This Meetup is for anyone who likes to dance, sing, and learn about and celebrate the world's spiritual traditions while enlivening the heart and awakening the spirit!

The Dances of Universal Peace are simple, meditative, joyous, multi-cultural circle dances using sacred phrases from the world’s spiritual traditions, joined with live music and movement, to create embodied prayers that allow us to touch the spiritual essence within ourselves, and recognize it in others.

Celebrating our interconnectivity in furtherance of the cause of peace and understanding, this multi-faith meditation of body, mind, and spirit enlivens awareness of the essential unity we share.

Circling to share and explore, uplift, and celebrate the essential unity of the people of all cultures, we embody prayer through movement, walk, chant, and song. Participants report that these joyous, easy-to-learn dances serve as a transformative spiritual practice, opening the heart, bringing joy, meditative awareness, a feeling of community, and a deep sense of peace.

The Dances of Universal Peace are as old as human history. Representing an ancient lineage, they emerged in their current form and name in the early and middle 20th century, grounded in the teachings of Indian Sufi Hazrat Inayat Khan and his American student, interfaith mystic Samuel L. Lewis. The Dances (also known as "Sufi Dancing") have since spread all over the world with more than 1,000 Dance Leaders guiding circles in 35 countries and are a living celebration of the “Unity of Religious Ideals” that exists at the core of all spiritual and wisdom traditions.

Embody your commitment to justice, non-violence, and peace with this moving meditation and body prayer practice that honors and celebrates the beauty and truth immanent in all beings. Come sing and dance with new and familiar friends from all faiths and creeds, recognizing and feeling the sacred heart connection that unites us all. The Dances help us cultivate inner compassion, awareness, openness and acceptance, which foster a lived theology or ethic of peace, inspiring outer action toward nonviolence, understanding and care for all of creation.

Earth-centered dances are an important part of the Dance tradition and help us integrate this wisdom at a deep level. The simple yet radical act of becoming more present, grounded in, and aware of our bodies through breath, voice and movement facilitates within us a deep spiritual knowing that reveals and honors our unity with Mother Earth and all beings. The Dances by their very nature promote an experience of wholeness that cannot be bought, derived through consumer actions or secured by the accumulation of wealth. This leads to outward commitments, on individual and collective levels, that are grounded in the mutually supportive goals of sustainability, respect, justice, love, and peace.

Live music and simple steps joyfully touch the spiritual essence within ourselves and all beings. All dances are taught by certified leaders. There are neither performers nor audience and the simple songs and dances are taught as we go along. No musical skills or dance experience of any kind are required and everyone is welcome. Wear comfortable clothes and come dance!

More about the Dances of Universal Peace: http://phoenixdances.org

Questions? Read our FAQ: http://phoenixdances.org/PHXDUPFAQ.htm

Para más información sobre las Danzas de Paz Universal por favor visita: http://www.dancesofuniversalpeace.org/sp/home.shtm