Advanced Practices for the Dance of Shiva

Formulae for Freedom is a book about The Dance of Shiva.

Formulae for Freedom contains four, eight and sixteen movement algorithms that repeat four times. For those familiar with the level 3 algorithm, these formula are similiar in that they have to be repeated four times for the arms to return to the starting posiiton. They are dissimiliar in that none of them use the "mirror" move. Instead these formula use any one of the 64 possible pairs of movements of the Dance of Shiva.

The basic movements for each arm include a Zero move, Forwards, Backwards, Transquarter, Change, Change Forwards, Change Backwards and finally a Change Transquarter. With both arms able to move independently of the other this gives us a total of 8x8 or 64 possible movement combinations. These 64 movements allow us to join any one of the 64 positions of the dance of shiva to any of the other positions.

The movements include a zero movement where the arms do not move. This movement is included so that any position can also be connected to itself

Knowing the full array of positions and the full array of movements that connect these positions to each other we have part of the understanding required to develop algorithms of any number of moves that take the arms through the positions in any way that we like. So that there is some order, the algorithms in this PDF each include unique movements. They are all different. As a result we can practice them all and in each of them practice completely different pairs of movements. In addition I've structured the PDF so that we can add algorithms together. Four movements algorithms are added together to create eight move algorithms and eigth move algorithms are glued together to form sixteen move algorithms that repeat four times.

While this may be daunting and exciting at the same time, this structure allows us to learn the bigger algorithms a little bit at time. I've also included "elements," that is the movements of each algorithm separated out of the algorithm so that we can practice them solo. Then once they are learned we can practice them in the context of the algorithm itself.

While this pdf has been designed with the advance practitioner in mind I have included pictures of all of the positions as well as pictures of the movements so that beginners may benefit from this pdf also.

What are the benefits of this method of practicing the Dance of Shiva? There are no levels, there are simply movements. Instead of thinking that level 3 is harder than level 2, we simply learn more and more moves increasing our range of possibility and our freedom. The more movements we learn and get comfortable with the more freedom with have. And if we break new sets of movements down into their component parts they become easy to learn no matter what the "level."

It's like building a house. As we get higher we simply build higher scaffolding and lay more bricks. Provided our foundation is firm and solid we can continue to learn and continue to grow.

More Information About the Dance of Shiva...