Thai Dance: Another Mindfulness Practice!

How can we separate among culture, belief and the truth?

This was the question that the speaker in TEDxBangkok threw us.

In Thailand, it is rude that person uses his feet or shoe for other’s head. He must not even throw the shoe above people’s head

but this really occurred. The speaker asked one of the audiences to throw it to the stage.

The speaker said “Not appropriate, right? Some elders may be angry. Let me ask you. What are you angry? What? ”

That time I as well as other listeners become fascinated in his rebellious point! You could be angry and come up with the reason that I am the nobel. I am older than you, so you must respect me by not using anythings that lower than head.

This is the cultural reason we should eliminate.

Here is the “truth” you could come up…”hey, the shoe is dirty. It might fall to other’s head and get hurt.”

That is the reason you should come up.

You see the problem of the cultural reason and belief. They are hindrance to see the truth. It is a pity that they cover the truth which is sometime much more beautiful than them.

Thai Dance is the same. It has been considered as the old-fashioned. If you ask Thai Dancer “Why do you perform Thai Dance?” I am sure that they will be angry and reply to you “you are the foreigner. This is the pride of Thailand. You have no idea about it. It has been passed by many generations, so you must respect it.”

What???

and that is the cultural reason that shame Thai Dance.

The truth is that Thai dance is nothing but similar to Yoga and Tai Chi. Thai dance can keep your life energy vivid and fresh! If Thai Dancer throws away his Thai cultural dress, the dancing shape will be like the two connected line moving.

Thai Dance was designed and inspired by Lord Buddha whose poses and positions reflects the deep understanding in the energy movement and connection. Sorry that I cannot put the slide the speaker showed. Let me put the Thai Dance video instead. Focus on the movement not the dress. You will be surprised by “the truth”.

The speaker danced in this video. Hope you can drop any cultural condition and act authentically.