Love Your Buddha Belly!
By Magali Penoel 2007©
Edited by Julia Fearon
Featuring the healthy belly with egyptian belly dancing.
While western civilizations have identified the very essence of our being in our brain, ancient civilizations have always focused their attention on the belly. May it be in China, Africa or India, the belly or “hara” has always been seen as our vital centre. A Buddha belly, bulging, was seen as a sign of good health.
Why Egyptian Belly Dancing?
There are many different types of belly dancing from Egyptian style to Moroccan, Turkish, Lebanese, Cabaret, Tribal style... not all forms of belly dancing have the same impact healthwise.
Magali was trained in Egyptian belly dancing in 1999 and has used this art form to unleash the mind body and spirit. The focus is on natural moves, aligning the spine with the neck, keeping the tail-bone down, dancing bare foot and letting the belly bulge.
When the word belly dancing is mentioned it triggers exotic thoughts from veiled women dancing in the harem of the Arabic Sultans to attractive ladies in clubs hired for the night to entertain a predominantly male audience.
However, beyond those stereotypes, belly dancing has its own deep and profound history which can be traced back to Egypt millennia ago, where, reportedly, dancing in those days was about celebrating the spiritual part within each of us.
Egyptian belly dancing brings both physical and emotional benefits for health. For example:
Egyptian Belly dancing moves are centered in the pelvic or abdominal area and it combines muscle control with relaxation, it is therefore a form of exercice which is beneficial for all individuals regardless of body type, age, size, gender or age.
This dance is based on natural moves and does not deform the skeleton.
Men are particularly prone to lower back problems. By doing Egyptian belly dancing they can alleviate lower back problems going through circles, figure of eights and hip drops. For the older person, Egyptian belly dancing, a weight bearing form of dance is an ideal way to fight osteoporosis .As for teenage girls or women suffering from premenstrual syndrome, the undulations and shimmies can relieve pain as the moves increase circulation in the pelvic area. Women who wish to be pregnant will find that using their pelvic floor muscles is crucial since it supports the bladder, uterus and rectum. It is therefore an excellent form of prenatal exercice aiding the birth process.
People who suffer from low self-esteem, anxiety or stress find that exotic music, sparkling veils and hip scarf lift their spirits up.
Those who are looking for a form of exercice more fun than the gym will be delighted to learn that Egyptian belly dancing not only can burn up to 300 calories per hour but also tones the internal organs, waistline and stomach muscles.
Unlike health magazines which promote the six pack belly as being the ultimate healthy belly, Egyptian belly dancing allows you to love your belly the way it is and does not encourage the flat belly or six pack belly as it might prevent the diaphragm from expanding fully, thus impairing total breathing. The abdomen needs to be relaxed and flexible.
A healthy belly starts from within and is much more than having six packs. It is time to love our Belly, love ourselves and learn to embrace a healthy Buddha belly.
For more information email bellydancing88@hotmail.com
