The Dances of Universal Peace are simple, meditative, multi-cultural circle dances. They use movements, music, and sacred phrases from many traditions to help us touch and deepen the spiritual essence within ourselves and to experience spiritual harmony with others. Based on the work begun in the late 60s by American Sufi mystic Samuel L. Lewis, the dances promote peace and integration within individuals and groups worldwide. There are no performers nor audience. Prior experience is not necessary. Movements, words and melody for each dance are taught as if it is being danced for the first time. Particpants of all ages and physical abilities are welcome.
"Sam hears that his dances are now spreading like wildfire. He has no monopoly and no copyright... Heart calls to heart and soul to soul."
In the Garden from Diaries,
Dec 14, 1969.
The Dances of Universal Peace were first presented to the world in the late 1960's by Samuel L. Lewis (1896-1971), a Sufi Murshid (teacher) and Rinzai Zen Master, who also studied deeply in the mystical traditions of Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity. Lewis was deeply influenced by his contact and spiritual apprenticeship with two people: Hazrat Inayat Khan, who first brought the message of universal Sufism to the West in 1910, and Ruth St. Denis, a feminist pioneer in the modern dance movement in America and Europe.
Since their beginning, the Dances have spread throughout the world, touching more than a half million people in North and South America, Europe, the former Soviet Union, Japan, India, Pakistan, Israel, Australia, Africa and New Zealand. New grass-roots Dance circles are continually springing up around the globe, with about 200 circles meeting weekly or monthly in North America alone.
In addition to the Dance circles that meet regularly, the Dances of Universal Peace continue to evolve and expand to more areas: these Dances are led in schools, spiritual centers, churches, therapy groups, prisons, hospice houses, drug rehabilitation centers, homes for the developmentally disabled, retirement villages, holistic health centers, psychological conventions, weddings, other personal celebrations, peace gatherings and ecumenical worship celebrations. They have been presented at the Olympics, the World Parliament of Religions, and other ecumenical gatherings and conferences around the world. The Mentor Teachers Guild, with spiritual guidance from Pir Shabda Kahn, serves to guide the development and growth of dance leaders and to steward the transmission of the rich legacy Murshid Samuel Lewis left to the world.
2nd Sunday of the Month
The Dragon's Egg
401 Shewville Road, Ledyard, CT
6:00 - 8:00
4th Sunday of the Month
Blissworks Yoga Studio
228 State Street, New London, CT
6:00 - 8:00
Contact Shems & Walia Guillow
(860) 444-7817
smguillow@snet.net