The intention of this book is to inspire men & women to enhance their self-awareness, to overcome common health problems and improve their health and general wellbeing through the ancient art of the belly dance. It helps readers to understand how the body works, the root causes of illness and how by taking up belly dancing it will help to stimulate the body's healing process, restore and enhance their appearance, revitalize, rejuvenate and help to promote a longer life expectancy and independence in old age.
This is the first volume devoted to the topic of dance and quality of life. Thirty-one chapters illuminate dance in relation to singular and overlapping themes of nature, philosophy, spirituality, religion, life span, learning, love, family, teaching, creativity, ability, socio-cultural identity, politics and change, sex and gender, wellbeing, and more. With contributions from a multi-generational group of artists, community workers, educators, philosophers, researchers, students and health professionals, this volume presents a thoughtful, expansive-yet-focused, and nuanced discussion of dance’s contribution to human life. The volume will interest dance specialists, quality of life researchers, and anyone interested in exploring dance’s contribution to quality of living and being.
An inspiring and charming book for women that teaches a wisely creative approach to bellydancing as a path to fulfillment. Learn how to create a dance practice that fosters health, happiness, and empowerment through an exploration of foundational movements, sensory exercises, and feminine archetypes. Lorran's fun and nurturing approach to bellydance combines ancient symbolism with various muses, to access new-world archetypes of womanhood. - Learn the sacred shapes of bellydance and their poetic gestures. - Enhance your senses for pleasure and perception. - Move all your body parts in playful and captivating ways. - Liberate your menstrual "genie" for balance and empowerment. - Connect to the Temptress, Mother, and Queen within you. - Become happy in your belly
Whether you're thin, curvy, short, tall, young, old, freckled, or brunette, you all desire to be beautiful, and guess what? You already are! In this lively and empowering book with DVD, renowned performing artists and dancers Neena and Veena will show you the fun, sensual, feminine way to become the person you want to be! Learn how to enhance your individuality and accentuate the positive. Discover how to tighten and tone your body, how to look and feel sexier, how to spice up your wardrobe, and how to take years off of your face and body. Make the most of what you've got and have a great time while you're doing it! You're about to begin a life makeover plan so enjoyable that you can actually stay on it for the rest of your life! Be all that you imagined you could be...and more!
Belly dance arises from an Eastern ethos of feeling, improvisation, and joy. However, it's hard for Western dancers to embody these principles, steeped as we are in an aesthetic of appearance, choreography, and spectacle. Yet there are surprising benefits to embracing the Eastern way, from health to happiness. This book shows you how.
"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.
Skinny Is Overrated is a guide to health and happiness for women of any size who are tired of dieting. Writing in a conversational and often humorous style, and backed by scientific research, Dr. Danielle Milano teaches us to make healthier food choices. She emphasizes the importance of exercise, assuring the reader that it isn't necessary to be a size two! With helpful, easy recipes and common sense advice, Dr. Milano's guidelines for simple lifestyle changes will help you lose weight, gain energy, and become a healthier, more confident you-as you were meant to be.
The Straight Scoop on the Questions That Make You Blush Why do I feel turned on when breastfeeding? Could an epidural paralyze me? Am I awful for feeling sad my baby isn’t the sex I’d hoped for? In this comprehensive new book, doula and birth educator Bailey Gaddis offers frank girlfriend talk and expert advice about pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood. During her own pregnancy, Bailey had many unanswered questions she felt were too taboo or embarrassing to ask. To help other women have a more informed, less cringey experience, she went on to train as a birth professional, and her work has inspired this book. Bailey consulted with medical experts and psychologists to ensure accurate answers to the featured questions, and she presents her sought-after expertise to you with thoughtfulness and humor. Her accurate, nonjudgmental answers to even the most embarrassing or scary questions will help guide you through pregnancy and the first weeks of motherhood with greater calm and confidence.
The Hot Mom's Handbook is the official guide to the "Hot Mom" movement and the ultimate resource for any mom who refuses to check her sense of style and sexuality at the white picket fence! This handbook tosses all those "mom" stereotypes right out the minivan window and reveals the eight secrets guaranteed to transform every mom into a Hot Mom! And just who is a Hot Mom? A Hot Mom is confident and empowered. A Hot Mom is a woman who meets the needs of her family but refuses to lose herself in the madness of motherhood. A Hot Mom is a woman of any age who knows how to take care of herself and has a whole lot of fun along the way! With insights from Jessica Denay's personal journey, this handbook holds lighthearted advice, stories, and quotes from unique and inspirational Hot Moms from all walks of life. Celebrity Hot Mom contributors include: Lauren Holly, Kelly Preston, Holly Robinson Peete, Kathie Lee Gifford, Carnie Wilson, Meredith Brooks and many more! "The Hot Mom's Handbook should be required reading for moms worldwide! Filled with empowerment, compassion, empathy and inspiration, Denay really does prove that blondes--oops, I mean MOMS--really do have more fun!" --Julie Watson Smith, Founder of Mommy Hullabaloo, Author of Mommyhood Diaries: Living the Chaos One Day at a Time There's a Hot mom inside each of us and it's possible to find 'her' with The Hot Mom's Handbook. Kudos to Jessica Denay for standing up against society's beliefs of motherhood and encouraging moms to realize that their lives did not end when they became a mother. Denay's writing inspires all mothers to be proud of the one title that can never be taken away." --Victoria Pericon (a.k.a. Savvy Mommy), Family Lifestyle "The Hot Mom's Handbook uplifts our maternal spirits, raises us above burned dinners and household chores to our higher selves, the people we've always been but have forgotten amidst the dirty laundry and mile-long list of commitments. It's all about moms and how we can live more powerful lives." --Christine Louise Hohlbaum, American author of Diary of a Mother and SAHM I Am: Tales of a Stay-at Home Mom in Europe "Inside every mother there's a Hot Mom just waiting to break free. The Hot Mom's Handbook is the perfect guide to unleash the sizzlin' babe within. So ditch the sweats, embrace your stretch marks, and be proud of who you are, a smokin' hot momma!" --Kathryn S. Mahoney, Author of Cracked at Birth: One Madcap Mom's Thoughts on Motherhood, Marriage and Burnt Meatloaf
A neuroscientist transforms the way we think about our brain, our health, and our personal happiness in this clear, informative, and inspiring guide—a blend of personal memoir, science narrative, and immediately useful takeaways that bring the human brain into focus as never before, revealing the powerful connection between exercise, learning, memory, and cognitive abilities. Nearing forty, Dr. Wendy Suzuki was at the pinnacle of her career. An award-winning university professor and world-renowned neuroscientist, she had tenure, her own successful research lab, prestigious awards, and international renown. That’s when to celebrate her birthday, she booked an adventure trip that forced her to wake up to a startling reality: despite her professional success, she was overweight, lonely, and tired and knew that her life had to change. Wendy started simply—by going to an exercise class. Eventually, she noticed an improvement in her memory, her energy levels, and her ability to work quickly and move from task to task easily. Not only did Wendy begin to get fit, but she also became sharper, had more energy, and her memory improved. Being a neuroscientist, she wanted to know why. What she learned transformed her body and her life. Now, it can transform yours. Wendy discovered that there is a biological connection between exercise, mindfulness, and action. With exercise, your body feels more alive and your brain actually performs better. Yes—you can make yourself smarter. In this fascinating book, Suzuki makes neuroscience easy to understand, interweaving her personal story with groundbreaking research, and offering practical, short exercises—4 minute Brain Hacks—to engage your mind and improve your memory, your ability to learn new skills, and function more efficiently. Taking us on an amazing journey inside the brain as never before, Suzuki helps us unlock the keys to neuroplasticity that can change our brains, or bodies, and, ultimately, our lives.
