Curious about Rhythm: Everyone Has One, What Is Yours?

“Life is like dancing. If we have a big floor, many people will dance. Some will get angry when the rhythm changes. But life is changing all the time.” - Miguel Angel Ruiz, Mexican author

“Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change - this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress.” - Bruce Barton, American author

I chose the theme of “Rhythm” for this week’s blog, because I not only experience it physically in my many fitness classes, but this past weekend I attended an interactive intensive conference filled with rhythm.

Each new section included fast, hot and lively music with the majority of the participants jumping, twisting, bouncing and basically moving with gusto. Bodies moved with many different rhythms as the room exploded with excitement and enthusiasm.

I started considering the part and parts rhythm plays in our lives, our activities and every project we are working on. Of course, there is a natural rhythm in the universe. But what about our own rhythm? Our days are dictated to through our rhythm(s) and do work a great deal more smoothly when we adhere to it or them.

Let’s consider some of the quotations I found:

• “An artist must possess Nature. He must identify himself with her rhythm, by efforts that will prepare the mastery which will later enable him to express himself in his own language.” - Henri Matisse, French artist
• “In Buddhism there are words you can say... as you say the words with rhythm the conscious tells the subconscious.” – Tina Turner, American musician
• “For me, shooting, editing, and scoring rely on rhythm.” - Donnie Yen, Chinese actor
• “Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” – Thomas Merton, French clergyman

And a few more:

• “Writing is a question of finding a certain rhythm. I compare it to the rhythms of jazz. Much of the time life is a sort of rhythmic progression of three characters. If one tells oneself that life is like that, one feels it less arbitrary.” - Francoise Sagan, French playwright
• “Florida has its own rhythm, too. People go to work, they watch their children learn and grow and start families of their own. They play in the sun and pass their lives enjoying the outsized blessings that make our state unique.” - Jeb Bush, American politician
• “Children seem naturally drawn to poetry - it's some combination of the rhyme, rhythm, and the words themselves.” - Jack Prelutsky, American poet
• “The two elements the traveler first captures in the big city are extra human architecture and furious rhythm. Geometry and anguish.” - Federico Garcia Lorca, Spanish poet
• “The essence of football was blocking, tackling, and execution based on timing, rhythm and deception.” - Knute Rockne, American coach

I will leave you with these to round out your upcoming week:

“I felt like I was losing the rhythm of my youth. So many things were happening at the same time. I started moving out of that scene so I could find some peace and experience other things without a bunch of people breathing down my neck.” - Laura Nyro, American musician

“Life is about rhythm. We vibrate, our hearts are pumping blood, we are a rhythm machine, that's what we are.” - Mickey Hart, American musician

I suggest that you examine your own rhythm. Are you working with it or against it? I submit to you that life will flow with ease when you are in harmony and dancing with your unique rhythm.

Have a prosperous and rhythmic week!