The light of women

Spring is coming. It started last night, I think, with my five rhythms dance class. My friend told me she thought that I would 'get it' - and I did.

We arrived to a dimly lit church that seemed empty and rather scary - organ music playing softly. Slowly, one by one, the rich red carpet filled with women's bodies, stretching, relaxing and twisting. After a half hour or so, a little encouragement from the leader to start standing up and a sprinkle of nervousness (me peeking with one open eye at the other women around), I was twirling and whirling my way around a beautiful old church in South London. These beautiful women, each dancing to her own beat, filled the vast space with happiness (and a whole array of other emotions) - I don't think I've ever seen so many shining smiling faces in one space. After about an hour and a half, we finished - exhausted, sweaty and meditationally zenned-out - by sitting in a large circle, perhaps 70 of us all holding hands, with a candle in the centre. I felt absolute balance.

To acknowledge the arrival of spring, I retrieved spring clothes from storage this morning. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, this part of the world is warming up. Tonight it's the full moon and we're cycling to a nice part of town to take some photos, if we can, to capture her brightness and fullness.

Light comes in many forms and many shades.