is the beginning and the end, the navel of the world.""So Fawzia Al-Rawi describes her grandmother's first lesson about the ancient craft of Oriental dance. Grandmother's Secrets always circles back to this grandmother and this young girl, echoing the circular movements of the dance itself. Al-Rawi has written a strikingly graceful and original book that blends personal memoir with the history and theory of the dance known in the West as " "When I look back on my childhood, four characters catch my inner eye: my grandmother, my grandfather, and the two pillars of my childhood: Adiba and Amina."