“When I go into something”, says Shih Fu Anya Devi, “I want
to go 100%. I want to get the transmission of the lineage.” Anya says that’s one theme running through
everything she does. “When I think about all the modalities that I do – yoga,
meditation, Indian classical dance, flamenco dance, Tai Chi, Qi Gong – all require
discipline, dedication and a certain humility. I’ve chosen modalities and
classical art forms that require lifetimes to master.”
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| Anya at Lunar New Year 2014 |
“It’s not about being perfect,” she says. Instead she asks,
“How do I learn from the mistakes?”
“My very first dance guru said, ‘If you are not making
mistakes you are not really in it.’ You have to take that risk. Her thing was
take the word try out of your
vocabulary. Just do. I used to say, ‘I’m trying
to remember.’ My guru said, ‘Eliminate it from your vocabulary. Just do. There
will come a day when you are living and breathing your dance. It will be coming
in your dreams.’”
In her 20s, Anya studied and travelled in India, Thailand
and Bali. She began classical Indian dance training in 1994 at the age of 26.
She was considered over the hill, too old to begin a classical form. Ten years
into the training she started remembering choreography in her sleep. She began
remembering things that she hadn’t practiced a long time.
“They just came back to me. I learned that the more I’m
trying, with conscious egoic self, the less success I have with it. Obviously
we have to put some effort into our practice. But there’s a vast difference
between efforting and trying and allowing.”
Anya identifies as a Type Four in the Enneagram. Type Fours
are known as The Individualist.
“Even as a child I was a straight A, perfectionist,
performer kid and I wanted to be unique and different. For me, the element of
perfection and beauty and precision has always intrigued me. I struggle with trying. It’s a more yang aspect that is
the masculine energy of the doing, instead of being.”
“Now that I’m 46, it’s becoming easier, and yet it is still
every bit as challenging. When learning new stuff I still slip into that yang trying. The more I can just allow my
body to surrender to the movements, I can drop into a deeper place.”
Anya illustrates this in her practice of Thai massage.
Starting in 1994, she travelled to Chiang Mai, Thailand to study with Ajarn Pichest
Boonthume.
“Thai massage has precision. Now, I’m embarking on my next
trip, unlearning technique. I’m deprogramming all I know. It’s a deeper level
of knowing-ness beyond form. It’s Wu Chi - Formless Form. I’m learning to
practice Thai massage using intuition to facilitate bhava, (a devotional state or mood of ecstasy) and Metta
(loving-kindness) which
is the state my teacher embodies with Thai bodywork AND the relationship with bhava and duende. It is the embodiment of living the practice."
In flamenco dance, Anya says, this same state is known as duende, a heightened state of
emotion, expression and authenticity. “That refers to a place that we go
emotionally beyond the dance form itself. What I’m arriving at in all these
forms, what I aspire to, is the space beyond the form that conveys an emotional
message to both the audience and to me as the channel and conduit of the art
form. And ultimately, of course, the bliss.”
On Competition
Anya is pictured here at the 4th Annual 'Golden Gate" Chinese Martial Arts
Championship where she won both gold and silver medals in
Open Hand and Tai Chi Sword forms. “Next
time,” she says with a smile, “I want to get all gold medals! All of these
things that I do are wonderful. And they are also opportunities for growth, or
for more ego. I work with humility. Doing my best and then letting go of
results. In the yoga path, they talk about karma yoga: Serve and don’t be
attached to the fruits of the service or outcome. That is my life’s work.”
On Teaching
“It’s almost a necessity for me to teach. It’s the
expression of how I’ve embodied the form. It is not necessarily mastery. I’m
humble enough to say that it will be lifetimes for perfection. Teaching gives me
the opportunity to enjoy each form and develop my communication skills by imparting
it to students. I teach Yoga, dance, Tai Chi and massage.”
"Also as I get older, I want to move more into teaching, instead
of just doing. For my livelihood, this feels like a good future path.”
Her advice to students? “Just to go in with a blank mind as
much as possible. Do not try to
figure it out. Be in the essence and do your best. Be open to receiving the
information.”
Coming Home to Nevada
County
Anya settled in Nevada County in 2000, consciously choosing to
make her life here. “With that decision comes a lot of responsibility.” she
says. “For me it’s the responsibility not only of maintaining my practices, but
of using my whole life as practice. Running a business Sacred Shakti Healing Arts,
creating a beautiful home, having a garden, having a wonderful social
connection with the community and still carving out alone time.”
“The danger in having so many modalities is in dispersing
too much energy and not being effective at anything. In India, they only do one
thing in their whole lifetime, such as devotion to yoga or singing. Being a
California girl, I’ve taken on four or five modalities. It is my life. My life’s
love and passion.”
“My favorite quote from the Tao Te Ching is ‘The Tao does
nothing and yet nothing is left undone.” It’s a total paradox to me in the
human world of duality and time and space. I want to let people know that it’s
a struggle. Even having all these dedications and disciplines I still struggle
with that personally.”
“I believe I came in this lifetime with some specific
responsibility to transform suffering and understand the human condition.”
“These practices keep me sane. If I look at what’s going on
in the world situation, it is easy to become overwhelmed, scared and insecure.
These practices help me maintain sanity, inner peace and wellbeing. They help
me find the calm inside of the chaos.”
Thanks to Anya Devi for telling her
story to Shih Fu Catherine. We've noticed that Body Balance
students are resourceful, caring, connected people who cultivate chi wherever
they go. We want to tell your story, too. Email Shih Fu Catherine at cstifter2@gmail.com. Look for these stories on our blog Streaming Chi. And on our Facebook page.
