What if the Universe was your dance partner, guiding you through every step of life? Discover how a private Bachata lesson unlocked unexpected wisdom.

Somewhere no one can see us

A private Bachata lesson in my attic? No way I could turn that down! I mean, it was ideal, not just because of my two left feet, but because of the generous dose of self-consciousness that I feel when it comes to partner dancing.

Honestly, taking that step into a dance studio is too much for me right now. The thought of stumbling over my own feet or stepping on my partner’s toes tends to win out over my curiosity and love for this music and dance.

So, after this topic had come up yet again in conversation, and a friend who had once seen me dance reassured me that I’d pick it up in no time, I gave in. “But only where no one can see us,” I insisted. So, my attic it was.

The steps aren’t hard

 After a bit of explanation, the music came on because, of course, dancing is learned best by doing. The steps came pretty quickly to me. Listen, I’m half Surinamese, so rhythm is no problem! The real challenge for me lay in following. Or more accurately, letting myself be led by my partner.

How hard can it be, you might ask? Very hard, if you’re not used to it!

As we danced, I noticed I was very much in my head, feeling like I had to know where we were going, what the next move would be. Or, even better, I wanted to have some say in it!

But no: “Just follow me,” he kept saying.

Dance class or lesson in following?

So it turned out that I wasn’t only learning the basic steps. I was also getting tips and tricks on how to make the dance between leading and following flow more naturally.

One lesson involved creating a solid frame together with my partner. If the frame is firm enough, I can feel which way he wants to go and he can guide me more easily.

To be honest, it worked. And while it’s nowhere near second nature yet, I left my first dance lesson with some valuable insights that parallel the art of letting go in life. Do you see them too:

1. Follow with Awareness
   As long as I want to hold the reins, things go wrong. Dancing flows so much better when I give myself over to his lead. There can’t be two captains of the same ship. He leads, I follow, end of story.

2. Trust
If, for whatever reason, you can’t trust your partner, the dance becomes clumsy. The flow is lost. To surrender to someone’s lead, you need to trust that they have your best interests at heart and know what they’re doing.

3. Stay Connected
If you keep a strong hold on the person guiding you, you can feel the subtle signals: going left here, turning there, moving backward. The moment you loosen that connection, you miss most of those signals. So, the key: stay connected.

4. Enjoy
The most important part of dancing is simply to enjoy it! Have fun, be playful, and don’t take it all so seriously. And wow, did I enjoy those few hours. Who knew that dancing, even when you’re just starting out, could be this much fun?

Life parallels

That evening, lying in bed reflecting on my first Bachata lesson, I began to see connections to my journey over the past few years. I had been transitioning from a place of needing control, operating strictly on logic and willpower, working hard, and not fully enjoying things. Let’s just say it was a dance that wasn’t flowing.

Now I’m learning to surrender to the guidance of Above.

I’ve come to experience that life feels so much lighter and more enjoyable when I release control and trust fully in the guidance that flows through my life.

A message from Above

So it was that, for just one evening, the Universe took on the form of my dance partner and taught me that I am allowed to follow, consciously, without needing to know every step that is to come. The path unfolds as I walk it. I can follow it, step by step.

It also showed me that I can trust the Universe completely, that it has my best interests at heart, will catch me when I lose balance, and that the dances it has in store for me are beyond any dream I could imagine.

It reminded me to stay connected so that I can pick up on the many signals that are being sent. The signposts are there at nearly every turn, but if I’m out of sync with Source, I’ll keep missing them.

Finally, it taught me that it’s all about enjoying the process. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey itself. How sad would it be not to savor that to the fullest?

The perfect affirmation

The Universe wouldn’t be the Universe without giving me a little boost, a pat on the back that instantly calms any self-doubt and makes it disappear.

As a cherry on top, after a night of dancing, it gave me one last message through my dance partner. A message that I now pass on to you dear one, because you’re reading this for a reason:

You have no reason at all to feel insecure, you’re doing AMAZING!